The MMA Top 10 03.12.10: Week 11 - Top 10 Best UFC Fights

Posted by Dustin James on 03.12.2010

From and Chuck Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva, Karo Parisyan vs. Diego Sanchez and Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar to Royce Gracie vs. Ken Shamrock, GSP vs. B.J. Penn and Matt Hughes vs. Frank Trigg, 411's Dustin James and Todd Bergman rank the top 10 best UFC fights of all-time!. Check out the full article to see which fights made the list and why!

Welcome back to the MMA Top 10. As you should be accustomed to by now, I'm your host Dustin James and I'm back in the hosting position after 411's own Todd Bergman stepped in last week and kicked some royal ass with his Top 10 PRIDE fights of all-time list! Needless to say, we have to follow that up with a top 10 greatest UFC fights of all-time list...right?!?!

Before we begin, I must inform you that this was the hardest list I have ever had to put together. The UFC is the greatest MMA promotion in the world and has been for years. The amount of incredible fights that we have seen through the years is absolutely ridiculous. For me to have to rank the top 10 best UFC fights of all-time was difficult to say the least. Either way, I watched a ton of fights, did a lot of remembering, and put together this list that I'm sure will get bashed (ya, ya, I didn't rank Ortiz/Frank Shamrock and I probably should have...).

This week I'll be joined by Todd Bergman (check out the man's Twitter for some great MMA talk) who has been awesome enough to help out again and comment on each of the fights along with myself. So don't bash Todd for the list, since that was all THIS GUY~!

(Special note: I didn't put videos of the fights in the article considering Zuffa's tight rope when it comes to copyright issues. It was difficult trying to find videos of each fight to embed in the article, so I just gave up. Sorry!)


And with that......



LET'S GET IT ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......................

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10) Royce Gracie vs. Ken Shamrock
UFC 1 - The Beginning
November 12, 1993



Dustin James: While the Stephon Bonnar/Forrest Griffin fight may get credit for being THE fight that took the UFC to the mainstream, there's a good possibility that fight never would have happened if it wasn't for this fight right here. While the Bonnar/Griffin fight was a fist-flying spectacle, Shamrock/Gracie 1 was a grappler's dream and it's the fight that really gets credit for making people notice just how lethal BJJ really can be. As 411's own Jeff Small recently told me....

"[Shamrock vs. Gracie] pretty much set the stage for the next 20 years of MMA. It wasn't pretty, it wasn't "spectacular", but I think it seriously made people go, "what the hell is Jiu Jitsu? And where can I learn it?"

I honestly couldn't describe it any better....


Todd Bergman: I remember watching this fight live and having no clue that Gracie was so dangerous. Yes, Royce had the submission but he wasn't built like Shamrock. That logic now-a-days seems crazy, but back then looks were everything. Of course Gracie took the victory via Rear Naked Choke and then went on to win the first ever UFC in the next round, but it's this fight that deserves the honor. Not only was this fight one of the best in the UFC's history but it's one of the most important. As I mentioned above, you shouldn't judge someone's ability to win a fight solely on their looks. Ultimately, Gracie proved technique beats power 9 out of 10 times.

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9) Tyson Griffin vs. Frankie Edgar
UFC 67
February 3, 2007



Dustin James: Man, I'd love to see a rematch between these two guys. Their first fight was a BATTLE for the ages. Perhaps the only bad thing about this fight is the fact that no one is in the audience watching it. For all of you people who were late to UFC 67....shame on you! You missed one of the greatest fights of all-time. These two warriors tore the house down with an amazing display of striking mixed with some excellent grappling. Just when you thought the two were going to sit there and bang it out, they decide to hit the mat instead. It's not like I was complaining though since through the entire fight my eyes were glued to the television. Edgar and Griffin were really able to showcase their abilities here and it's no wonder the two of them are still near the top of the division today. Oh, did I mention I want a rematch?


Todd Bergman: This was an Undercard bout on an almost forgettable UFC show. The hype coming into the show was the UFC debut of Rampage, Cro Cop, and the almost-title fight between Anderson Silva and Travis Lutter. After the show, however, everyone was buzzing about this fight. Edgar showed his wrestling pedigree early on by controlling the fight and completely outclassing Griffin. The second round was a complete toss up as both fighters were dominated at times. The second round also showed a tremendous pace that isn't witnessed at the higher weight classes in MMA. The third round was nearly a fatal one for Edgar as he got caught in a nasty leg lock and almost tapped, but Edgar hung on and was granted the decision victory in his first fight in the UFC. Little did anyone know that this fight would lead the way to a title showdown for Edgar but his very first victory in the UFC most certainly gave him a leg up on Griffin.

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8) Nick Diaz vs. Diego Sanchez
The Ultimate Fighter 2 Finale
November 5, 2005


Dustin James: Love them or hate them, it seems that Diego Sanchez and Nick Diaz always bring their "a" games no matter who they are fighting. I was really expecting a lot going into this fight and needless to say...they didn't disappoint. Diego was coming off a huge win on "The Ultimate Fighter 1" and needed to prove that he could hang with the big boys of the UFC. Well, let's just say he nailed that here and in the process was able to put on one of the greatest MMA fights I have ever seen.


Todd Bergman: Who knew that a pot head and a certified crazy guy could produce such a classic? Unquestionably both guys were different fighters back then. Sanchez was a cardio beast, and Diaz was more of a counter puncher. That counter puncher mentality cost Diaz the fight as Sanchez was more aggressive and put on a tremendous show that led to even more credibility being given to the first season of The Ultimate Fighter.

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7) Randy Couture vs. Tim Sylvia
UFC 68
March 3, 2007


Dustin James: I can't express how nervous I was going into this fight and I wasn't even fighting! If you know me, you know that Randy Couture is my all-time favorite fighter. When he retired I was bummed, but I understood. When he announced a year later that he was returning to MMA and that his comeback fight would be against the "MONSTER" Tim Sylvia, I was even more nervous. You have to remember...this is when Sylvia was good. I just didn't understand why Couture would take this fight due to the size difference between the two. However, once the fight actually started I saw why Couture took the fight. He was basically able to manhandle Sylvia and control exactly where he wanted the fight to go. I remember being in absolute shock watching this fight and THRILLED once it was over and Couture had his hand raised. Easily one of my personal favorite MMA fights of all-time.


Todd Bergman: This fight brought back the magic that Randy Couture brings to any UFC fight. While his opponent, Tim Sylvia, didn't do much in this fight, this tussle deserves to be on this list because of the importance of the battle. Couture was around 150-years-old coming into this fight and was outweighed by nearly 250 pounds according to Dana White. I wouldn't say that last statement should be taken literally but it was a David vs. Goliath sort of bout, and it packed the house that night in Columbus to the tune of nearly 20,000 fans. This fight pushed the Couture vs. Fedor thoughts and really helped set up Couture's current run in the UFC. Unfortunately, this fight also set up the ultra-ugly Couture contract situation that plagued the UFC for nearly a year.

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6) Georges St. Pierre vs. B.J. Penn
UFC 58
March 4, 2006



Dustin James: This fight is close to my heart for personal reasons. You see, every month I get together with a group of friends and watch whatever MMA PPV is on. This tradition just so happened to have started at UFC 58 "USA vs. Canada"...which coincidentally had an amazing main event in GSP vs. BJ Penn 1! It's always amazing to watch two of the best pound-for-pound fighters in MMA go at it and man did these guys tear the house down. GSP was able to squeeze out a very close decision and I actually remember at the time thinking that Penn had gotten screwed. However, after multiple viewings of the fight I had changed my mind and actually thought the judges got it right. Don't blame it on me, blame it on my American bias.



Todd Bergman: Dana White went out and signed himself a new Welterweight fighter in BJ Penn. Penn's return to the UFC is a memorable one to say the least. This fight was a great one that doesn't have the label of "grease-gate" but it does have a pretty debatable decision in some fans' eyes. In my eyes, the judges got the decision right because GSP won the last two rounds by controlling the fight with wrestling. Was it ineffective grappling on GSP's part? To a certain degree, yes, but Penn didn't do enough to take the decision. This fight led to the above-mentioned rematch that was completely ridiculous and a low point in MMA. If Penn continues to dominate the Lightweight division and GSP does the same in the Welterweight division, another showdown could be on the horizon. If Ortiz is getting a third shot at Liddell, then perhaps Penn deserves another shot at GSP.

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5) Matt Hughes vs. B.J. Penn
UFC 46
January 31, 2004



Dustin James: B.J. Penn wasn't a full-time MMA fighter until 2001. Dana White persuaded him to come to the UFC after dominating in Jiu-Jitsu competitions for years and Penn took him up on the offer. After a few years of plying his trade in the lightweight division, Penn decided to step up a weight class and face Matt Hughes for the welterweight title since Hughes had already destroyed all of his other competition. What happened next, few people could possibly see coming. Penn came out of nowhere and beat Hughes with a sweet rear naked choke in just under five minutes. Penn not only proved his worth to the world as one of the best up and coming fighters, but he also managed to capture the UFC welterweight title in the process. This fight right here is why you should never underestimate the greatness that is B.J. Penn.


Todd Bergman: BJ Penn wasn't even the king of the Lightweight division; how in the world could he beat the "greatest" Welterweight champion of all time? Well, Penn proceeded to dominate the farm boy and set the very small MMA world on fire in the process. It's a shame that Penn left the UFC after this fight due to contract issues because no one knows how long BJ would've held that title. Penn might've also been the first to hold two UFC titles at one time had the UFC not killed off the 155-pound division as well.

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4) Karo Parisyan vs. Diego Sanchez
UFC Fight Night 2006
August 17, 2006


Dustin James: When this fight was announced I really wasn't excited about it. To tell you the truth, I'm not the biggest Karo Parisyan fan. While I expected Diego to hopefully be able to pull through and make the fight exciting...that's exactly what happened. This could be possibly the only Karo fight that I actually enjoy. If you have never seen this fight, you need to view it just to see Karo'a tooth fly out of his mouth. It truly is perhaps the greatest moment in MMA history.


Todd Bergman: Judo flips, teeth flying out, and a crazy pace were the norm in this fight. This is probably the last time that anyone ever saw Karo fight and was genuinely impressed by his performance. Much like the Diaz fight, Sanchez won this bout by having the heart of a lion and his crazy out dueling pace. Does anyone remember the old SPIKE TV commercial where it was in slow-motion and Parisyan's tooth went flying out of his mouth? This was a great moment in the UFC's history and a great fight that helped the UFC build momentum to where it is today.

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3) Chuck Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva
UFC 79
December 29, 2007



Dustin James:This fight was years in the making and thank god it didn't disappoint. When people first started discussing the possibility of Liddell vs. Silva, everyone was salivating at what lied ahead. When the two finally stopped all the talk and got into the Octagon...it was a thing of beauty. The two fighters stood up and tried to physically turn the other's guy face into Silly Putty. Perhaps the worst thing about the fight is that it had to end. I wish this had been a title fight so that way we would have been guaranteed a five-round affair. Instead we got three rounds of some of the best UFC action I have ever seen. Let's hope we get a rematch before both these men retire....


Todd Bergman: It's so rare that anything in this world lives up to the hype, but this fight most certainly did. Usually MMA crowds in American don't consistently cheer for three rounds because they are too busy buying booze or cat calling some broad five rows down. Forever hyped as a dream match, Wandy vs. Chuck went to war with neither backing down the entire fight. This fight meant everything to fans and took on a PRIDE vs. UFC feel that separated fans almost straight down the middle. Liddell was always known as the UFC's poster boy while Silva was the PRIDE guy. In the end, Liddell took the unanimous decision via his ability to outbox Silva's brawling. This was the end of an era, as neither Liddell nor Silva have been the same since, but this was a nice sort of bon voyage for these two amazing fighters.

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2) Matt Hughes vs. Frank Trigg
UFC 45
November 21, 2003



Dustin James: This was a real tough one to decide on. While I really wanted to rank both Hughes/Trigg and Hughes/Trigg II, I decided to only rank one out of fairness. Needless to say, I decided to go with the first fight considering it has a special place in my heart. This fight was one of my favorite UFC fights for the longest time since it was absolutely fantastic! Things started off with a bang and right away it looked like Matt Hughes was in big time trouble. Trigg almost KO'd Hughes right out of the gate (and I know a lot of MMA officials who would have stopped the fight then as well) and it looked like Hughes didn't stand much of a chance. However, when Hughes turned things around...he really turned them around. After Hughes was able to slam Trigg with one of his notorious vicious slams, he was able to get mount on the poor man and it was all Hughes from there. Once he slapped on the rear naked choke, Trigg had no option but to "tap or nap". The two fighters even had a legitimate dislike for each other, which made the fight that much more interesting. Either way, this fight should remind everyone just how dangerous Matt Hughes really is.


Todd Bergman This was the original tussle between the two bitter rivals. It's not nearly as memorable as their second showdown at UFC 52 but still a damn good fight. Hughes outwrestled and outclassed the cocky "Twinkle Toes" en route to an air tight Rear Naked Choke. At this point, the "RNC" wasn't known as Trigg's kryptonite as it is today, but Hughes once again proved his dominance within the UFC. Little known fact: nearly two months after this fight, BJ Penn tapped out Hughes and fans quickly forgot about this dominating victory.

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1) Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar
UFC Ultimate Fighter 1 Finale
April 9, 2005


Dustin James: Do I really have to explain why this one is even ranked here? While this list was honestly the hardest list I have had to rank since I started doing this here thing, I decided this fight just had to be #1. The fight itself was not only one of the greatest MMA battles I have ever seen, but it really helped push MMA into the mainstream and that has to be saying something. When you look at how popular MMA is overall as a sport now, a lot of it has to be credited to the Ultimate Fighter Finale and the awesome Griffin/Bonnar fight. When you take two talented fighters, throw in the fact that one of them can win a six-figure contract in the biggest MMA promotion in the world, then all that equals up to one delicious plate of awesomeness. Once again, I have to say kudos to both men for bringing down the house and showing the world how to give (and take) an ass beating.


Todd Bergman: I don't care who you are or what you might say, this is the greatest and most important MMA fight ever. Rarely are there moments when fights can bring people together. I even remember my mom coming into the room after the first round and watching the rest of the fight and cheering along with me through to the finish. This is the fight that you show people when they ask why you love MMA. There is no possible way that MMA could be at its current level if these gentlemen didn't go out there and lay it all on the line like they did. Personally, I thought that Bonnar won the fight and got screwed by failed judging, but it worked out in the end for both guys.

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And that's it for me this week. Make sure you follow me on Twitter for all sorts of good MMA, NBA, NFL, and other random crap talk. Trust me, I won't let you down.


Also remember to check out Todd Bergman's Twitter. He's a damn good dude and he knows his MMA, what more can you ask for?


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