Honda's level is changing more than her competitors too. 2 yrs ago a Cyborg match was not a good idea. Now it is. Her striking has come up 300%.
On the fighter's base, I'm at a tossup. I definitely think mastering one art like judo to a very deep level first, then expanding is one way I've seen work very effectively. Lately elite wrestlers who can build a certain skill level striking are winning. But I am also seeing very young kids coming up simulataneously in multiple disciplines under a good mma coach and doing very well. An example of the first category to me is Cain Velasquez. An example of the second category would be Jon Jones.