Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz 1 and more: 5 most memorable UFC fights in history
The UFC is in the fight business. Part of that entails booking fights that stand the test of time, that fans can claim as incredible experiences years afterwards. Sometimes, scheduling memorable matchups is easier said than done. Fighters are individuals, all with their own demands.
Some will refuse to face a certain fighter unless they're paid more. In other cases, their paths simply don't align. Fans, for example, were salivating over a bout between Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou. But disputes involving both fighters and the promotion ultimately led to Ngannou's departure, axing the matchup entirely.
But, when it succeeds, the promotion's bouts are memorable. Sometimes, matchups that the fight world didn't initially regard as potentially memorable, end up becoming so for one reason or another. Whether it's due to an unbeatable foe losing or a fight exceeding all action-based expectations, this list goes over them.
#5. Robbie Lawler vs. Rory MacDonald 2, UFC 189
UFC 189 was originally headlined by a clash between Conor McGregor and José Aldo. Unfortunately, the Brazilian, then the featherweight champion, was forced to withdraw from the matchup after fracturing his rib. It led to the Irishman being scheduled for an interim featherweight bout against Chad Mendes instead.
Robbie Lawler vs. Rory MacDonald at UFC 189 will be inducted into this years UFC Hall Of Fame #UFC287 pic.twitter.com/vmx8AK9Suo
As entertaining as that fight was, the matchup that ultimately drew the fight world's fascination in the coming years was Robbie Lawler's thrilling rematch with Rory MacDonald. The two men faced off in the co-main event, competing for the welterweight title in a bout that some hail as the greatest fight in history.
It was an action-packed war that saw both men battered, broken and bloodied in the sport's ultimate showcase. Lawler emerged victorious via fifth-round TKO after a war that has since been inducted into the fight wing of the UFC Hall of Fame.
#4. Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz 1, UFC 196
No one could have expected the events at UfC 196 to transpire as they had. It was originally devised as the culmination of Conor McGregor's goals as an MMA fighter. He was set to challenge then-lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos for divisional supremacy in his quest to become a UFC double champion.
Alternate angle of Nate Diaz’s iconic bloody face pose at UFC 196 (2016) pic.twitter.com/RsUciozhZo
Unfortunately, 'RDA' was forced to withdraw from their scheduled bout after fracturing his foot. The UFC had no choice but to contact Nate Diaz, who had previously cut a legendary promo on Conor McGregor in his post-fight interview at UFC on Fox 17. Diaz accepted and was brought in as a short-notice replacement.
With only eleven days notice, he was a heavy underdog. But come fight night, he survived his foe's initial onslaught, exhausting the Irishman en route to scoring a shocking second-round submission that catapulted Diaz into superstardom, handed McGregor his first UFC loss, and set up an all-time great rivalry.
#3. Anderson Silva vs. Chris Weidman 2, UFC 168
It's a testament to the chaotic nature of MMA that a fight as memorable as Anderson Silva's knockout loss to Chris Weidman has been completely overshadowed by the nature of 'The Spider's' second loss to the All-American. But can fans really be blamed?
Dec28.2013
8 years ago today,
Anderson Silva shattered his leg while attempting to kick Chris Weidman. pic.twitter.com/lV8hty7DVl
The pair's second bout was of immense importance to both men. Silva was intent on proving that Weidman's previous win was a fluke. The narrative ahead of their rematch was that the Brazilian goofed around too much in their prior bout, paying the price. Weidman, on the other hand, was determined to prove otherwise.
Come their second fight, the then undefeated 185-pounder had trained to check Anderson Silva's sharp low kicks. And in the second round, his preparations paid massive dividends. He checked one of Silva's low kicks, snapping his foe's shin in half in arguably the most memorable injury in MMA history.
#2. Kamaru Usman vs. Leon Edwards 2, UFC 278
For much of his career, Leon Edwards was criticized for supposedly being uninteresting. Despite his elite skills in the cage, the Englishman was not a peacocking trash-talker who stirred controversy to generate hype for his bouts, nor was he a flashy knockout artist that left fans jumping from their seats.
Instead, he was a soft-spoken technician who built an absurd unbeaten streak before the promotion had no choice but to reward his efforts with a long-awaited title shot. His opportunity came at UFC 278 in a rematch with a man to whom he had already lost years ago: Kamaru Usman.
Leon Edwards knocks out Usman CLEAN!!! pic.twitter.com/Q079yBbKvr
At high elevation in Salt Lake City, the two men battled, with Edwards becoming the first man to take Usman down. Unfortunately, he gassed out in the subsequent rounds and Usman dominated. But with just a minute left, 'Rocky' faked a straight left. Usman slipped to the outside of the punch, dooming himself.
'The Nigerian Nightmare' leaned into the path of a thunderous head kick that turned Leon Edwards, a man once booed on home soil, into a fan-favorite in enemy territory. He became the first man to beat Kamaru Usman in the promotion , and his post-fight interview featured a memorable line.
"Headshot. Dead"
#1. Ronda Rousey vs. Holly Holm, UFC 193
It will be some time before a female fighter reaches the height of fame that Ronda Rousey did at her peak. 'Rowdy' was a global star with generational reach, inspiring women of all ages to either take up or watch MMA for the first time. Mothers watched her alongside their daughters, championing her efforts.
6 years ago: Holly Holm vs Ronda Rousey pic.twitter.com/JbxlftTLmY
She was an unbeaten icon, whose fast and furious finishes inside the octagon were reminiscent of Mike Tyson's vicious streak of dominance in the 90s. But, it all came crashing down at UFC 193 in what is arguably the most memorable fight in WMMA history. Holly Holm was as heavy an underdog as could be.
It was Holm's third fight in the promotion. What hope did she have against the invincible Ronda Rousey? It turns out, she didn't need hope. She dismantled 'Rowdy' for two rounds before landing a head kick that knocked her out cold. It marked the end to the Ronda Rousey phenomenon in an all-time great upset.