Sounds odd to consider for a guy who has never been amongst the elite of the division he fights in; however, stats tend to play a factor in HOF decisions. Let's assume the rest of his career plays out where he gets a good number of more wins by stoppage, but loses against the elite competition. If the guy is never considered one of the best of his era and never wears gold, should he be a HOFer?
Consider the stats as of today...
- Second most finishes in UFC history (1 behind sure thing HOFer Donald Cerrone, who he will likely pass when there careers are said and done)
- Most submissions in UFC history (currently 13 which is 2 more than Maia)
- 15 Fight Night bonuses (ranked 2nd in UFC history)
- 9 Performance of the Night bonuses (ranked 1st in UFC history)
The dude is a stat machine and will likely continue to extend records which will go down in history. That said, he has never been able to beat elite competition to date, with losses against Cerrone, Frankie, Max, and Pettis (not to mention second & third tier fighters like Miller, Cub, Felder, & Lamas).
Where should the UFC HOF draw the line? Should it be limited to the best of the best (not counting the fight or contributor wings) or should stats be a ticket in? I can't think of a better litmus test than Oliveira.