In essence, so many UFC face-offs are psychologically electric events; the anticipation as two consummately conditioned athletes enter the portentous arena is almost tangible. The exhilaration that comes from watching two supremely talented fighters throwing fists, feet, knees and elbows at one another after months of mental and physical groundwork is difficult to convey. Furthermore, when unforeseen twists and turns occur, the encounter is cast into a remarkable realm, quickly becoming an event that may very well find its way etched into sporting chronicles. Here, we will look at some of the most unforgettable outbursts and encounters in UFC history.
Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir (UFC 100)
Normality and Brock Lesnar are about as compatible as Superman and kryptonite. Let’s take our thoughts back to a time when Frank Mir’s verbal assaults on “The Next Big Thing” were all too common. More often than not, Lesnar has always encouraged his Godzilla like fists to express his true feelings. At UFC 100, his fists did indeed do some of the talking, and that is where the talking should have finished. Comprehensively demolishing Mir in the second round of this unforgettable heavyweight title fight, Lesnar should have left it that, he should have ended the night on a wonderful high. However, the powerhouse felt the need to slate a decrepit Mir and unwisely flip off the feisty crowd.
He finished there, right? Wrong. Lesnar upped the ante in this very public implosion by discourteously speaking ill of Bud Light, one of the UFC’s prime sponsors. Oh yes, I almost forgot, Lesnar then, rather unsubtly, insinuated about an imminent sexual foray that would take place after he left the arena. More idiotic behaviour has rarely ever been witnessed in the UFC. Significantly, this outburst came at a time when many fans of mixed martial arts were indisposed to the idea of allowing athletes from professional wrestling into their glorious empire.
The aftermath was laughable in the extreme. Yes, at the post-fight press conference, Brock issued an apology, but he showed up drinking… yes, you guessed it… Bud Light. An undoubtedly skilled fighter, however, his social dexterity leaves so much to be desired.
Chuck Liddell vs. Tito Ortiz (UFC 47)
On April 2nd, 2004, under the glaring lights of Sin City, the eagerly-anticipated Liddell-Ortiz confrontation was as notable as many predicted it would be. The pre-fight pomposity had pushed expectancy into the sphere of surrealism. Prior to the fight, Ortiz oddly stated that he and Liddell had made a promise never to fight each other competitively. A former friend and teammate of Ortiz, Chuck Liddell categorically denied those claims. A larger than life character, a man who never once camouflaged his feelings, Liddell went on to accuse Ortiz of attempting to escape a showdown. In any case, it didn’t really matter; because “The Iceman” won the fight comprehensively. In the second round, 38 seconds in, we witnessed an assault fuelled by venom and animosity.
Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen (UFC 117)
Prior to July 7th 2012, no one had come as close as Sonnen to beating the graceful Anderson Silva during his time in the UFC. A man you either love or hate, Sonnen, was less than half a round away from causing a major upset. Unfortunately for the man who infamously referred to LeBron as a dork, he became tangled in “The Spider’s” proverbial web. Silva pulled off a superbly executed fifth-round triangle choke, somehow managing to snatch victory from the imminent jaws of defeat.
One of the Funnier Moments: Sorry, could you repeat that Wanderlei Silva, you want to do what to Mr. Liddell?
Okay, fair enough, English is not Silva’s first language, but in one of UFC’s funniest moments, “The Axe-Murderer” revealed that instead of just pounding Chuck Liddell inside the Octagon, he possessed a desire to pound Chuck in a different sense. The memorable excerpt went as follows, “I want to f*** … I want to fight with Chuck.”
A slip of the tongue that Sigmund Freud so famously referenced, many UFC fans started to question what exactly Silva’s Pride t-shirt really symbolized.
Tito Ortiz vs. Guy Mezger
Cast your mind back almost 15 years to March 5th, 1999. drafted in for the injured Vitor Belfort, Ortiz stunned many by defeating Mezger in the very first round of their rematch. In the aftermath, “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” decided to vent his simmering resentment through expressive hand gestures. Deciding to unfurl both middle fingers in the direction of Mezger’s posse, Ortiz undoubtedly fanned the flames of his notorious rivalry with the Lion’s Den leader, Ken Shamrock. Interestingly, after this very public display of affection, Ortiz went on to defeat Shamrock on three occasions.
Paul Daley
Come on, deep down you realize and acknowledge the fact that Paul Daley is one of the least respected names in UFC history. After Josh “The Fraggle Rock” Koscheck schooled him in their #1 contender match, Daley delivered the definition of a cheap shot. Approaching Koscheck for what seemed to be nothing more than a laudatory hug, Daley then idiotically took a swing at him. Dana White, a man who you don’t mess with, fired Daley following the fight, almost instantaneously.
Georges St. Pierre vs. Matt Serra
Years from now, UFC 69 will still rank as one of the most stunning upsets in the history of MMA. Back in 2007, on the night of April 7th, an underdog climbed into the menacing cage in Houston and emerged the welterweight champion. The so called “small fry” was a man by the name of Matt Serra. In an unforgettable main event, Serra stunned St. Pierre with a first-round technical knockout.
Yes, the magic moment would prove to be as short-lived as dignity at a swingers party. Through a series of ferocious body blows, The French Canadian legend won back his belt twelve months later, but the events on that Houston night will be forever etched in the UFC’s memoirs.
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