Everything is relative. Of course certain things change. Given the same starting line, the people who come out on top in one instance would logically come out on top later down the road. The entire scene improves, it's not like we started ahead of a bunch of people. Being "the best" is a relative position, and just because the scene as a whole improves doesn't negate the ability to take the status quo and do it better than everyone else. Citing techniques that were used in one era versus the other literally adds nothing to the conversation.
To your Jordan reference, sure, he's great, so is Silva and Jones, but the metaphors here are that I'm willing to give it to wK and AE being in the conversation. The rest of the NA scene, I don't see it.