The UFC’s 5 Greatest Champions In History

Throughout the years, we’ve witnessed some phenomenal talent displayed within the confines of the UFC’s octagon.Stellar champions have impressed fanatics and drawn new viewers with exciting styles, slick submissions and devastating knockout…

Throughout the years, we’ve witnessed some phenomenal talent displayed within the confines of the UFC’s octagon.

Stellar champions have impressed fanatics and drawn new viewers with exciting styles, slick submissions and devastating knockouts.

While most divisions tend to juggle champions, due to such evenly paired skill sets, some men have reached above and beyond the confines of nature and proven nearly unstoppable.

Before I offer a nod to the five greatest champions to compete for the promotion, I’d like to first give a nod to some worthy champions who just missed making this list.

 

Tito Ortiz: Ortiz helped shed light on the sport during its darkest time. He also held a firm grip on the light heavyweight title for some time. Limited opposition prevents him from making this list, but he’s a man worthy of respect, like him or not.

 

Rich Franklin: Before Anderson Silva joined the UFC’s ranks, Franklin was the legitimate owner of the middleweight title. Impressive wins over Evan Tanner and Nate Quarry highlight the peak of Rich’s title run.

 

B.J. Penn: The only reason B.J. didn’t earn a spot on this list is inconsistencies. He’s proven capable of beating nearly any man, and he’s been a terrific champion in the past. However, to be the best, you must perform at 150 percent and that means every time you enter the cage.

 

Lyoto Machida: Machida may not be as accomplished as many former champions, but he’s already proven he can beat just about any man alive, and he’s added some devastating techniques to punctuate his fighting style. This man could easily regain the light heavyweight title.

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Anderson Silva: Who Is He Going to Fight Next, Assuming He Beats Yushin Okami?

It is probably unfair to ask this question so far in advance as there are still 74 days until UFC 134 in Rio takes place. The main event of that fight card will feature Anderson Silva defending his middleweight belt for the ninth time, this time agains…

It is probably unfair to ask this question so far in advance as there are still 74 days until UFC 134 in Rio takes place. The main event of that fight card will feature Anderson Silva defending his middleweight belt for the ninth time, this time against Yushin Okami.

But when you aren’t completely satisfied with a fight, your mind will tend to wander. Nothing against Okami who is a perfectly adroit fighter, boasting an impressive 10-2 record inside the Octagon with his only losses coming to Rich Franklin and Chael Sonnen.

And technically, he was the last man to beat Silva. But we all know that is “fools gold” as Silva was on his way to victory before being disqualified because of an illegal upkick. So assuming all goes according to plan, Silva will extend his record for most consecutive victories in the UFC to fourteen.

So, without sounding too disinterested, what’s next?

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That MMA Guy: Top 10 Best Fight Hype Videos

I can’t reiterate this enough. This IS NOT the best grudge matches, best hyped up-fights or best feuds in MMA history. It’s simply the best MMA trailers ever made for fights.This is really a tribute to NicktheFace2 on Youtube.com, as most of these vide…

I can’t reiterate this enough. This IS NOT the best grudge matches, best hyped up-fights or best feuds in MMA history. It’s simply the best MMA trailers ever made for fights.

This is really a tribute to NicktheFace2 on Youtube.com, as most of these videos were made by him. If you’ve never seen his work, you’re in for a treat because he does a fantastic job hyping up the fights with his trailers.

Basically, I wanted to do something fun with all these great videos. From Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen to GSP vs. Josh Koscheck, this slideshow features the best trailers to keep your adrenaline pumping through every slide.

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All 7 UFC Belts Could Be on the Line During Second Half of 2011

With the surge in the amount of UFC events over the last few years, one downside is that less and less PPV events are being anchored with a title fight. While the UFC usually does a good job putting together PPV cards worth the price of admission, many…

With the surge in the amount of UFC events over the last few years, one downside is that less and less PPV events are being anchored with a title fight. While the UFC usually does a good job putting together PPV cards worth the price of admission, many fans are feeling a bit slighted.

With that said, fans of title fights may be in store for an embarrassment or riches during the second half of 2011 where, if the stars all align, we could bear witness to all seven UFC belts being defended. Four title fights are already on the books, with one being tentatively booked, while three others are likely to happen as long as all the fighters in question heal from their respective injuries.

Lets take a look shall we.

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7 UFC Fighters Who Could Be Fool’s Gold

Watching a fighter go from an up-and-coming prospect to a world champion is one of the most satisfying things to watch as an MMA fan. As we’ve recently see with Jon Jones and Cain Velasquez, if a fighter is brought into the world title picture sl…

Watching a fighter go from an up-and-coming prospect to a world champion is one of the most satisfying things to watch as an MMA fan.

As we’ve recently see with Jon Jones and Cain Velasquez, if a fighter is brought into the world title picture slowly and given time to harness his skills, it can be a thing of beauty when he finally steps in there with the best.

Every couple of months we see a guy who we think could be the next big thing in his weight class if only he had a little more time.

This list is comprised of prospects (one from each weight class) who have either hit that upper echelon of talent or are just getting their wings and are seen as future contenders.

The problem is there are still some unanswered questions about these guys, and we can’t yet be sure if they are quite ready to be in the championship conversation, let alone hold a championship belt.

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MMA: The 25 Worst Nicknames in History

Is it really possible to have too much of a good thing? Yes. Peoples’ Exhibit A: MMA fighter nicknames.Once a fun novelty or a clever handle, nicknames have spiraled wildly out of control. Like some kind of low-grade autoimmune disorder, nicknames seem…

Is it really possible to have too much of a good thing?

Yes. Peoples’ Exhibit A: MMA fighter nicknames.

Once a fun novelty or a clever handle, nicknames have spiraled wildly out of control.

Like some kind of low-grade autoimmune disorder, nicknames seem to be reproducing out of control and smothering everything in their paths. At this point, it’s almost taboo not to have one. Like if you don’t have one, all the other fighters wonder “what’s wrong with him?” behind your back.

When do we, as a society, say enough is enough? For me, that time is now. Maybe this cause is not as important as, say, fighting a real disease, but it’s close enough so that I don’t think we need to quibble about it.

In any event, these 25 nicknames are an example of forcing a square (sometimes very square) nickname into a round hole. Whether it’s bad puns or bad advice, these are the worst of the worst. And I, for one, am not going to take it any more.

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