|
Another 10 UFC bouts for the ages that didn’t quite make the cut, but deserve some mention at the least. Gerard Gordeau def. Teila Tuli, UFC 1, Nov. 12, 1993: The one that started it all - and brutally at that. Royce Gracie def. Kimo, UFC 3, Sept. 9, 1994: Gracie, a two-time reigning UFC tournament champion at the time, won the fight, but the punishment dished out by Kimo was too much to allow Gracie to continue in the one-night tournament. For the first time, Gracie looked beatable. Randy Couture def. Pedro Rizzo, UFC 31, May 4, 2001: Five-round heavyweight title tilt was a battle of attrition that saw both combatants keep coming until it ended like all good fights that go to decision - with controversy. Chuck Liddell def. Tito Ortiz, UFC 47, April 2, 2004: After both were upset by Couture, the bout - filled with months of build-up and bad blood - finally happened and "The Iceman" finally silenced the brash "Huntington Beach Bad Boy" with a second-round knockout.  The five-round heavyweight title tilt when Randy Couture defeated Pedro Rizzo at UFC 31 was a battle of attrition. Georges St. Pierre def. BJ Penn, UFC 58, March 4, 2006: Decision win for "Rush" showcased two of the most well-rounded fighters at their best and is the reason so many are clamoring for the rematch. Kendall Grove def. Ed Herman, Ultimate Fighter 3 Finale, June 24, 2006: "The Ultimate Fighter: Season Three" middleweight final was anybody's guess as to who would get the decision. Grove got it after both had exhibited a see-saw ground battle, but both were awarded contracts by UFC President Dana White. Diego Sanchez def. Karo Parisyan, UFC Fight Night, Aug. 17, 2006: Back-and-forth "UFC Fight Night" main event was waged standing and on the ground, showcasing both welterweight's skill sets and ended with a debated decision. Matt Hughes def. BJ Penn, UFC 63, Sept. 23, 2006: Rematch showed just how good BJ Penn can be and that a Matt Hughes fight is never over until it's over, as he pounded out a third-round stoppage. Chuck Liddell def. Tito Ortiz, UFC 66, Dec. 30, 2006: A true blockbuster that had the mainstream buzzing and saw Liddell vanquish his rival with another knockout in front of a sold-out Las Vegas crowd that set a record with a gate of over $5 million. If the UFC hadn't arrived yet, it arrived on this night. Forrest Griffin def. Rampage Jackson, UFC 86, July 5, 2008: Culminated Griffin's storied journey from "The Ultimate Fighter: Season One" winner to light-heavyweight champion with a dramatic five-round decision that everyone scored differently. Grant Gordon is currently the Sports Editor for the Glendale News-Press, a subsidiary of the Los Angeles Times. You can contact him at
This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
|