Tag: Rankings/List

The Most Underrated MMA Fights of 2014

Every year the still-blossoming sport of mixed martial arts attracts flocks of new fans who fill arenas, balloon demand and entice promotions like the UFC to saturate the calender with events.
And since the days of expecting a few major shows per month…

Every year the still-blossoming sport of mixed martial arts attracts flocks of new fans who fill arenas, balloon demand and entice promotions like the UFC to saturate the calender with events.

And since the days of expecting a few major shows per month have long since passed (the UFC has already had 33 events in 2014), it’s only natural that some fans only tend to remember the year’s blockbusters.

This countdown’s not about all the marquee scraps that got the proper pre– and post-fight attention from fans and members of the mass media. This list serves as an homage to the handfuls of unforgettable clashes that stayed under the radar for one reason or another in 2014.

Here are the most underrated fights of the first 8.5 months of 2014.

All stats gathered via Fightmetric.com.

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5 UFC Stars Who Will Take a Step Back in 2015

Every year the UFC sees a handful of its fighters take flight and soar.
Whether it’s an inevitable title shot, an illustrious winning streak or just plain old good fights, these standouts often rebirth a division.
But this sport is not for the faint of…

Every year the UFC sees a handful of its fighters take flight and soar.

Whether it’s an inevitable title shot, an illustrious winning streak or just plain old good fights, these standouts often rebirth a division.

But this sport is not for the faint of heart. As fast as these fighters rise, the quicker they fall.

This isn’t the case 100 percent of the time, but more often than not some of the promotion’s best competitors drop off in the long run.

Here are five UFC stars who will take a step back in 2015. 

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5 Controversial but Justified Referee Stoppages

It’s fair to say that MMA referees take their fair share of stick from both fans and media. As viewers, we have a tendency to underestimate just how difficult a referee’s job is, and determining when to stop a fight may be its most challeng…

It’s fair to say that MMA referees take their fair share of stick from both fans and media. As viewers, we have a tendency to underestimate just how difficult a referee’s job is, and determining when to stop a fight may be its most challenging feature.

Referees are charged with giving the athlete every opportunity to recover from bad positions, but they are also tasked with ensuring the fighter’s safety. The ability to strike the correct balance between these contradictory aims is often what separates the Herb Deans from the Steve Mazzagattis of the refereeing world.

Step in a fraction of a second too late, and you’re guilty of allowing the fighter to take too much punishment. Step in a little too early, and you’ve potentially cost the fighter thousands of dollars, months of training they can never get back and set their career back a few months at the very least.

With that in mind, let’s take a moment to give these much-maligned officials the benefit of the doubt. Read on for a rundown of five controversial but justifiable stoppages.

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9 UFC Fighters on the Cusp of Breaking Out

Fighters break out all the time.
Sometimes, they pan out; other times, they come up short.
But whatever the outcome may be, the process of breaking out is not one full of sunshine and sugarplums.
It is a tough road traveled—one that may very well…

Fighters break out all the time.

Sometimes, they pan out; other times, they come up short.

But whatever the outcome may be, the process of breaking out is not one full of sunshine and sugarplums.

It is a tough road traveled—one that may very well push a fighter to the absolute brink.

In order for a fighter to escape mediocrity and reap the benefits of full-blown mixed martial arts stardom, he must meet a variety of requirements, including skill, finishing ability, marketability and appetite for success.

Once those fall into place, the rest is history.

Here are nine fighters on the cusp of reaching their potential and busting out onto the forefront of their respective divisions.

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The 10 Greatest Feuds in UFC and MMA History

For some people MMA competition is enough. Two tough guys, one cage, something has to give.
But for many, dare I suggest most, simply inserting two people into the UFC Octagon is not, in and of itself, particularly compelling. We’ve seen it—dozen…

For some people MMA competition is enough. Two tough guys, one cage, something has to give.

But for many, dare I suggest most, simply inserting two people into the UFC Octagon is not, in and of itself, particularly compelling. We’ve seen it—dozens, hundreds, even thousands of times.

It takes more than just organizing an athletic contest to get our attention. We need context, story or high stakes. Is a championship on the line? Is this a battle between two distinct styles?

Best of all, though? Are they getting it on because they don’t, gulp, get along?

Modern MMA turns 21 this year. It’s old enough to have a bit of an established history, old enough for us to draw some sweeping conclusions and make some broad generalizations. Here’s one—the most successful fights at the box office are contests built on pure and unadulterated hatred.

When two fighters legitimately don’t get along, MMA fans turn into vampires in a mad hunt for blood. From the earliest days, starting with Ken Shamrock storming out of a 1996 press conference prior to his fight with Dan Severn at UFC 6, bad blood has equaled big bucks.  

What follows are the 10 most intense feuds in the history of this great sport. These are the few and the proud who have either delivered in the cage, amused us in the buildup or made promoters rich.

Have more to add? Please let me know in the comments.

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UFC’s 3 Biggest Underachievers

Not every fighter in the UFC is destined for greatness. 
Sometimes, even the greatest of fighters with seemingly boundless potential hit an unexpected wall.
Maybe they can’t handle the step up in competition. Maybe they can’t handle the pressure. …

Not every fighter in the UFC is destined for greatness. 

Sometimes, even the greatest of fighters with seemingly boundless potential hit an unexpected wall.

Maybe they can’t handle the step up in competition. Maybe they can’t handle the pressure. Maybe, just maybe, they were never the fighters we thought they were. 

Whatever the case may be, some fighters are simply destined to eternally dwell in the balance of stardom and anonymity. 

Scroll on to see who made the cut as part of the three biggest underachievers in the UFC. Fighters were selected based on talent, performances and general expectations that were never met.

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