The Best UFC Fights That Changed The Sport

1. Forest Griffin vs. Stephen Bonnar (TUF Finale 1)

In The Ultimate Fighter finale in 2005, the winner was going to receive a contract from the UFC. There was plenty on the line with both men fighting for their careers and to try and make a name for themselves in the sport.

Right from the first bell, you could see how much it meant to both fighters. It was a toe-to-toe battle that lasted the full 15 minutes. Standing ovations generally happen at the end of a performance, but this one started after the 1st round bell and didn’t really stop.

Even as they tired before the end of the 3rd round, they never stopped trying to knock each other out. By the time the final bell rang, they were both exhausted and bloody.

Neither man deserved to lose, but it was Griffin who got the close but unanimous decision. Such was the epic nature of the fight, the UFC would offer contracts to both fighters. They would both go on to enter the UFC Hall of Fame.

2. Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson (UFC 165)

This fight was Jon Jones’ 6th defense of his light heavyweight title. Bones was going into it off the back of a nine-fight winning streak with an overall record of 18-1. It was fair to say he was the huge favorite.

It was an underdog title that Gustafsson would soon put to the test. He deserved respect with a 15-1 record of his own going into the contest. He showed he belonged at this level immediately by putting pressure on Jones with repeated strikes.

Jones was cut early and it looked as though he wasn’t prepared for what Gustafsson could throw at him. Much to everyone’s surprise, he was able to get through Jones’ infamous takedown defense, though Jones quickly recovered.

The rest of the fight was a back and forth battle that showed plenty of heart and courage. By the end of the fight, Jones’ face was bloodied and both men were exhausted.

It went to a decision with many feeling the underdog had done enough, but the judges disagreed, with Jones declared the winner. It wasn’t the result he wanted but the Swedish fighter had pushed Jones further than anyone expected in an epic battle.

3. Chuck Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva (UFC 79)

There are many times in combat sports where the fight just doesn’t live up to the hype. You desperately want to see the contest, only for it to not deliver. At UFC 79, however, the opposite turned out to be true.

The reason this fight had been so anticipated was due to both men fighting under different organizations previously, with Silva in PRIDE and Liddell fighting with UFC. Finally, it was the UFC who were able to bring them together in the octagon.

The start of the fight was very cagey as neither fighter was prepared to engage. That went out the window when things exploded into life with just over a minute to go in the 1st. Both men were swinging hard at each other. That action continued into the 2nd round in a contest where Liddell started to gain the upper hand.

Both men were still able to land significant blows, but Liddell continued to assert his dominance in what ended up being a huge victory for the UFC legend. It was a time where the pre-match hype was truly lived up to with both men given credit for a wonderful contest.

4. Frankie Edgar vs. Gary Maynard III (UFC 136)

By 2011, these fighters had already met twice, with the first fight going to Gary Maynard via unanimous decision and the second fight being a split decision draw. They were great fights but their third battle would beat them all.

Maynard had so far got the better of the first two fights and it seemed as though he was destined for a 1st round win when he landed a huge uppercut. A barrage of punches followed and Edgar somehow managed to stay on his feet.

It looked as though he’d regained his senses and recovered when Maynard landed another huge shot with just under two minutes remaining. This time Edgar went down and the end surely looked near.

Maynard was unable to pin him down but still managed to hit him with another vicious uppercut and a knee, which broke Edgar’s nose. He survived and the 2nd and 3rd rounds were damage limitation from Edgar, boxing and moving to avoid strikes.

With just a minute left of the 4th round, this time it was Edgar who would land a huge uppercut. Unlike his opponent, he wasn’t going to let an opportunity go to waste and finished the job. It was a deserved reward for the incredible bravery he showed in the 1st round.

5. Diego Sanchez vs. Clay Guida (TUF 9 Finale)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jx5djnbL7hw

If there was a list of best starts ever to a UFC fight then this would undoubtedly be number one. The referee shouted “let’s go to war” and that’s exactly what the two men did, as they charged towards each other like dogs set from a leash.

Sanchez and Guida just stood there swinging like wildmen until Clay Guida got hurt and had to retreat. It was incredibly intense and the breathless start continued with Guida able to land some strikes of his own and claim a takedown.

Guida looked to be gaining the upper hand when Sanchez landed a sweet head kick that looked as though it could end the fight. He managed to survive, even though he continued to take blows.

Much of the 2nd round was fought on the floor but it was still brutal. The pace slowed a little in the 3rd but that was no surprise given the intensity. Sanchez would go on to win by split decision but the fans watching knew they’d just seen a fight they’d never forget.

6. Amanda Nunes vs. Chris Cyborg (UFC 232)

Usually for a fight to be regarded as great it at least has to go a few rounds. The clash between Nunes and Cyborg didn’t even last a minute. Going into the fight it looked as though Cyborg was unbeatable. She had a 20-1 record with the only blemish on her MMA resume being a defeat in her first-ever fight 13 years earlier.

Then along came Amanda Nunes, a genuine contender, but someone whose 16-4 record wasn’t quite as impressive. In the fight, however, Nunes would show her worth in a brutal minute of action.

The two started trading blows almost immediately but around 25 seconds in, Nunes landed her first big shot. Cyborg was rocked but reacted by going on the offensive. Seven seconds later she was put down by another huge shot.

In the seconds that followed, Nunes put her opponent down twice more. Each time Cyborg showed a warrior spirit to get back up swinging. The next shot, however, landed flush on her jaw. She was down again and the ref called the fight.

This was an electric performance from Nunes, who became the first woman in UFC history to hold two belts, adding Cyborg’s Featherweight crown to the Bantamweight championship she already held.

7. Chuck Liddell vs. Tito Ortiz I (UFC 47)

This is possibly the best pair of fights in UFC history. The two first met in UFC 47. They had been close friends but the competitive world of the UFC put an end to that. Liddell was the underdog but he’d soon prove his worth.

He landed a series of heavy strikes in the first round which hurt Ortiz badly. He could never regain any momentum. Liddell had him pinned against the cage and after a series of heavy strikes, the ref called an end to the contest.

The two would meet again in UFC 66. By this time, the old friends had turned into enemies. It was another brilliant fight with Liddell once again winning via knockout. Ortiz would eventually get his revenge in 2018 with a first round knockout in their third, and final, fight.

8. Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen (UFC 117)

Going into UFC 117 Anderson Silva was on an 11 fight win streak and looking unbeatable. He was matched up against the excellent Chael Sonnen who took the opportunity to provide plenty of trash talk in the lead-up to the contest.

Not many gave Sonnen a chance but he soon proved many people wrong right from the 1st round. He dominated the champion for almost the full fight and a unanimous decision in his favor seemed inevitable.

The strike count was hugely weighted to Sonnen who was on the verge of causing a massive upset. The ending, however, showed that you can never be certain of victory until the final bell has rung.

With just over 100 seconds left in the fight, Sonnon made a mistake when on the floor and Silva pounced on it by locking him in a triangle armbar. Silva wasn’t at his best throughout the fight but it showed his never-say-die attitude.

The two fought again a couple of years later but this time Silva won by a much more decisive TKO in the 2nd round.

9. Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin (UFC 116)

Brock Lesner was involved in some incredible UFC fights but none were better than his battle with Shane Carwin. In the first round, Carwin completely dominated and it looked as though the fight would end any second.

Lesner somehow survived and was relieved to hear the bell for the end of the round. In the 2nd round, the tables were turned. Lesner charged at Carwin and took him down, then inflicted some quality ground and pound.

Lesner got his opponent in an arm triangle and he wasn’t going to let him recover. He gradually tightened it up until Carwin had no option to tap out. Lesnar showed that he was a worthy world champion.

10. Zhang Weili vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk (UFC 248)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RkjFCMiA00

This was a fight that was made famous by an image that showed the brutality of the sport. After the fight, a huge welt had grown on the head of Jedrzejczyk, which was a sign of just how epic it had been.

It was a fight that went the full distance with Weili getting the decision. What preceded that decision was a technically perfect fight between two women at the top of their game.

Both of them showed incredible toughness and the crowd loved every second of it. It was one of the more recent fights on this list but one that deserves its place as one of the all-time classics.