5 of the best UFC fights to take place in the UK
This weekend sees the UFC return to the UK for the first time since before the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the promotion heads to London for its latest Fight Night.
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The UFC first visited the UK way back in 2002. In the years that have followed, they’ve put on numerous major events in the country, producing some great fights along the way.
While the UK hasn’t seen too many major title fights over the years, it has seen plenty of explosive finishes, incredible upsets and some of the more memorable octagon moments for plenty of fans.
With that in mind, here are five of the greatest UFC fights to take place in the UK.
#5. Michael Bisping vs. Denis Kang – UFC 105
In late 2009, Michael Bisping found himself at a crossroads of sorts. Following his octagon debut in 2006, ‘The Count’ had worked hard to prove that he wasn’t simply a product of the UFC’s hype machine, but outside of a 2008 win over Chris Leben, he hadn’t really been able to beat a proven top fighter.
More to the point, his first attempt to step up to the elite level ended in disaster, as Dan Henderson knocked him out in one of the most replayed finishes in UFC and MMA history, wrecking his hopes of making a run at the middleweight title.
When he was matched with former PRIDE superstar Denis Kang in his hometown of Manchester, then, it was essentially do or die for him. Sure, Kang wasn’t quite at the top of his game at that point, but the Canadian was still recognized as one of the world’s best 185lbers.
Early on in the fight, it looked like things would end in disaster for Bisping again. Kang decked him with a short right hand in the early going. While ‘The Count’ survived the shot, he was unable to get up from underneath his opponent for the entirety of the first round.
In the second round, though, Bisping decided to change things up entirely. He surprised Kang with a takedown and quickly began to batter him with some heavy punches and elbows, cutting the Canadian open.
From there, the tide of the fight turned entirely. Kang got to his feet, only for Bisping to take him down again. From there, he simply didn’t let up, destroying his foe with more brutal strikes until the referee had to step in.
FREE FIGHT: Check out @bisping vs Denis Kang from #UFC105!
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Not only was this a great fight, but it was also a signal that Bisping was indeed ready to break into the UFC elite at 185 pounds. For the most part, he didn’t look back.