Over the past nearly 25 years, the UFC and the sport of mixed martial arts as a whole has provided fight fans with countless shocking, compelling moments, but some memories stick out as much more shocking than the others.
Fighters have had their legs snapped like a twig mid-fight, thrown sucker punches after the bell, and done several other seriously jaw-dropping occasions inside the octagon.
Check out the 10 most shocking moments in MMA history:
10. Paul Daley Punches Koscheck After Bell
It’s kind of funny that punches and kicks thrown within regulation time don’t raise any eyebrows, but one strike errantly thrown after the bell is enough for a lifetime ban.
Daley learned the hard way that the UFC does not tolerate cheap shots. The scene was indeed quite jarring, as no one has thrown a cheap shot so blatantly before or since.
The sucker punch caused complete pandemonium and the fallout forced “Semtex” out of the UFC for good. The scene was truly shocking and caused a great deal of confusion before “Big” Dan Mirgliotta quickly stepped in.
UFC President Dana White has undoubtedly taken the sport of MMA to levels that were once incomprehensible in the early 1990s. What was once essentially a tough man competition with submissions is now backed by FOX and Reebok, and White’s efforts have arguably turned the UFC into a household name. But for every success Dana […]
UFC President Dana White has undoubtedly taken the sport of MMA to levels that were once incomprehensible in the early 1990s.
What was once essentially a tough man competition with submissions is now backed by FOX and Reebok, and White’s efforts have arguably turned the UFC into a household name.
But for every success Dana White has had, there’s a controversy that follows. White is known for his brash and mercurial temper, and some of his behind-the-scenes dealings have tarnished both him and the UFC.
Let’s take a look back at the six biggest controversies in Dana White’s UFC career!
6. Dana White’s Mom Writes Tell-All Book About Son
Imagine your mother writing a book about how back of a person you are. Well, that’s exactly what June White did to her son, UFC President Dana White.
June wrote about Dana’s penchant for heavy gambling and womanizing, but perhaps the most damning evidence she produces is the way he treated his family after his ascent to fame and fortune. Dana’s mother says he skipped out on his grandmother’s funeral and had made promises to visit her in Florida prior to her passing.
June White says Dana never made that trip. The rest of the book seems like a bit of a mean-spirited campaign against him, but no one knows you better than your own mother.
It’s been a long time since former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar stepped in to the UFC octagon. After a long battle with illness and a couple of crushing losses sent him back to the WWE, many felt Lesnar’s fighting days were well and truly done. Nobody saw the last’s month of events unfolding as
It’s been a long time since former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar stepped in to the UFC octagon. After a long battle with illness and a couple of crushing losses sent him back to the WWE, many felt Lesnar’s fighting days were well and truly done. Nobody saw the last’s month of events unfolding as they did, and when Brock’s return was announced during the UFC 199 broadcast the frenzy surrounding Lesnar was instantly revived.
His huge drawing power was evident at UFC 100, as the 1.6 million pay-per-view buys for his 2009 rematch with Frank Mir still remains the highest grossing UFC event of all time. That said, he’s facing in Mark Hunt a devastating one punch knockout striker and after five years out of action. Lesnar himself admitted that the shape he’s in for pro wrestling is a completely different requirement than with mixed martial arts competition, so will he be able to whip his physique up to scratch on five weeks notice?
Another big question that’s raised in connection with his return this weekend (Saturday July 9, 2016) is the former champ’s ability to take a punch. He’s received some criticism in the past over not ‘liking’ getting hit, as was evident in his losses to Cain Velasquez and Alistair Overeem, also with Shane Carwin to an extent.
Talking during this recent segment with UFC’s Megan Olivi, Lesnar says the diverticulitis played a massive role in the disappointing tail end of his first fighting stint. Furthering that point, the WWE superstar says he’s not scared to get hit and trade punches with ‘The Super Samoan.’ Transcribed by yours truly.
“That loss (to Overeem) haunted me for five years, wanting to get back inside the cage and be a competitor again. The illness took a lot of the fight out of me. I got back in the octagon four months after the surgery, I didn’t give my body or mind time to heal. For most of my life I lived the warrior code, thinking I was indestructible. It takes a lot out of you when you get defeated by something other than a human. It took me a number of years to get my athleticism back and get my mind back on track.”
“I knew they were going to offer me someone with credentials, but I never turn down a fight. All the heavyweights are dangerous, this is the best of the best. When Dana said Mark Hunt, I was like ‘Well OK.’ I’ve watched Mark Hunt fight and he’s beatable. It’s not like he hasn’t been knocked out or hasn’t been beat. I’m sure he’s going to be looking for the big knockout, and I’ll be watching for it and try to defend that. I’m not scared to get hit by Mark Hunt. I’m confident in my striking, and I’ve been over this fight a million times in my head, at the end my hand is raised.”
Brock Lesnar makes his return to mixed martial arts on Saturday July 9, as he faces Mark Hunt in the co-main event of UFC 200. The former heavyweight champion and WWE superstar Lesnar has been away from fighting for five years now. A battle with diverticulitis and a couple of harrowing losses at the tail
Brock Lesnar makes his return to mixed martial arts on Saturday July 9, as he faces Mark Hunt in the co-main event of UFC 200. The former heavyweight champion and WWE superstar Lesnar has been away from fighting for five years now. A battle with diverticulitis and a couple of harrowing losses at the tail end of his career saw ‘The Beast’ retire with a 5-3 record, only to come out of the woodwork a month ago claiming he didn’t want to leave MMA without one more crack of the whip.
Was he just helping promote the fight and obscuring the fact he’s happy to get punched for large sums of money? Maybe, either way there will be millions tuning in to watch his bout with Hunt, who has a better chance than anyone to land a face imploding one punch knockout against Lesnar. As dangerous and somewhat pointless as this fight is, it’s hard to deny how watchable it will be.
The fascination surrounding Brock Lesnar’s UFC comeback will reach it’s peak when he steps in the octagon with Mark Hunt, but what tools does the gigantic pro wrestler really have to win this fight? He previously said that if he can get Hunt to ground the fight would be over, but how? Does he plan on submitting, pounding or maybe just grinding ‘The Super Samoan’ out?
In the fight week interview with Lesnar, released by Paul Heyman on July 4, the WWE star gives his prediction for the UFC 200 fight against Hunt. Although the former UFC champion can talk some good trash, he seems a little half-hearted in this latest segment. “I feel well prepared, I’m excited, I’m calm. And before the storm, and there will be a storm. Victory. No picking rounds, I’ve had a great camp, I feel great. I’m not sitting here trying to fake anything. I’m coming in to the octagon very well prepared, and that’s dangerous. I’ll see you there.”
OK, so maybe Lesnar’s awkward rant was just an illustration of his impatience or possibly dislike for self promoting, or could it be that he just wants that pay check and doesn’t really see victory on the horizon?
Time will tell, and there’s only four days left to wait!
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