Paulo Costa vs. Luke Rockhold and 5 of the weirdest UFC fights
UFC fights can transpire in any number of ways. By their very nature as mixed martial arts bouts, they are subject to countless variables. A sloppy takedown with no setup might result in a guillotine choke-counter, similar to Fabricio Werdum's stunning win over Cain Velasquez seven years ago.
Other times, MMA bouts can end in vicious knockouts when one fighter dupes the other into slipping a straight punch, only for them to lean into the path of a rising high kick. Whether it's grappling, striking, or even a combination of the two, MMA can take on many forms. Though sometimes, matchups can truly diverge from what is expected.
A series of strange UFC moments exist, either due to the fighters themselves or other factors like their environment. Yoel Romero kissing Luke Rockhold minutes after knocking him out and Ben Rothwell's bizarre supervillain promo in his post-fight interview at UFC Fight Night 68 come to mind.
In honor of these odd incidents, this list looks at 5 of some of the weirdest UFC fights to have ever taken place.
#5. Rousimar Palhares vs. Dan Miller
At this point, there's no such thing as a normal Rousimar Palhares fight. The Brazilian grappler is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu expert who specializes in securing leg locks.
Unfortunately, Palhares has a tendency to maintain his grip on submissions long after his foe has tapped out in surrender and even after the referee intervenes, holding on to his opponent's trapped leg while the match official tries to literally pry his grip open.
Rousimar Palhares Thinks Herb Dean Stopped The Fight. Dan Miller Almost KOs Him Follow Us on Instagram : ift.tt/3fQpgVh
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However, when Palhares faced Dan Miller at UFC 134, it was an even more bizarre outing. Looming over a bloodied and battered Miller on the ground, Palhares rained down punches until deciding by himself with no referee intervention that his foe was beaten. The Brazilian turned away, raised his arms in celebration and even climbed to the top of the cage.
Seconds later, UFC referee Herb Dean coaxed Palhares back down from the cage to restart the fight. Once it resumed, Miller nearly flattened the Brazilian with a left hand that could have won him the fight. Alas, Palhares survived to seize victory by uninamous decision in what was truly a bizarre fight.