The Ultimate Fighting Championships have been around for nearly 20 years. In that time we have seen some of the world’s greatest fighters battle inside the octagon. UFC history is littered with great Brazilian jiu-jitsu artists, tactical wrestler…
The Ultimate Fighting Championships have been around for nearly 20 years. In that time we have seen some of the world’s greatest fighters battle inside the octagon. UFC history is littered with great Brazilian jiu-jitsu artists, tactical wrestlers, and perennial strikers such as: Royce Gracie, Georges St. Pierre, and Anderson Silva. The greatest of them have proven themselves to earn the title of “Champion.”
Like every other sport, fans will long debate who are the best. The conversation gets even deeper when discussing champions. Where it gets difficult is naming the champion of champions. Who is the best ever? Montana or Elway? Louis or Ali? The UFC has produced many champions over the years. Here are the selected few that can call themselves the best of the best.
Although the UFC has only been around since 1993, it has undergone some major changes since its early days.Before Anderson Silva became the top fighter in the world, before Jon Jones became one of the most talked-about fighters in the world and before …
Although the UFC has only been around since 1993, it has undergone some major changes since its early days.
Before Anderson Silva became the top fighter in the world, before Jon Jones became one of the most talked-about fighters in the world and before Dana White and Zuffa became the owners to the now powerhouse organization, the UFC was a tournament where fighters of different martial arts disciplines fought to see who was the best.
Although the UFC would soon move out of the tournament style, it was still a much different product than what we’re used to seeing today.
As much as the UFC and MMA as a whole have changed, we should not forget its early fighters because they laid out the groundwork for what it has become today.
Here’s a look at the top 10 fighters from the pre-Zuffa UFC.
Just a couple of years ago, compiling a list like this one was a much more simple process. When a devastating knockout took place, it stuck in the minds of fans and stayed there.These days, it seems like something spectacularly brutal happens every wee…
Just a couple of years ago, compiling a list like this one was a much more simple process. When a devastating knockout took place, it stuck in the minds of fans and stayed there.
These days, it seems like something spectacularly brutal happens every weekend, only to get buried under more violence seven days later.
Of course, more televised fights is never a reason to complain, but it’s hard not to get jaded by seeing a steady stream of hard trauma and forget how devastating these blows really are. Many times one hit is all it takes to drastically change a fighter’s whole career.
There was a long list of eye-catching knockouts this year—and there’s still one UFC event to take place before 2012—but these 10 stick out in my mind as the best of 2011.
For nearly 20 years, the UFC has produced some of the greatest fights in MMA history.Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar, Chuck Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva, Brock Lesnar vs. Randy Couture, Dan Henderson vs. Shogun Rua and anything involving Royce Gracie…
For nearly 20 years, the UFC has produced some of the greatest fights in MMA history.
Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar, Chuck Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva, Brock Lesnar vs. Randy Couture, Dan Henderson vs. Shogun Rua and anything involving Royce Gracie prior to 2006.
However, it’s fairly impossible to weed out these legendary battles without witnessing some of the most one-sided bouts imaginable.
With that said. based on pre-fight hype, accumulated damage and overall dominance, here are the 13 biggest mismatches in UFC history.
Sorry in advance if I fail to list one of your favorites.
Filed under: UFC, NewsAs isolated as Brock Lesnar is in his Minnesota training camp, and as successfully as he manages to avoid the internet most of the time, some criticisms still find their way out of the petri dish of MMA and into the former UFC cha…
As isolated as Brock Lesnar is in his Minnesota training camp, and as successfully as he manages to avoid the internet most of the time, some criticisms still find their way out of the petri dish of MMA and into the former UFC champ’s world. But as he told me when I spoke to him for a Sports Illustrated story this week, the key is not so much in avoiding those criticisms entirely, but rather in knowing what to make of them once they get there.
For instance, take the oft-repeated claim that Lesnar can’t take a punch.
“I think it’s a bunch of bulls—,” Lesnar said. “The fights that I’ve gotten hit, I’ve stood and banged with Heath Herring, Randy Couture, Frank Mir — I’ve taken a lot of shots. I mean, Shane Carwin. And I’ve yet to be knocked out. I had refs stop a fight for a submission and a TKO, which is a referee stoppage. I’ve never been knocked out cold.”
In fact, the ‘it’s a bunch of bulls—‘ response turns out to be Lesnar’s go-to move when confronted with MMA fans and media criticisms. It’s not that he doesn’t hear them — trust me, if you were around for the reception he got at the UFC on FOX event in Anaheim, you’d know there’s no way around it sometimes — it’s that he dismisses it as just another instance of haters hating. Not in those words, of course.
“Any time you’re on top, whatever it is, and I don’t care if it’s the business world or it’s in farming or fighting — and those are all things that I’m in — there’s people out to get you,” he said. “There’s criticism. I don’t know if it’s just that people don’t like to see other people succeed, or just if they want to see them fail.”
Which is, according to Lesnar, exactly what’s happening with Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow right now.
“There’s a stand-up guy who’s doing a lot of good things, a stand-up role model for kids, and this guy is taking a lot of criticism,” Lesnar said. “I guess it comes with the territory. When you’re in the spotlight and you’re one of the best people in your division, you better have some heavy armor.”
People can say his chin was exposed in the Cain Velasquez fight, Lesnar said, but as he pointed out, “in the heavyweight division, if guys are putting leather in the right spots, it’s hard to come back from that.”
As for Alistair Overeem, who has vowed to take Lesnar apart “piece by piece” at UFC 141, there’s no ill will there, according to the former WWE star.
“I don’t hardly even know him,” said Lesnar. “…He’s an opponent. He’s a guy I’m facing next Friday night, who I will have no remorse for, and who I will show no mercy to. I don’t have any emotions when I fight, for myself or anyone else.”
Mixed martial arts fans have been treated to some of the best heavyweight fighting action ever in 2011 and the picture is heating up towards New Year’s Eve with the colossal battle between Brock Lesnar and Alistair Overeem. From the epic scramble …
Mixed martial arts fans have been treated to some of the best heavyweight fighting action ever in 2011 and the picture is heating up towards New Year’s Eve with the colossal battle between Brock Lesnar and Alistair Overeem.
From the epic scramble and roll between Mir and Nogueira to the bombing overhand right to Velasquez’s temple that won Junior Dos Santos the title, the division holds some exciting matchups for fans to want to see in the future,
With the recent news that Strikeforce will dissolve it’s heavyweight’s and almost all the best big men will be fighting under one promotional roof for the first time in history, the question remains who is the Best Heavyweight MMA Fighter Of All Time?
As isolated as