For the UFC, 2014 was an up-and-down year with multiple fighter injuries leading to flight cancellations, but despite all this, the company produced some of its most memorable fights ever.
These fights demonstrated serious displays of skill and involved the kind of brutality mixed martial arts fans simply lap up.
However, the year was marked by the absence of some of MMA’s most bankable stars, including Georges St-Pierren, Anderson Silva, Chael Sonnen and Nick Diaz. While at least three of them are likely to be back in the cage in 2015, without them, this past year saw new stars in their divisions take the limelight
The following five fights made stars of contenders and cemented the reputations of champions.
Each fight in this list possessed high stakes, determining who would become a top contender or who would be champion. They were thrilling contests featuring brilliant performances by the fighters.