As the biggest mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion of all time, the UFC has whipped up some huge fights in its history with some of the baddest men on the planet going head-to-head against one another. Some fights between two top competitors don’t quite live up to the hype, however, as the bout ends up
As the biggest mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion of all time, the UFC has whipped up some huge fights in its history with some of the baddest men on the planet going head-to-head against one another.
Some fights between two top competitors don’t quite live up to the hype, however, as the bout ends up putting fight fans to sleep rather than keeping them on the edge of their seat for 25 minutes or less.
Then, once in a blue moon, we get a fight that not only lives up to the hype, but exceeds it tremendously. That, my friends, is what we have compiled for you today, the top 10 biggest fights in UFC history that have ended with historic finishes. Let’s begin……
10. Cain Velasquez vs. Fabricio Werdum UFC – 188
We kick off our list in the big boys’ division, where two of the most dangerous heavyweights of all time clashed for the biggest prize in MMA.
Coming off of nearly a two-year layoff from the sport, Cain Velasquez would attempt to unify his title with the then-interim heavyweight champ Fabricio Werdum who was on a five-fight win streak.
The opening rounds were a bit back-and-forth and the arena in Mexico City was hot for their native Velasquez, however, the altitude proved to be too much for ‘Cardio Cain’ to handle as he gassed out in the third round.
Velasquez then shot in for a takedown on the Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist and was immediately wrapped up in a nasty guillotine choke. Velasquez had no other choice but to tap out and make Werdum the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.
Conor McGregor’s next fight is apparently close to being finalized, and not surprisingly, it’s one that could potentially bring him a second coveted UFC championship. A report surfaced from Big Brand Boys stating sources close to the UFC informed them that McGregor vs. lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez is close to being signed for the main
Conor McGregor’s next fight is apparently close to being finalized, and not surprisingly, it’s one that could potentially bring him a second coveted UFC championship.
A report surfaced from Big Brand Boys stating sources close to the UFC informed them that McGregor vs. lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez is close to being signed for the main event of November 12’s UFC 205, the promotion’s first-ever event from New York City’s Madison Square Garden after MMA was finally legalized in the Big Apple this summer.
Featherweight champion McGregor was immediately scheduled to face then-lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos in the main event of March’s UFC 196 after he won the featherweight title at UFC 194 in December 2015, but he infamously became embroiled in a high-profile rivalry with Nate Diaz when dos Anjos pulled out of the fight with a broken foot. The rest is history, as Diaz rebounded from a tough first round to batter and submit McGregor, paving the way for the Irish str’s two-day “retirement” before the rematch went down at August 20’s UFC 202.
McGregor won a closely contested majority decision in the fight, setting him up for a number of big-ticket fights, including a potential bout against returning former welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre. But the allure of seeing McGregor as a two-weight titleholder is something that’s simply too lucrative to pass up, and with ‘GSP’ unable to return until December’s UFC 206 from Toronto at the earliest due to USADA’s four-month testing window for retired fighters, this fight became increasingly obvious as the perfect headliner for the UFC’s Big Apple debut.
Hailing from nearby Philadelphia, Alvarez has New York ties with his respected boxing coach Mark Henry. McGregor’s homeland fans can fly to New York to watch him fight much easier than they can fly to Las Vegas, so this fight will be one with emotional ties involved in addition to the prestigious title on the line.
The UFC has yet to announce anything official on the bout, but one is reportedly coming soon. If so, McGregor vs. Alvarez would join Chris Weidman vs. Yoel Romero, Donald Cerrone vs. Kelvin Gastelum, Frankie Edgar vs. Jeremy Stephens, and Rashad Evans vs. Tim Kennedy on the historic, growing card.
Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz are facing potential punishment for their wild press conference brawl the week of their massive rematch at August 20’s UFC 202 from Las Vegas. Earlier today a report surfaced from ESPN’s Brett Okamoto that the Nevada Attorney General’s Office has filed complaints against both McGregor and Diaz for conduct deemed “detrimental to
Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz are facing potential punishment for their wild press conference brawl the week of their massive rematch at August 20’s UFC 202 from Las Vegas.
Earlier today a report surfaced from ESPN’s Brett Okamoto that the Nevada Attorney General’s Office has filed complaints against both McGregor and Diaz for conduct deemed “detrimental to a contest or exhibition of unarmed combat.” The possible results of the complaint include fines and/or suspension.
The wild fracas erupted at a Wednesday pre-fight press conference that week which McGregor arrived late to, inciting Diaz to walk out himself with his team. “The Notorious” began chirping as expected, and soon Diaz and his training partners were throwing water bottles towards the Irishman, who responded by throwing energy drinks at them. A 12-year-old was reportedly hurt in the melee, and a potential lawsuit could result.
But all negative press aside, the scene actually provided even more hype and attention to an already boosted rematch after Diaz infamously beat McGregor at UFC 196. The numbers would indicate that as well, with UFC 202 supposedly coming in as one of the highest-selling UFC pay-per-view (PPV) events of all-time with a staggering (although estimated) 1.6 million buys.
The fight was also a very lucrative one for both McGregor, who took home a record-setting $3 million disclosed purse, and Diaz, who took home $2 million, so as Okamoto noted, any fine in the neighborhood of 10% for the pre-fight brawl, which was handed to Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier in 2014, would turn out to be some very substantial amounts.
Still, if the initial PPV estimates end up being close to the actual numbers, McGregor and Diaz could have earned as much or more from that revenue. It may not be the best look for MMA or the UFC, but it was a controversial attention-grabber that put Diaz vs. McGregor II into the stratosphere as arguably the biggest UFC fight ever staged.
McGregor edged Diaz in a close – and some would say highly controversial – majority decision to even their series at one apiece to set the stage for a trilogy match, although the UFC has said it won’t be right away. The NSAC will surely take a big piece of the bank that McGregor and Diaz brought in, yet the prospect of yet another record-breaking third fight will soften the blow of the fine they’ll face at their hearing.
In news that should surprise no one, last weekend’s (Sat., August 20, 2016) UFC 202 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, did some absolutely huge pay-per-view (PPV) numbers for the UFC. That was a given, however; the only aspect at question was just how big UFC 202 with its awaited Conor McGregor vs. Nate
In news that should surprise no one, last weekend’s (Sat., August 20, 2016) UFC 202 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, did some absolutely huge pay-per-view (PPV) numbers for the UFC.
That was a given, however; the only aspect at question was just how big UFC 202 with its awaited Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz II main event, would rank among the top UFC events in sheer PPV numbers. And apparently it’s right up there with the top two events of all-time – March’s UFC 196, which featured McGregor vs. Diaz I, and July 2009’s UFC 100, which featured Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir II – as MMA Fighting’s Dave Meltzer has reported that UFC 202 did in the neighborhood of an estimated and staggering 1.2 to 1.5 million buys.
Those numbers could increase based on the UFC’s Internet sales according to Meltzer. In terms of the actually attended live gate, UFC 202 brought in a lofty $7,629,010 – good for fifth all-time. But those numbers, as Meltzer noted, are largely inflated due to the massive prices that the UFC charges for tickets to their flagship shows featuring McGregor or those like July’s UFC 200 – a supposedly monumental event that failed to live up to its mega-billing but still did a rumored 1.1 to 1.2 million PPV buys.
There were whispers throughout MMA that McGregor vs. Diaz II was suffering from a lack of excitement, but those concerns were quelled when the two bitter rivals participated in their now-infamous pre-fight press conference that ended in a water bottle and energy drink-throwing melee where a 12-year-old girl was hit in the face. Most of Diaz’ team, including his brother Nick, were banned from all fight-related activities as a result.
If these numbers are any indication about the overall justification of talent agency/investment group WME-IMG’s recent $4 billion purchase of the UFC, then it appears they made the right business decision, at least now. UFC 202 will rank as the fifth PPV event to bring over 1 million buys since last November after that number was previously a benchmark figure that only a few events from previous eras had reached.
As Meltzer also noted, those figures show the overarching trend of the UFC’s recent boom in popularity over the past years, a time period where the fights with the most backstory and personal bad blood coupled with their biggest stars tend to greatly outsell the fights that are simply booked to prove who is the best in terms of rank. Hardcore fans have frowned upon that strategy, but it’s undoubtedly the correct business decision for new owners looking to recoup a massive investment.
And the promotion most likely knows that those longtime hardcore fans will watch everything they produce whether they complain or not, leaving the true big money to be garnered by the many more casual fans who are on the fence in terms of deciding to purchase a card. Stars like McGregor, and now, to a lesser extent, Ronda Rousey, won’t be around forever, so this strategy may not be sustainable for a long period of time.
However, that won’t be anytime soon with McGregor at the helm of this new era of prosperity, especially with an absolutely astronomical trilogy bout with Diaz in the cards for the future, even if it may not be the next bout for either competitor despite the fact they both called for it after McGregor’s ultra-close majority decision win last Saturday.
What do you think about the direction MMA seems to be headed? Is making the rankings seem arbitrary – and sometimes even pointless – the right move for a company under new management?
Based on the estimated buys UFC 202 did, it is. At least for now.
Following his close and controversial majority decision win over rival Nate Diaz in a classic bout at last night’s (Sat., August 20, 2016) UFC 202 from Las Vegas, the MMA world is in full discussion about just what – or whom – Conor McGregor’s next move will involve. Diaz stated that he wouldn’t fight until he
Following his close and controversial majority decision win over rival Nate Diaz in a classic bout at last night’s (Sat., August 20, 2016) UFC 202 from Las Vegas, the MMA world is in full discussion about just what – or whom – Conor McGregor’s next move will involve.
“We’re definitely not doing this a third time right now. I don’t think there’s anybody that doesn’t want to see this fight again, but Conor’s either going to go defend his title or give his title up and then we’ll figure out where to go from there.”
Much of the talk centered on “The Notorious” today involves him cutting back down to featherweight (his last two bouts against Diaz were at welterweight) to defend his 145-pound title against interim champ Jose Aldo, whom he knocked out to originally win the belt.
McGregor himself hinted that’s where his career could take him next, but with a noticeable foot injury reportedly stemming from Diaz checking one of his many low kicks last night, the future, at least immediately, is somewhat uncertain for the UFC’s golden draw.
There’s hardly a doubt that a third match between he and Diaz would do some of the biggest business in UFC history, and it could be tough to think that a second bout with Aldo would do the same. It will always be there, however, and Diaz can probably be taken on his word that he won’t be fighting anyone else in the meantime.
It seems like a curious proposal from White, too, as he’s repeatedly stated McGregor would be forced to move back down to featherweight in an age where the biggest potential money-making fight is often booked instead of the one that makes the most sense according to rank. “Notorious” also called out for a third bout with Diaz, this time at the veteran’s usual home of 155 pounds, in his post-fight interview in the Octagon. What should the UFC do with its biggest star next?
In an riveting display of heart, toughness, and skill, Conor McGregor beat Nate Diaz by decision in a classic bout (full highlights right here) that could end up as 2016’s “Fight of the Year” at last night’s (Sat., August 20, 2016) UFC 202 from Las Vegas. The win was a closely-contested war that many still feel
In an riveting display of heart, toughness, and skill, Conor McGregor beat Nate Diaz by decision in a classic bout (full highlights right here) that could end up as 2016’s “Fight of the Year” at last night’s (Sat., August 20, 2016) UFC 202 from Las Vegas.
The win was a closely-contested war that many still feel Diaz should have taken home, but with the controversial scorecards now in the record books, the discussion will quickly move on to just whom McGregor will face next. Although he teased a move back down to his original weight class of featherweight to finally defend his title, Diaz was none too keen on that prospect in his post-fight media scrum (transcribed by MMA Fighting), where he showed up vaping cannabis oil, proclaiming he wouldn’t be fighting until he met McGregor once again:
“I’m not doing sh*t until we go for round three,” Diaz said at the event’s post-fight press conference. “You won’t be seeing me until then. If they want to set it up as soon as possible, let’s do it. But I don’t think it’s a very good business move for him to be taking any other fights, and he’s a businessman, so we’ll see what happens.”
McGregor called for the same thing after his close win last night, adding that he wants the rubber match to be contested at a weight of 155 pounds. A normal lightweight himself, Diaz revealed he wanted the second fight to be contested at 155:
“I’ve been a lightweight the whole time,” Diaz said. “I think I walked into the cage tonight probably at 177, 176, 175. F*ck, maybe lighter. So hell yeah, that’s what I wanted this fight at, so I could have a six-pack. You know you want to be in a picture with a six-pack.”
It will now remain to be seen if the UFC actually decides to go for the third match-up that would no doubt be the most anticipated trilogy fight in UFC history and one of its biggest bouts overall. But at the moment, something else – like the oft-discussed return to 145 – could be in the cards for McGregor. Regardless of what happens, Diaz detailed his belief that he was changing the game by standing up for the compensation he believes fighters should be paid.
Diaz gave “The Notorious” a slight amount of credit for adjusting and lasting until the championship rounds with him the second time, but he also noted his training was allegedly inspired by his own triathlon-centered routine. Heaping praise on his accomplishments, Diaz again said his own renegade persona was why a fighter like McGregor is getting paid with a record purse:
“Change is happening right now,” Diaz said. “If you want to be successful in this business and you want to do good in this business, you’re going to have to follow the leader. And if you’re going to say that somebody else is the leader, you got it wrong. Look at Conor. What did Conor do for this fight? He did exactly what I told his ass to do. He hopped on a bike — a little amateur style, he didn’t have no clips, he didn’t have no helmet, that’s not how you ride but he tried — and he hired all top-10 people to come in from wherever.
“He hired these people and that was a good job, but who taught you how to do that? Your sensei here, man. It’s like, follow the leader as far as the martial artists, follow the leader as far as the businessmen. Like, sh*t, if you think that I’m tripping and just talking out of my ass, then you’re obviously not that bright because I’ve supposed to have been fired already 20 times from this organization, and look where I’m at now. Still doing my thing on the main card.”
Watch the full UFC 202 media scrum with Diaz right here:
10. Cain Velasquez vs. Fabricio Werdum UFC – 188
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