Mma Best Fights Of All Time
The UFC never has been shy about trying to deliver fireworks.
10 Best Heavyweight Title Fights of All-Time. At some of the most iconic heavyweight title fights in UFC history. List like this and not include the very first time the title was won. MMA.tv brings you the best news and video in MMA, UFC, Traditional Martial Arts, Combat Fitness, Kids in Martial Arts, & boxing. Dominick Cruz fights at the top of the undercard of Saturday’s UFC 259, and is currently ranked #11 in the division. Opponent Casey Kenney is curren.
Traditionally, the promotion has liked to close out the calendar year with a bang. (Although a few years, the way the dates fell, it meant starting the new year with one, instead.) But the point is, a big pay-per-view always was something fans could look forward to around the holidays.
The past couple years, the UFC has shifted away from those, and the final pay-per-view of the year has been in the middle of December. But we still have memories of those big blowout events from the past.
In the spirit of the holiday season, this year we’re giving you our countdown of the best fights from the UFC’s past year-end pay-per-views. Each day, come back here and open the proverbial door to find out which fight is next on the list.
Disclaimer: Like all lists, these things are subjective. Maybe Robbie Lawler vs. Carlos Condit was a truly great and competitive fight, but Amanda Nunes vs. Ronda Rousey was far from competitive and just a mauling. When we say “best fights,” we also mean best moments, so don’t get too hung up on Monday morning quarterbacking. Just enjoy the look-back.
24. Cole Miller def. Dan Lauzon
Cole Miller vs. Dan Lauzon, UFC 108
Event: UFC 108
Date: Jan. 2, 2010
Result:Cole Miller def. Dan Lauzon via submission (reverse triangle choke and kimura) – Round 1, 3:05
Notes: “Submission of the Night” ($50,000) for Miller … Miller’s third UFC fight-night bonus award … Miller’s 11th submission in 16 career wins … Lauzon’s return to the UFC after more than three years away … Lauzon’s brother Joe fought later on the card and lost to Sam Stout
23. Sam Stout def. Joe Lauzon
Sam Stout vs. Joe Lauzon, UFC 108
Event: UFC 108
Date: Jan. 2, 2010
Result:Sam Stout def. Joe Lauzon via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
Notes: “Fight of the Night” ($50,000 each for Stout and Lauzon) … Stout’s second straight “Fight of the Night” award in a run that hit three in a row … Stout’s second straight win, which gave him his first winning streak in the UFC … Lauzon’s fifth overall UFC bonus award and second in a run that hit six fights in a row … first decision loss of Lauzon’s career … Lauzon’s brother Dan fought earlier on the card and lost to Cole Miller, who won “Submission of the Night”
22. Jon Jones def. Alexander Gustafsson
Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson, UFC 232
Event: UFC 232
Date: Dec. 29, 2018
Result:Jon Jones def. Alexander Gustafsson via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 2:02 – to win vacant light heavyweight title
Notes: The fight was a rematch from UFC 165 in September 2013, which Jones won by unanimous decision in what was his closest fight to that point … Jones and Gustafsson each made a disclosed $500,000 for the fight; Jones was not scheduled to receive a disclosed win bonus … the win was Jones’ 14th straight, which doesn’t count his stoppage of Daniel Cormier at UFC 214, which was overturned to a no contest … the TKO finish was Jones’ return to stoppages (again, not counting the no contest) after decision wins in his previous four fights … Gustafsson dropped to 0-3 in light heavyweight title fights, including his previous loss to Jones and a split decision loss to Cormier at UFC 192.
21. Travis Browne def. Josh Barnett
Travis Browne vs. Josh Barnett, UFC 168
Event: UFC 168
Date: Dec. 28, 2013
Result:Travis Browne def. Josh Barnett via knockout (elbows) – Round 1, 1:00
Notes: “Knockout of the Night” ($75,000) for Browne … Win was Browne’s third straight first-round knockout and third straight “Knockout of the Night” bonus, all in a perfect 3-0 2013 … After the win, Browne went on a 2-6 slide, including a loss his next time out in a title eliminator to Fabricio Werdum, who went on to become heavyweight champion … Browne fought one fight ahead of Ronda Rousey, whom he started dating less than two years later and eventually married … Loss was Barnett’s first by knockout in seven years
20. Jim Miller def. Joe Lauzon
Jim Miller vs. Joe Lauzon, UFC 155
Event: UFC 155
Date: Dec. 29, 2012
Result:Jim Miller def. Joe Lauzon via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Notes: “Fight of the Night” ($65,000 each for Miller and Lauzon) … bonus was Lauzon’s 12th post-fight award in 14 UFC fights to that point and ninth in nine fights … Miller and Lauzon had a combined 54 fights heading into the bout, which was UFC 155’s co-main event … Just the second time Lauzon had lost a decision, though both of those setbacks were “Fight of the Night” winners … Miller was a replacement for Lauzon’s original opponent, Gray Maynard … Miller and Lauzon fought in a rematch in August 2016, which was a split decision win for Miller and again a “Fight of the Night” honoree.
19. Paul Felder def. Danny Castillo
Paul Felder vs. Danny Castillo, UFC 182
Event: UFC 182
Date: Jan. 3, 2015
Result:Paul Felder def. Danny Castillo via knockout (spinning backfist) – Round 2, 2:09
Notes: “Performance of the Night” ($50,000 for Felder) … fight was Felder’s second in the UFC and kept him perfect at 10-0 as a pro … knockout was Felder’s seventh in 10 fights to open his career … KO was one of just three finishes at UFC 182 to go with eight decisions … Felder’s spinning back fist KO was just the third in UFC history.
18. Nate Diaz def. Donald Cerrone
Donald Cerrone vs. Nate Diaz, UFC 141
Event: UFC 141
Date: Dec. 30, 2011
Result:Nate Diaz def. Donald Cerrone via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Notes: “Fight of the Night” ($75,000 each for Diaz and Cerrone) … one of seven decisions in 10 fights on the card … middle victory in a run of three straight wins for Diaz after his return to lightweight; all three were bonus-winners … was Diaz’s ninth post-fight bonus in his 15th UFC fight … loss snapped a six-fight winning streak for Cerrone that included his first four in the UFC after the merger with the WEC … Cerrone’s fourth UFC bonus in five fights … was Cerrone’s fifth fight in the 2011 calendar year.
17. Alexander Volkanovski def. Chad Mendes
Alexander Volkanovski vs. Chad Mendes, UFC 232
Event: UFC 232
Date: Dec. 29, 2018
Result:Alexander Volkanovski def. Chad Mendes via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 4:14
Notes: “Fight of the Night” ($50,000 for Volkanovski and Mendes) … first bonus win in Volkanovski’s career (and so far, only bonus win) … one of 10 stoppages in 13 fights on the card … Volkanovski’s 16th straight win on his way to a featherweight title shot and ultimate title win … third loss in four fights for Mendes … second fight for Mendes after returning from two-year suspension … Mendes announced retirement after the loss and hasn’t fought since.
16. Cain Velasquez def. Junior Dos Santos
Cain Velasquez vs. Junior Dos Santos, UFC 155
Event: UFC 155
Date: Dec. 29, 2012
Result:Cain Velasquez def. Junior Dos Santos via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-43, 50-44)
Notes: Rematch from UFC on FOX 1 in November 2011 … Dos Santos won the first fight as challenger by knocking out Velasquez in the first round … the two fought a third time at UFC 166, which Velasquez won by fifth-round TKO … one of eight decisions in 12 fights on the card … Dos Santos has fought 12 times since his UFC 155 loss to Velasquez with a 6-6 record – and all six losses by knockout … Velasquez has fought just five times since the UFC 155 win over Dos Santos.
15. Rashad Evans def. Forrest Griffin
Rashad Evans vs. Forrest Griffin, UFC 92
Event: UFC 92
Date: Dec. 27, 2008
Result:Rashad Evans def. Forrest Griffin via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 2:46 – to win light heavyweight title
Notes: “Fight of the Night” ($60,000 each for Evans, Griffin) … Griffin’s third straight bonus … first time two “Ultimate Fighter” winners met in a title fight … after beating Quinton “Rampage” Jackson to win the belt in July 2008, Griffin lost it in his first attempted defense … Evans stayed unbeaten, but like Griffin lost the title in his first attempted defense in May 2009;
14. Quinton Jackson def. Wanderlei Silva
Quinton Jackson vs. Wanderlei Silva, UFC 92
Event: UFC 92
Date: Dec. 27, 2008
Result:Quinton Jackson def. Wanderlei Silva via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 3:21
Notes: “Knockout of the Night” ($60,000 for Jackson) … third bonus for Jackson in his first five UFC fights … one of eight knockouts in 10 fights on the card, including all five on the pay-per-view main card … trilogy fight for “Rampage” and Silva; Silva won the first two fights in PRIDE by knockout … the pair fought a fourth time in September 2018 at Bellator 206, won by Jackson to even the series at 2-2 … Silva’s fourth loss in five fights, including three by knockout.
13. Johny Hendricks def. Jon Fitch
Johny Hendricks vs. Jon Fitch, UFC 141
Event: UFC 141
Date: Dec. 30, 2011
Result:Johny Hendricks def. Jon Fitch via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 0:12
Notes: “Knockout of the Night” ($75,000 for Hendricks) … one of just three stoppages, all on the main card, at the 10-fight event … third victory in a six-fight winning streak for Hendricks that led to a welterweight title shot against Georges St-Pierre … just the second knockout loss of Fitch’s career … though the fastest finish in Hendricks’ career, at 12 seconds it doesn’t quite reach the top 10 fastest KOs in UFC history.
12. Alistair Overeem def. Brock Lesnar
Alistair Overeem vs. Brock Lesnar, UFC 141
Event: UFC 141
Date: Dec. 30, 2011
Result:Alistair Overeem def. Brock Lesnar via TKO (body kick, punches) – Round 1, 2:26
Notes: Overeem’s UFC debut after coming over from Strikeforce … one of just three stoppages, all on the main card, at the 10-fight event … Overeem’s 11th straight win and a return to finishes after a decision victory over Fabricio Werdum in Strikeforce … was Lesnar’s return 14 months after losing the heavyweight title to Cain Velasquez … Lesnar announced his MMA retirement after the loss, citing diverticulitis struggles, but returned to the UFC in 2016 for one more fight.
11. Georges St-Pierre def. Matt Hughes
Georges St-Pierre vs. Matt Hughes, UFC 79
Event: UFC 79
Date: Dec. 29, 2007
Result:Georges St-Pierre def. Matt Hughes via verbal submission (armbar) – Round 2, 4:54 – to win interim welterweight title
Notes: “Submission of the Night” ($50,000 for St-Pierre) … second bonus of St-Pierre’s UFC career … Hughes was supposed to fight Matt Serra for Serra’s welterweight title, but Serra withdrew with a back injury … St-Pierre replaced Serra, who beat him at UFC 69, in the interim title fight … trilogy fight; Hughes won the first meeting at UFC 50, but St-Pierre won the final two … St-Pierre’s first submission win in more than two years – he didn’t have another till the final fight of his career nearly 10 years later.
10. Chris Weidman def. Anderson Silva
Chris Weidman vs. Anderson Silva, UFC 168
Event: UFC 168
Date: Dec. 28, 2013
Result:Chris Weidman def. Anderson Silva via TKO (injury) – Round 2, 1:16
Notes: Rematch from UFC 162, at which Weidman took the middleweight title from Silva with a second-round knockout … Silva suffered one of the most gruesome injuries in MMA history when he broke his right leg in the second round when Weidman checked one of his kicks … win kept Weidman unbeaten at 11-0 and was his third straight stoppage win … after his legendary unbeaten run of more than six years, Silva suffered a consecutive loss for the first time in his career … Silva’s record since the loss is 1-5; Weidman’s is 4-5 since the win.
9. Cody Garbrandt def. Dominick Cruz
Cody Garbrandt vs. Dominick Cruz, UFC 207
Event: UFC 207
Date: Dec. 30, 2016
Result:Cody Garbrandt def. Dominick Cruz via unanimous decision (48-46, 48-47, 48-46) – to win bantamweight title
Notes: “Fight of the Night” ($50,000 each for Garbrandt and Cruz) … Cruz’s fourth UFC bonus … Garbrandt stayed unbeaten at 10-0 to win the title … Cruz had a 13-fight winning streak snapped for his first loss in nearly 10 years … in Cruz’s 13-fight streak, seven were wins in title fights in the UFC or WEC … one of six decisions in 10 fights on the card.
8. Chuck Liddell def. Tito Oritz
Chuck Liddell vs. Tito Ortiz, UFC 66
Event: UFC 66
Date: Dec. 30, 2006
Result:Chuck Liddell def. Tito Oritz via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 3:59 – to retain light heavyweight title
Notes: “Fight of the Night” for Liddell and Ortiz (undisclosed payout) … set the North American MMA live gate record at the time at $5.4 million … last of eight straight finishes at the event following a decision in the opening fight … rematch from a UFC 47 fight in April 2004, at which Liddell knocked out Ortiz in the main event … the two fought a third time in November 2018 for Golden Boy Promotions – a knockout win for Ortiz to avoid a 3-0 trilogy sweep by Liddell … Liddell lost the light heavyweight title his next fight to Quinton Jackson, which started a 1-6 slide to end his career … snapped a five-fight winning streak for Ortiz, all of which came after his first fight with Liddell.
7. Chuck Liddell def. Wanderlei Silva
Chuck Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva, UFC 79
Event: UFC 79
Date: Dec. 29, 2007
Result:Chuck Liddell def. Wanderlei Silva via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Notes: “Fight of the Night” ($50,000 each for Liddell and Silva) … voted by many outlets as the 2007 “Fight of the Year” one of just three decisions on the 10-fight card … last win of Liddell’s prolific career – he went on a four-fight slide of knockout losses after this win … after his eight previous wins were by knockout, was Liddell’s first decision win since June 2002 at uFC 37.5 … was Silva’s return to the UFC for the first time since UFC 25 in April 2000 … loss was Silva’s third straight, the only such skid of his career.
6. Amanda Nunes def. Ronda Rousey
Amanda Nunes vs. Ronda Rousey, UFC 207
Event: UFC 207
Date: Dec. 30, 2016
Result:Amanda Nunes def. Ronda Rousey via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 0:48 – to defend women’s bantamweight title
Notes: “Performance of the Night” for Nunes ($50,000) … second straight knockout loss for onetime dominant champion Rousey … was Nunes’ first bantamweight title defense and her fifth career win in less than a minute … quickest loss of Rousey’s career … as of now, was Rousey’s final MMA fight after a 12-0 start … one of just three finishes at UFC 207 and broke a run of six straight decisions to end the night … Rousey made a $3 million disclosed payday for the 48-second loss; Nunes made a disclosed $200,000.
5. Ronda Rousey def. Miesha Tate
Ronda Rousey vs. Miesha Tate, UFC 168
Event: UFC 168
Date: Dec. 28, 2013
Result:Ronda Rousey def. Miesha Tate via submission (armbar) – Round 3, 0:58 – to defend women’s bantamweight title
Notes: “Fight of the Night” ($75,000 each for Rousey and Tate) … also “Submission of the Night” and another $75,000 for Rousey … first two bonuses of Rousey’s UFC career; she went on to win seven in eight fights … was Tate’s second straight “Fight of the Night” bonus, though both came in losses … bout was a rematch from a Strikeforce fight about 20 months earlier, also won by Rousey with an armbar to win that promotion’s belt … fight was the traditional matchup between the coaches from Season 18 of “The Ultimate Fighter” … Tate went on a five-fight winning streak after the loss, including a win over Holly Holm to win the women’s 135-pound title one fight after Holm beat Rousey to win it.
4. Jon Jones def. Daniel Cormier
Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier, UFC 182
Event: UFC 182
Date: Jan. 3, 2015
Result:Jon Jones def. Daniel Cormier via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46) – to retain light heavyweight title
Notes: “Fight of the Night” ($50,000 each for Jones and Cormier) … the fight was one of eight decisions in 11 fights at UFC 182 – including all on the main card … Jones’ win was his 12th straight and eighth straight title defense … Jones was stripped of the light heavyweight title in April 2015 for violations of the UFC’s Code of Conduct policy … Cormier’s loss was the first of his MMA career.
3. Robbie Lawler def. Carlos Condit
Robbie Lawler vs. Carlos Condit, UFC 195
Event: UFC 195
Date: Jan. 2, 2016
Result:Robbie Lawler def. Carlos Condit via split decision (48-47, 47-48, 48-47) – to retain welterweight title
Notes: “Fight of the Night” ($50,000 each for Lawler and Condit) … Lawler’s fifth UFC bonus and fourth for “Fight of the Night” … Lawler’s third straight win in a title fight; he lost the belt his next time out to Tyron Woodley … Condit’s seventh UFC bonus … loss for Condit started a run of five straight setbacks, which he finally snapped in October.
2. Amanda Nunes def. Cris Cyborg
Amanda Nunes vs. Cris Cyborg, UFC 232
Event: UFC 232
Date: Dec. 29, 2018
Result:Amanda Nunes def. Cris Cyborg via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 0:51 – to win women’s featherweight title
Notes: “Performance of the Night” for Nunes ($50,000) … event was moved to California less than a week before the fight due to headliner Jon Jones’ drug testing issues in Nevada … Nunes’ return to featherweight for the first time since 2011 in Strikeforce … Nunes became first woman in UFC history to hold titles in two divisions at the same time … first loss for Cyborg since her pro debut; snapped a 20-fight winning streak.
1. Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard
Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard, UFC 125
Event: UFC 125
Date: Jan. 1, 2011
Result:Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard declared spilt draw (46–48, 48–46, 47–47) – Edgar retained lightweight title
Notes: “Fight of the Night” ($60,000 each for Edgar and Maynard) … Edgar’s fourth “Fight of the Night” award … rematch from a a 2008 fight won by Maynard … due to the draw, Edgar and Maynard rematched nine months later at UFC 136, where Edgar won by knockout to defend the title … Maynard’s perfect 10-0 run was ended with the draw; he went 3-7 after UFC 125.
Picking the ten greatest fights in MMA history is like looking through a bag of your favorite chocolates and picking only ten. A list like this wholly depends on the viewer's vantage, tastes, and the time of day.
Still, picking the ten greatest MMA fights of all time was exactly what had to be done here. Both a fun and challenging task that is guaranteed to bring both praise and disagreement. Regardless, criteria needed to be selected.
The three criteria.
1. The fight itself had to have significant drama (the most important criteria). In other words, each fighter, at one point or another, must have been in a position to win the fight. This is main reason why Chuck Liddell and Fedor Emelianenko's names are not on this list. They both tend to dominate.
For example, in Emelianenko's win over Mirko Cro Cop, Cro Cop never really looked as if he was going to be the victor. Hence, the fight didn't make this list.
2. The bigger the stage the better. In other words, what the fight meant was a major criteria. Non- championship bouts didn't get as much love as those giving out belts. TUF finales were also looked at with high regard due to the stakes involved, as were PRIDE Grand Prix style matches.
In addition, due in part to the mixed martial arts television blackout during the late 1990's and early 2000's, some good fights are absent from this list. The reason? The stage was lacking.
3. Only PRIDE and UFC bouts were considered. To go beyond the two major organizations would be to add even more chaos to a difficult task.
So, without further ado, here we go.
10. Wanderlei Silva vs. Hidehiko Yoshida I
The Stage - PRIDE Final Conflict 2003 on 11/9/03At this point in his career, PRIDE Middleweight Champion, Wanderlei Silva, had rattled off an impressive 13 straight bouts without a loss. He seemed unstoppable. Further, Judo Gold Medalist, Hidehiko Yoshida, had only three MMA fights under his belt.
Even so, it was a great fight.
Early on, Yoshida proved his takedown prowess, dropping Silva to the ground rather easily. While on the ground, Yoshida nearly won via neck crank; Silva almost pulled off a triangle choke.
Even better, throughout this two round fight, Yoshida proved his worth standing, taking punch after punch from Silva without falter (and returning some of that fire as well). In the end, Silva was the better man via unanimous decision.
But this was a fight that seemed as if it could've gone either way on several occasions.
9. Josh Barnett vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
The Stage - PRIDE Final Conflict Absolute on 9/10/06.What a ground war. Though there were some decent exchanges on their feet, these two went from submission attempt to submission attempt on one another while on the ground. It could've served as a clinic on flowing submissions and escapes. Further, each combatant took their turn being on top and bottom of the ground exchanges.
As time expired, Barnett had Nogueira in a knee bar. Might that have finished the fight: who knows? What we do know is that final submission attempt probably won him the fight via decision.
8. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Bob Sapp
The Stage - PRIDE Shockwave on 8/28/02.Sapp, a former professional football player weighing in at 350 pounds, had demolished the only two MMA opponents he'd faced coming into this bout. In short, he hit very hard, was inhumanly strong, and, was, well, huge. Nogueira on the other hand, was much smaller and less powerful, but was (and is) the Brazilian Jiu- Jitsu master.
In short, the bout started with Sapp throwing Nogueira around like a rag doll. He even slammed him on his head, making many onlookers, including this writer, grimace. However, despite Sapp's somewhat gruesome domination early on, Nogueira did what he always does.
He persevered.
Toward the end of the first round, evidence surfaced that Sapp was tiring. By the second round, there was no doubt. Soon after, Nogueira's submission game established itself in the form of an armbar. A great two round fight that cemented Nogueira's legendary status.
7. Matt Hughes vs. Frank Trigg II
The Stage - UFC 52 on 4/16/05Short and absolutely sweet. This was a fight where the unthinkable happened. Trigg struck Hughes in the groin; Hughes then turned to referee Mario Yamasaki to complain.
Poor move.
Yamasaki hadn't seen it, and Hughes got pelted with punches he wasn't ready for by Trigg. Next thing you know, Trigg has his back, and the choke is sunk in deep. Hughes begins to turn red, even purple. It seems as if his run as champion is about to end.
But this is Matt Hughes, remember.
First, he escapes the choke. Next, he picks Trigg up in the air and walks him to his own corner.
Then perhaps the greatest slam of all- time occurs. Next thing you know, Hughes has Trigg in a rear naked choke.
Then Trigg taps. Perhaps the most exciting four minutes and five seconds in an MMA bout ever.
6. Don Frye vs. Ken Shamrock
The Stage - PRIDE 19 Bad Blood on 2/24/02.There's a reason why this one was called 'Bad Blood'. Before the fight, Shamrock was downright steamed, indicating that Frye had said things about his family. In fact, they nearly had a fight at the press conference.
With both fighters trying to recapture their former glory on the comeback trail (this was Shamrock's fourth fight after taking over three years off and Frye's third fight after nearly five years off), this one could've been ripe for disappointment.
In short, it wasn't.
These two guys fought a war. At one point, Shamrock nearly won the fight via leglock. However, despite the fact that Frye was clearly caught, he showed an immense degree of toughness and refused to tap (eventually Shamrock tired and he escaped).
This fight was great on the ground and standing. After a grueling three round fight, the judges rendered their scorecards.
A split decision victory for Don Frye.
5. Kendall Groves vs. Ed Herman
The stage - TUF 3 finale on 6/24/06.'It was a close fight,' said Herman. 'It could've gone either way.'
You're darned right, it could've.
What a war! These two that had spent eons in a house together during the TUF 3 show. You'd think that would make them want to take it easy on each other. After all, they were friends.
Not so.
For the most part, this fight took place on the ground, even though there were clearly some nice stand up exchanges (most of which Groves won).
When on the ground, it seemed as if they were putting on a clinic. In short, each fighter went from dangerous position on the mat to dangerous position, proving both their ability to both employ and escape submissions. Probably the thing that gave Groves the unanimous decision was the fact that the fight ended with Herman in a rear naked choke.
And this time it didn't look like he was going to get out of it.
Still, the way this fight was going, you never know.
4. Royce Gracie vs. Dan Severn
The Stage - UFC 4 championship bout on 12/16/94.This was the match that truly proved Brazilian Jiu- Jitsu's worth once and for all. For the first time, Royce Gracie came face to face with an elite athlete from a popular American sport. In the eyes of many, Dan Severn's Greco- Roman wrestling career put him at a different level than Royce's previous UFC opponents (he was a four time All American wrestler at Arizona State that formerly had held the American record for victories by pin).
Perhaps just as important, Severn outweighed Gracie by 90 pounds.
With no time limits or rounds, the fight pretty much started and ended in the same position. Severn immediately took Royce down, showing his wrestling advantage. From there, Royce got him in the guard. And that's pretty much where they stayed for over 15 minutes. Severn pounded on Gracie through most of the fight, while all Gracie could do was protect himself. In short, things didn't look good for the man from Rio de Janeiro.
That is, until just after the fifteen minute mark when Gracie pulled off a submission that many Americans had never seen. Something called a triangle choke; a submission engineered from the bottom position with one's legs.
At 15:49 of the fight, Severn tapped, and Royce Gracie's legend reached near epic proportions.
3. Royce Gracie vs. Kazushi Sakuraba
The Stage - PRIDE Grand Prix 2000 Finals on 5/1/00.Today, Pride championship bouts total twenty minutes (one 10 minute round followed by two five minute rounds). Fighters have to be in great shape to make it through such an event.
Now imagine fighting for over an hour and a half. That's exactly what Royce Gracie and Kazushi Sakuraba did in this bout.
After Kazushi Sakuraba ( a catch wrestler ) defeated Royler Gracie by submission ( the first loss by a Gracie on the world stage in quite some time ), the stage was set. Royce Gracie came back to set the record straight, joining Sakuraba in PRIDE's first ever Grand Prix tournament. They met in the second round under special rules that included no time limits (though there were rounds).
Early in the fight, Sakuraba nearly finished Gracie by knee bar. Later on, Gracie nearly caught Sakuraba in a guillotine choke. However, as the fight wore on, Gracie became unable to take Sakuraba down. Further, the Japanese fighter continually utilized Royce's gi, a piece of clothing that had done so well by him in the past, against him.
Sakuraba's leg kicks eventually became too much for the Brazilian. Royce's brother threw in the towel after an hour and a half of fighting, through which Gracie had suffered a broken foot.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/imported_assets/721183/kenny_florian_7.jpg "Greatest ufc fights all time")
And with that, some of the mysticism of Gracie Jiu- Jitsu was gone. A Gracie could be defeated, even Royce, and an elite Japanese mixed martial artist named, Kazushi Sakuraba, had proved it.
2. Stephan Bonnar vs. Forrest Griffin
The Stage - TUF 1 finale on 4/9/05.These two guys will forever be stars because of this fight. They set the precedent for great TUF finale fights, for sure.
Was it pretty? No. Was it a display of elite kickboxing techniques? Not in total, though there were some moments (such as Bonnar's spinning back kick). However, this fight was a display of heart, courage, and determination.
In other words, it was a brawl; perhaps unlike any that had ever graced an MMA stage.
Afterward, via split decision, Griffin got the edge. Did he deserve it? Who knows? All we do know is that many people, including UFC commentator, Joe Rogan, thought it was one of the best, if not the best MMA fights they'd ever seen.
1. Matt Hughes vs. B.J. Penn II
The Stage - UFC 63 on 9/23/06.Last time these two met, Penn had submitted Hughes via rear naked choke in the first round. Coming in, both fighters had a lot on the line. A win for Hughes would cement him as perhaps the greatest pound for pound mixed martial artist in history (in the eyes of many), while a loss might actually do the same for Penn.
In short, legacies were on the line.
Penn dominated early on, doing something that no other fighter had ever been able to accomplish against Hughes; he stopped his takedowns. Somehow, Penn had managed stay balanced, often on one leg, as Hughes attempted a host of single leg takedowns against him.
Due to the UFC Welterweight Champion's inability to take the fight to the ground, Penn got his chance to throw punches. He immediately proved he was the better man on his feet. The man from Hawaii won the first round rather easily.
In the second, Hughes finally got Penn to the ground. Good thing, right? Well, not initially, anyway. Penn caught Hughes in a triangle choke that nearly did him in. But somehow, through sheer guts and determination, Hughes persevered and got through that round without tapping or passing out.
During that round, unbeknownst to spectators, Penn injured a rib. In addition, he apparently spent all his energy trying to submit Hughes.
A bad thing against a man that trains with Miletich Fighting Systems. They never gas.
In the third, Penn was a different fighter; a tired fighter. Hughes, on the other hand, wasn't. He beat Penn to the punch on several occasions and then took him down. He got him in the crucifix position.
And then he pounded his way to a John McCarthy stoppage.
Afterwards, Matt Hughes answered Joe Rogan's questions with a sense of pride. 'I knew I had all my guys in my corner; they weren't with me, but they were in my heart. Just like the Lord Jesus Christ was with me, so I had no doubt.'
That sense of supreme confidence, that ability to handle adversity, is why Matt Hughes is who he is.
Why this one was number one.
First, the drama. Both Penn and Hughes had each other in terrible positions. Penn did not escape, while Hughes did.
Though this fight did not mean as much to the sport as the two Gracie encounters that made this list, it was a far more exciting fight than both of those.
Perhaps just as important was the stage. This one went beyond a championship bout; as was said earlier, legacies were at stake. Hughes needed to defeat the only person in recent memory to defeat him in order to perhaps solidify his spot as the most dominant fighter of his generation (he and Fedor seem to be the two vying for this quasi title).
And that's what he did.
Beyond all of this, Penn represented, perhaps, the most perfectly constructed opponent to Hughes's skills. Great on his feet, near flawless takedown defense, and unbelievable submission from the guard, all of which would seemingly contrast well with Hughes's style.
Last, MMA has never been bigger than it is now. Thus, the stage today is larger by sheer demand than any previous. Thus, the fact that this fight recently happened held some weight.
This one should go to a trilogy.
Some Honorable Mentions (there were many others)
Royce Gracie vs. Kimo Leopoldo (on 9/9/94)Tito Ortiz vs. Frank Shamrock (on 9/24/99)
Randy Couture vs. Kevin Randleman (on 11/17/00)
Don Frye vs. Yoshihiro Takayama (on 6/23/02)
Phil Baroni vs. Matt Lindland II (on 2/28/03)
Fedor Emelianenko vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira I (on 3/16/03)
Quinton Jackson vs. Ricardo Arona (on 6/20/04)
Luiz Azeredo vs. Takanori Gomi I (5/22/05)
Phil Baroni vs. Ikuhiso Minowa (5/22/05)
Takanori Gomi vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri (on 9/25/05)
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Mirko Cro Cop vs. Mark Hunt (on 12/31/05)
Diego Sanchez vs. Karo Parisyan (on 8/17/06)
So and so vs. So and so (on pick a date)
Ufc Best Fights Of All Time
You get the picture.