Boxing, however, isn’t the undisputed king of the combat sports world anymore as MMA has steadily risen to be a viable contender and arguably a more entertaining alternative.
UFC 33: Victory in Vegas was the first PPV organized by the UFC in Las Vegas on September 28th, 2011, a card which featured the likes of Tito Ortiz, Chuck Liddell, and Jens Pulver. It turned out to be an underwhelming beginning as every fight on the card failed to live up to the hype. The five main card bouts all went the distance and none of them were as engaging as the fans would have liked.
Nonetheless, UFC and Vegas have a rich history as the Dana White-led promotion has held 119 events in the city – the most amongst all locations. And out of those 119 events, we have picked the 5 best fights that are still part of MMA folklore.
#5 Chuck Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva - UFC 79, Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas, Nevada
Don’t we all remember the hilariously botchy Silva promo from UFC 61? It took the UFC another year to finally get the two veterans inside the Octagon, and surprisingly enough, it was the co-main event of UFC 79 which was headlined by the rubber fight between Matt Hughes and Georges St. Pierre.
The fans thankfully got their money’s worth as Silva and Liddell indulged in a stand-up showdown. The fight had everything you could ask for – an intense pre-fight staredown, two established names, and a satisfying pay-off.
It’s a shame that Liddell vs. Silva happened a little too late. The dream fight pitting the most ruthless fighters of PRIDE and UFC took place when both the legends were in the final stages of their respective careers, however, it was one of the greatest bouts to have taken place in UFC’s history and that’s all the matters.
#4 Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard - UFC 125, MGM Grand Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
The series of fights between Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard is quite possibly one of the greatest trilogies in mixed martial arts history. Both Lightweights went into their first fight with a spotless record to their names and it ended with Maynard handing Edgar his first professional MMA loss.
The setback only motivated Edgar to train harder as he went on a 5-fight win streak, during which, he won and defended the Lightweight title against B.J Penn.
Maynard too went on a similar winning run that eventually culminated in a deserved rematch against Edgar at UFC 125, this time, with the 155 lbs strap on the line.
The second fight began in Maynard’s favor, as he rocked Edgar with a left hook and followed it up with a barrage of punches in a bid to finish his opponent off. Edgar showed godly resilience and managed to get through the round before going on to win the second round.
The 5-round slugfest was justifiably adjudged as a draw and the fight was awarded the Fight of the Year at the year-end MMA awards. While Edgar would win the third outing with a resounding knockout, nobody has forgotten the absolute war that was the second encounter in the legendary series.
#3. Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz II - UFC 202, T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
Nate Diaz put a screeching halt to the Conor McGregor hype train at UFC 196 by finishing the ‘Notorious One’ off with a rear-naked choke in the second round. While the fans were left shocked, the Stockton native wasn’t. The loss shook the Irish megastar, who became obsessed with redemption. And that’s what he got when the two met again at UFC 202.
McGregor looked focused from the get-go as he displayed his precise boxing skills that were complimented with well-timed kicks in the first round. He did predictably run out of gas in the latter stages of the fight which was when Diaz picked up the pace and became the aggressor. However, McGregor picked Diaz apart with his striking and despite Diaz winning in terms of volume, the two-weight champion was more accurate and edged the scorecard with a few knockdowns.
The fight was a stand-up back-and-forth between a loudmouthed whiskey-guzzling Irishman against a weed-smoking zombie from Stockton. It was every bit a fight that the fans expected and it felt even better when McGregor hugged Diaz after his redeeming win. True class.
#2. Robbie Lawler vs. Rory McDonald - UFC 189, MGM Grand Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
Robbie Lawler vs. Rory McDonald II surprisingly went under the radar in the pre-fight build-up to UFC 189 as Conor McGregor managed to grab all the news as he was scheduled to face Chad Mendes in an Interm Featherweight title fight.
The Welterweights absobloodylutely stole the show! They didn’t just come to win, they came to fight and what a slobber knocker it was! Lawler and McDonald stood toe-to-toe and threw bombs at each other. Lawler lived up to his name of being a Ruthless champion as he landed shots and combinations from every angle possible. Rory, though, refused to give up and fought fire with fire.
That staredown at the end of the fourth round is still the most badass moment in MMA history.
While Lawler won via TKO in the fifth round, Rory McDonald gave a testament of his unrivaled toughness that night.
#1. Stephan Bonnar vs. Forrest Griffin - The Ultimate Fighter 1 Finale, Cox Pavilion, Las Vegas, Nevada
Termed as the most important fight in MMA history by Dana White, the UFC may not have made it thus far had it not been for Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar tearing the house down on April 9th, 2005.
UFC was given an ultimatum to produce something extraordinary or to do away with a TV deal. Bonnar and Griffin stepped up to the occasion, propelled MMA to mainstream status, and set a benchmark for the fights that followed over the years.
The two Light Heavyweight prospects put it all on the line for a six-figure UFC contract and by the end of the 3-round dogfight, the fans were on their feet. MMA had announced its arrival that night and it was all credited to the unflinching willingness to put on one heck of a fight.
While Griffin would get the unanimous decision victory, Bonnar was awarded a UFC contract for his efforts. The fight is often regarded as the greatest fight in UFC history and befittingly has a place in the UFC Hall of Fame.
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