Where does Conor McGregor's 2015 knockout win over Chad Mendes rank in list of best UFC fights in Vegas?
It has already been 8 years since Conor McGregor got his first tast of UFC gold as he knocked out Chad Mendes to win the interim featherweight championship at UFC 189.
It was a significant win for the Irishman as it set the stage for his title fight with then featherweight king Jose Aldo. UFC Fight Pass recently created a list looking back at the best UFC fights in Las Vegas history. There have been a number of legendary bouts as the city has been synonomous with the promotion.
The Notorious' first taste of gold! In July 2015, @TheNotoriousMMA weathered an early storm, and knocked out Chad Mendes to win his first @UFC belt!
This immortalized performance comes in at #22 on our list of the best @ufc fights in Las Vegas history. https://t.co/4w8KYtBE6v
According to the Fight Pass list, McGregor vs. Mendes slots into No.22 on what's sure to be a legendary list when it has all been revealed. 'Mystic Mac' dealt proved that he could deal with adversity through the fight as 'Money' was successful with his wrestling early in the fight. The win is also viewed as what helped further propel the eventual two-division champion into superstardom.
The event took place during the promotion's annual Internation Fight Week and also featured a legendary welterweight title bout between Robbie Lawler and Rory MacDonald, which will be inducted into the Fight Wing of this year's UFC Hall of Fame.
UFC Hall of Famers ranked under McGregor vs. Mendes
The grudge match between Ken Shamrock and then light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz at UFC 40: Vendetta was ranked in the No.23 spot of the affromentioned list under Conor McGregor vs. Chad Mendes.
The legendary rivalry between the eventual Hall of Famers was significant to the promotion at the time. The UFC received mainstream attention for the event due to Ortiz's status as a dominant champion and 'The World's Most Dangerous Man's popularity, especially following his stint with WWE during the Attitude Era.
Despite dropping 'The Huntington Beach Bad Boy' early in the first round, Shamrock had no answer for the much younger champion. Ortiz imposed his will with his wrestling and ground-and-pound and earned a third-round TKO win after the former Superfight champion's corner stopped the fight between the third and fourth round.
We had to pay homage to the legends! Over 20 years ago @titoortiz and Ken Shamrock kicked off their trilogy with an unforgettable battle at #UFC40.
This legendary bout clocks in at #23 on our list of the best @ufc fights in Las Vegas history. https://t.co/uYlV4cxUp1