5 of the most famous combinations in UFC history
While it’s hard to beat a single-shot knockout in the UFC – think Francis Ngannou’s thunderous uppercut finish of Alistair Overeem – there’s something even more beautiful about a combination finish.
Over the years we’ve seen numerous fighters finish their opponents inside the UFC octagon with combinations. Naturally, some stand out more than others.
Some of these combinations are more famous because they took place in big-time UFC title fights or main events. Others simply stand out due to their sheer brilliance.
So without further ado, here are five of the most famous combination finishes in UFC history.
#5. Anderson Silva vs. Chris Leben – UFC Fight Night 5
Arguably the greatest champion in UFC history, Anderson Silva’s legend was written largely over his epic seven-year reign as middleweight champion.
However, ‘The Spider’ made an instant mark upon his debut in the UFC some five months before he unseated Rich Franklin to claim his title.
Faced with the iron-chinned Chris Leben, many fans expected Silva to struggle in his first visit to the octagon. Incredibly, though, the Brazilian not only defeated Leben – becoming the first fighter to stop him in the process – but he made it look easy.
The fight lasted just 49 seconds. It essentially consisted almost entirely of an extended combination from Silva, while Leben was unable to land a strike in return.
‘The Spider’ opened with a pair of jabs and a one-two. As Leben attempted to fire back, Silva landed a head kick before dropping him with another one-two.
‘The Crippler’ managed to wobble back to his feet, only for Silva to follow that combination with a right hand, uppercut and finally a knee to the head. Leben simply melted under the ferocity of the strikes. The fight was over, stunning the crowd.
Basically, Silva landed every strike he threw in this fight, chaining all eleven together in a perfect sequence. It was about as flawless a victory as a fighter could possibly achieve. It turned out to be a precursor to one of the most dominant title reigns in UFC history.