A good rematch is something special, but it doesn’t come with a set formula for being great and/or memorable.
Take UFC 200 for example. The promotion just booked two rematches in the form of Nate Diaz versus Conor McGregor and Jose Aldo versus Frankie Edgar. Both rematches are very different animals.
The first is an immediate rematch that’s being booked because the first fight was a high-action affair between two marketable fighters. Oh and because it sold a ridiculous amount of PPV’s and they’re banking that the rematch will too.
The second is a rematch of Aldo and Edgar’s 2013 title fight which saw then champ Aldo edging out Edgar in a close decision. This booking has more to do with the state of affairs in the featherweight division.
The aforementioned McGregor, the champ, is holding the featherweight division up with his obsession to get back his loss to Diaz. So Aldo and Edgar will fight for the interim belt. Either McGregor will face the winner in a few months, or, if he vacates his belt, the winner will be promoted to the outright champ.
Reaction to Diaz versus McGregor was met with mixed reviews by fans. A vocal majority wanted to see McGregor versus Edgar in a featherweight title fight. And nobody was specifically clamoring for Aldo versus Edgar, but it makes sense given the circumstances.
Perhaps the fights will be letdowns. Or they may deliver in ways we couldn’t have expected and become part of MMA lore.
Some rematches are memorable because of the storylines.
A good story can give a fight deeper meaning and more anticipation leading into the bout. A rematch can also be special because the action on display captures our attention in a way that makes us take pause. Whatever it may be, rematches play a pivotal role in combat sports.
Rematches can connect with fans on a more personal level than any singular fight can. There is a deeper engagement involved that generates excitement.
Fighters can build their legacies through rematches and trilogies.
When two peers step inside the cage or ring to do battle on multiple occasions, there is a sense that magic is happening. Sometimes, that magic is realized through a back-and-forth battle or occasionally through an individual performance that stands by itself.
Over the years, MMA has given us many outstanding rematches. Picking our favorites was no easy task. After careful consideration, here are the favorite rematches of the Bleacher Report MMA staff.