From the highest stakes and toughest battles to the craziest results and most dramatic storylines. There have been many UFC fights that have stood the test of time in the hearts of long-time fans. However, others rise above the rest and are seen as iconic. Here are the 10 best UFC fights of all time.
10. Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar, TUF 1 Finale
In the light heavyweight tournament final of the UFC’s seminal reality show, Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar gave us an entertaining and hard hitting back and forth scrap with the attitude of a friendly sparring match.
Griffin got his hand raised but both men famously received the sought after six-figure UFC contract. While in hindsight the fight lacks the same technical wizardry as some others on the list, MMA folklore propels its status as this bout is credited for sparking the Spike TV-fueled UFC boom.
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9. Mark Hunt vs. Antonio Silva, UFC Fight Night 33
For the UFC’s first stop in Brisbane, Australia, the promotion received no complaints when Mark Hunt and Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva were booked in the main event. But instead of the highlight reel knockout most expected, the pair put on a dramatic slugfest with neither backing down an inch.
When the result was announced as a majority draw, no one could protest simply because neither man deserved to lose. Dana White was so pleased with the fight that he awarded both men their contracted win bonuses and began wearing a “Hunt vs. Silva 2” shirt in hopes of repeating the spectacle.
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8. Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz 2, UFC 202
Nate Diaz’s late notice upset of Conor McGregor halted some pretty lofty plans for the rising Irish superstar. Plans to add a lightweight title to his resume, with rumors of welterweight ambitions swirling, to his featherweight championship would be put on hold. “The Notorious” turned his full attention to a rematch with Diaz at UFC 202.
In what was the highest-selling UFC pay-per-view main event, the odd pair fought tooth and nail for the entirety of the allotted 25 minutes. Showcasing a far more scientific gameplan and improved cardio, McGregor evened the score with his rival and walked away with a majority decision win.
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7. Cheick Kong vs. Pat Barry, UFC on Versus 4
In the main event of UFC on Versus 4, Cheick Kongo and Pat Barry were matched up. Fireworks between the heavyweight kickboxers was expected. But instead of a drawn out fight, the two crammed in as much action and drama in half of a round as humanly possible.
Barry’s quick start floored Kongo twice as the commentary team prematurely repeated that the fight was over. A still shaken Kongo stumbled back to the fence and landed two hard punches that instantly shut out Barry’s lights.
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6. Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson, UFC 165
As Jon Jones shredded through everyone placed in front of him to challenge for the light heavyweight title, the search for worthy contenders led the UFC to call Alexander Gustafsson. While his six-fight win streak included a win over Shogun, nothing to that point indicated that he’d fare any differently than Jones’ previous opponents.
Instead, the Swede took Jones to the limits. Punishing the champion in the early rounds, “Bones” had to rally hard in the second half to retain the title via unanimous decision.
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5. Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio Rua, UFC 139
UFC 139 was not only the Octagon’s first trip to San Jose, the preferred location of the recently purchased Strikeforce, it was also the first time a five round non-title bout would serve as the main event.
Dan Henderson, Strikeforce’s former light heavyweight champion, headlined against Mauricio
“Shogun” Rua, just months removed from holding the same distinction in the UFC. The two legends put those extra two minutes to great use. With wild momentum swings and excellent display of offense and durability, “Hendo” won a close contested unanimous decision.
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4. Frankie Edgar vs Gray Maynard 2, UFC 125
Prior to his rise to lightweight champion, Frankie Edgar’s lone defeat came at the hands of TUF 5 finalist Gray Maynard. The unanimous decision was pretty run-of-the-mill 15 minutes and did not indicate what was to come in the main event of UFC 125.
Maynard intended to finish the job this time and nearly did with an onslaught in the opening round that warranted 10-8’s on all three judges’ scorecards. Amazingly, Edgar came back from the brink of defeat to retain the belt in a rare split draw. They would complete the trilogy months later in nearly identical fashion until Edgar earned a fourth-round knockout.
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3. Israel Adesanya vs. Kelvin Gastelum, UFC 236
Israel Adesanya looked unstoppable on his way to claiming gold in the UFC’s middleweight division. But at that moment, he’d face TUF winner Kelvin Gastelum for the interim strap at UFC 236.
For the first time in his MMA career, “The Last Stylebender” looked vulnerable. At times overpowered and overwhelmed, Adesanya was nearly finished in the fourth round with an unlikely head kick from the wrestler. However, he managed to regain control in the final frame and earn the decision win.
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2. Weili Zhang vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk, UFC 248
While the headliner of UFC 248 between Israel Adesanya and Yoel Romero failed to live up to expectations, the co-main event far exceeded anything fans could have hoped for. That’s because strawweight champion Weili Zhang and former divisional queen Joanna Jedrzejczyk left nothing on the table.
Both women landed hard blows and took the best the other had to offer. By the final bell the damage they took made them hardly recognizable. Zhang narrowly won a split decision and retained the belt in what is widely regarded as the greatest women’s fight in UFC history.
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1. Robbie Lawler vs. Rory Macdonald, UFC 189
Robbie Lawler’s path to the UFC welterweight is one of the most exciting chapters in MMA history. But at UFC 189, “Ruthless” gave the world his magnum opus. With all eyes focused on the rise of Conor McGregor in the main event, Lawler defended his belt against Rory Macdonald in the co-main.
Their previous bout, a split decision win for Lawler, served as the perfect icebreaker for their next 21 minutes together. In a true war of attrition, both men battered and bloodied each other until Macdonald’s body simply shut down after a hard jab crushed his face in the final round.
