Best UFC Fights of All Time

<p>Since its inception in 1993, the UFC has hosted some of the most legendary bouts in mixed martial arts history. From big time brawls to 13 seconds KOs, octagons across the globe have contained some of the craziest UFC fights you will ever see.</p> <p>But which battles were the best? Here at Sportsbet we’ve jumped in our time machine and travelled back through the annals of MMA history to pick out what we believe are the top 10 best UFC fights of all time.</p> <p>IT’S TIME! Buckle up. Here are the best ever UFC fights.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Top 10 Best UFC Fights of All Time</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>10. Forrest Griffin vs Stephan Bonnar – 2005</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Kicking things off with a classic. This fight between Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar in 2005 is widely considered to be responsible for helping the UFC and MMA as a whole break into the mainstream.</p> <p>More resembling a bar room brawl than a professional fight, technique took the backseat as these two light heavyweights simply went at it.</p> <p>At the end of three bloody rounds, it was Griffin who had his hand raised, but in the end, the UFC was the real winner.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>9. Chan Sung Jung vs Dustin Porier – 2012&nbsp;&nbsp;</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Dustin Porier has been involved in many a war in the UFC, plenty of which could have made this list.</p> <p>However, it’s his sometimes slept-on bout against “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung that swings in at no.9 here.</p> <p>Labelled a “complete fight” both men showcased the full array of their skills. Ultimately it was the Zombie who came out on top of the four-round spectacle, handing Porier the first major loss of his UFC career.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>8. Justin Gaethje vs Michael Johnson – 2017</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Just like Porier, Justin Gaethje has been involved in many fights that are worthy of this list.</p> <p>We’re going with Gaethje’s UFC debut here, due mainly to the incredible second round comeback he staged against veteran Michael Johnson.</p> <p>After soaking up an almost insurmountable amount of damage in round one, as only Justin Gaethje can (seriously, look up some of his other fights, self-preservation is not high on his list of priorities) he managed to TKO Johnson in the second round.</p> <p>Considered one of the greatest comebacks in the sport, it was a good indication of what Gaethje was bringing to the UFC and rightfully lands a spot on this list.</p>

<h3>7. Nate Diaz vs Conor McGregor II – 2016</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Is any UFC list complete without mentioning Conor McGregor these days? Not really, that’s why the Irishman’s epic rematch with Nate Diaz back in 2016 has made the cut.</p> <p>Taking place a few months after Diaz had handed McGregor the first loss of his UFC career, the rematch between these two was a sight to behold.</p> <p>A grueling 25-minute war of attrition, which ended up going to decision. Ultimately the judges ruled in McGregor’s favour after he dropped Diaz three times.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>With these two tied at 1-1 head-to-head, fans have been calling for them to complete the trilogy ever since this fight wrapped in 2016.</p> <p>There are rumours 2024 will be the year we finally see a decider between these two great adversaries. So, watch this space.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>6. Mauricio Rua vs Dan Henderson – 2011</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Two of the light heavyweight division’s greatest knockout artists finally crossed paths in 2011 in a flying fists fiesta that lived up to all the hype and then some.</p> <p>Both Dan Henderson and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua cut their teeth fighting in the PRIDE competition, but they didn’t tango until they both joined the UFC.</p> <p>When they did finally meet, the result was a five-round bloodbath with both fighters somehow remaining conscious when the final bell sounded.</p> <p>In the end it was Henderson who had his hand raised after the judges voted unanimously in his favour.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>5. Robert Whittaker vs Yoel Romero II – 2018</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>We just had to get an Aussie in here and while Volk has taken part in some truly epic fights in the UFC, we ended up settling on a Robert Whittaker bout.</p> <p>Despite all official stakes being removed from this clash after Romero missed weight, both fighters went at it as if everything was on the line.</p> <p>A five round chess match between two elite strikers and a purist’s dream, the rematch between these two was a middleweight masterclass that still gets talked about today.</p> <p>The result is also still debated to this day, with many feeling Romero was hard done by after Whittaker held on to claim a split decision victory.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>4. Israel Adesanya vs Kevin Gastelum – 2019</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The fight in which Adesanya uttered those now famous words “I’m prepared to die”. That was how far Kevin Gastelum had pushed the then undefeated Adesanya by the fourth round of this 2019 classic</p> <p>It really did look like “the Last Stylebender” was heading for the first defeat of his UFC career, until he made a stand in the latter rounds to claim a unanimous decision win.</p> <p>Many look upon this fight as one of the key moments in Izzy’s rise to UFC superstardom and it is now forever lodged in MMA folklore.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>3. Weili Zhang vs Joanna Jendrzejczyk I – 2020</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>It’s time for the ladies to step into the limelight, enter Weili Zhang and Joanna Jendrzejczyk.</p> <p>These two strawweights met at UFC 248 in a title fight for the ages. Both were former champions and recognized as the best strikers in their division.</p> <p>What unfolded next was not only one of the greatest female UFC fights of all time, but one of the best ever UFC fights of all time.</p> <p>In the end Zhang wound up the winner with images of Jendrzejczyk post-fight going viral around the world due to the enormous hematoma she had sustained on her head from absorbing strike after strike.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>2. Jon Jones vs Alexanders Gustafsson – 2013</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>While Jon Jones’ reputation may have taken more than a few hits in recent times, back in 2013 he was arguably the most dangerous man in the entire UFC, never mind the light heavyweight division.</p> <p>After securing the light heavyweight title in 2011, he successfully defended it on six straight occasions against the division's toughest fighters.</p> <p>So, when he rolled into the cage against Alexanders Gustafsson, many believed him to be untouchable.</p> <p>Someone forgot to tell Gustafsson however and the Swede went on to give Jones the toughest fight of his entire career.</p> <p>The ultimate underdog, Gustafsson took the fight to his much more fancied opponent and even managed to take Jones down.</p> <p>Unfortunately for Gustafsson and anyone brave enough to load in on him, Jones was handed the victory by unanimous decision. But his efforts were enough to earn him and this fight a place in the annals of UFC folklore.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>1. Robbie Lawler vs Rory MacDonald II – 2015</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>ANNND STILL! There was only ever going to be one winner here and to no one’s surprise it’s Robbie Lawler vs Rory MacDonald II.</p> <p>Ever since this fight went down in 2015 it has been revered as the best fight in UFC history.</p> <p>With Lawler’s belt on the line, this rematch between the two finally lived up to the hype that their first clash did not.</p> <p>From the second round onwards, a fuse blew in both fighters’ heads and it was on for young and old.</p> <p>Both fighters took the “stand and deliver” approach as they painted the octagon red.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>The most replayed moment from this contest surprisingly doesn’t actually involve any fighting.</p> <p>The footage of a bruised and beaten Lawler giving MacDonald an all-time stare down between rounds as blood pours openly from the wounds on his face is still shared amongst fighting fans to this day.</p> <p>Easily the best fight in UFC history, one Lawler ended up winning and one that will be talked about for generations to come.</p>

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