Here's another list of my favorites, if you don't agree with any or think I left one out feel free to let me know. Embedded where I could, hate Zuffa for deleting everything off of youtube. The rest are hyperlinks to vids.
10. Alan Belcher vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama: UFC 100
Akiyama's debut with the UFC was on the biggest PPV they've ever had which I think led to him making a mistake by brawling instead of using his judo, which played right into Belcher's strength and ended up leaving the crowd with a great fight. Controversial decision but at least Akiyama got the win along with making a great first impression.
9. Bibiano Fernandes vs. Hiroyuki Takaya: Dream.11
In the finals of Dream's Featherweight Grand Prix, it was the classic grappler vs. striker match up and both fighters got to show off their skills. Takaya came into the GP off of a disappointing stint with the WEC, and Bibiano made it to the finals with arguably the hardest path there beating Imanari and then Joe Warren the same night as the finals. Another controversial decision, I know Shogun Locc and myself both think Takaya won, but it was still a sick fight either way.
8. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers: Strikeforce/M-1 Global: Fedor vs. Rogers
Strikeforce's inaugural event on CBS would feature the #1 fighter in the world against a top-10 heavyweight in Rogers who had shocked the division in his previous fight KOing Arlovski in the opening seconds. Rogers was a heavy underdog and ended up putting on a great fight, but once again Fedor won in spectacular fashion, scoring his second overhand right KO of the year in the second round.
7. Marius Zaromskis vs. Seichi Ikemoto: Dream.8
The opening round of Dream's welterweight grand prix featured Deep's welterweight champ Ikemoto against an unknown Lithuanian fighting out of England. That unknown became the eventual winner of the GP and emerged as maybe the most exciting fighter in his weight class if not all of fighting. This fight was like watching a game of Street Fighter unfold in the ring, with Zaromskis attempting a jumping spin kick to start the fight, Ikemoto later attemption a flying double punch (lol) and then maybe the most talked about move of the year happened, Zaromskis' backflip guard pass/stomp.
6. Carlos Condit vs. Martin Kampmann: UFC Fight Night 18
Condit came to the UFC being WEC's welterweight champ when it was absorbed, and had a tough first fight in the former middleweight, Kampmann, who was, I think (?), making his welterweight debut. The winner of the fight would be towards the top of the 170 lbs. rankings and both fighters showed their desire to get there in a hard fought battle that was back and forth in its' entirety. Kampmann eeked out the win and would later get knocked back down the rankings by Paul Daley his next fight.
5. Mike Nickels vs. David Heath: MFC 22- Payoff
I saw this fight when it aired on HDNet live back in October, practically by accident when my friend and I only watched the event because Marvin Eastman and Luigi Fioravanti were fighting, and we were treated with what was probably the most unseen fight on my list. Nickels and Heath had an all out brawl for 14 minutes, only interrupted by Heath continually dropping his mouth piece due to being exhausted.
4. Hideo Tokoro vs. Abel Cullum: Dream. 9
In the second round of Dream's featherweight grand prix King of the Cage's champ, Cullum, was paired with every year's potential fight of the year participant, Tokoro, and the two did not disappoint. Tokoro surprised the hell out of me and snapped a three-fight losing streak with this scramble and sub attempt filled barn burner.
3. Masanori Kanehara vs. Chan Sung Jung: Sengoku- 8th Battle
The second round of Sengoku's featherweight grand prix featured ZST favorite Kanehara facing the man with the best nickname/entrance music combo, The Korean Zombie (who comes out to Zombie by The Cranberries). This was the first Sengoku event I was able to watch live and I was going apeshit during this fight. Kanehara became the eventual (albeit paper) champ of the grand prix, and Korean Zombie emerged as a new favorite with his always entertaining style.
2. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Randy Couture: UFC 102
Two of the best fighters of all time finally met up in the cage and gave the fans a show of what it means to be a real fighter. After each fighter lost to Frank Mir and Brock Lesnar, respectively, in their mini-championship tournament, they were matched up in hope they would return to vintage form. Nogueira being the second best heavyweight of all time and Couture being an always-game underdog, had a three round war with every facet of MMA on display. I remember people were actually pissed at me at the bar I was at for being the only person there going nuts for Nog, but I was so happy people finally got to see why he's held in such a high regard beating "Captain America".
1. Ben Henderson vs. Donald Cerrone: WEC 43
There was a few of us posting in the thread for this card when this fight happened, and we were all going crazy at the fight we were seeing. Cerrone, the always game for a brawl cowboy, throwing every single thing he could at the unknown Henderson, who was taking it all and getting out of all of the seemingly inescapable positions he was getting caught in. Henderson went on to win the 5 round decision for the interim lightweight title with his aggression and wrestling, and earned himself a new nickname in "Bendo". He's set to face ex-champ Jamie Varner to unify the title early next year, with Cerrone still undecided if he wants to drop down to the 145 lbs. division or face the winner in a rematch for the title, as he also had an insane fight earlier this year against Varner, which was only left off the list because of the tarnished ending.
Honorable Mentions: Clay Guida vs. Diego Sanchez, Gilbert Melendez vs. Josh Thomson, Benji Radach vs. Scott Smith, Melvin Manhoef vs. Paulo Filho (for shortest fight to make the list)
10. Alan Belcher vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama: UFC 100
Akiyama's debut with the UFC was on the biggest PPV they've ever had which I think led to him making a mistake by brawling instead of using his judo, which played right into Belcher's strength and ended up leaving the crowd with a great fight. Controversial decision but at least Akiyama got the win along with making a great first impression.
9. Bibiano Fernandes vs. Hiroyuki Takaya: Dream.11
In the finals of Dream's Featherweight Grand Prix, it was the classic grappler vs. striker match up and both fighters got to show off their skills. Takaya came into the GP off of a disappointing stint with the WEC, and Bibiano made it to the finals with arguably the hardest path there beating Imanari and then Joe Warren the same night as the finals. Another controversial decision, I know Shogun Locc and myself both think Takaya won, but it was still a sick fight either way.
8. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers: Strikeforce/M-1 Global: Fedor vs. Rogers
Strikeforce's inaugural event on CBS would feature the #1 fighter in the world against a top-10 heavyweight in Rogers who had shocked the division in his previous fight KOing Arlovski in the opening seconds. Rogers was a heavy underdog and ended up putting on a great fight, but once again Fedor won in spectacular fashion, scoring his second overhand right KO of the year in the second round.
7. Marius Zaromskis vs. Seichi Ikemoto: Dream.8
The opening round of Dream's welterweight grand prix featured Deep's welterweight champ Ikemoto against an unknown Lithuanian fighting out of England. That unknown became the eventual winner of the GP and emerged as maybe the most exciting fighter in his weight class if not all of fighting. This fight was like watching a game of Street Fighter unfold in the ring, with Zaromskis attempting a jumping spin kick to start the fight, Ikemoto later attemption a flying double punch (lol) and then maybe the most talked about move of the year happened, Zaromskis' backflip guard pass/stomp.
6. Carlos Condit vs. Martin Kampmann: UFC Fight Night 18
Condit came to the UFC being WEC's welterweight champ when it was absorbed, and had a tough first fight in the former middleweight, Kampmann, who was, I think (?), making his welterweight debut. The winner of the fight would be towards the top of the 170 lbs. rankings and both fighters showed their desire to get there in a hard fought battle that was back and forth in its' entirety. Kampmann eeked out the win and would later get knocked back down the rankings by Paul Daley his next fight.
5. Mike Nickels vs. David Heath: MFC 22- Payoff
I saw this fight when it aired on HDNet live back in October, practically by accident when my friend and I only watched the event because Marvin Eastman and Luigi Fioravanti were fighting, and we were treated with what was probably the most unseen fight on my list. Nickels and Heath had an all out brawl for 14 minutes, only interrupted by Heath continually dropping his mouth piece due to being exhausted.
4. Hideo Tokoro vs. Abel Cullum: Dream. 9
In the second round of Dream's featherweight grand prix King of the Cage's champ, Cullum, was paired with every year's potential fight of the year participant, Tokoro, and the two did not disappoint. Tokoro surprised the hell out of me and snapped a three-fight losing streak with this scramble and sub attempt filled barn burner.
3. Masanori Kanehara vs. Chan Sung Jung: Sengoku- 8th Battle
The second round of Sengoku's featherweight grand prix featured ZST favorite Kanehara facing the man with the best nickname/entrance music combo, The Korean Zombie (who comes out to Zombie by The Cranberries). This was the first Sengoku event I was able to watch live and I was going apeshit during this fight. Kanehara became the eventual (albeit paper) champ of the grand prix, and Korean Zombie emerged as a new favorite with his always entertaining style.
2. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Randy Couture: UFC 102
Two of the best fighters of all time finally met up in the cage and gave the fans a show of what it means to be a real fighter. After each fighter lost to Frank Mir and Brock Lesnar, respectively, in their mini-championship tournament, they were matched up in hope they would return to vintage form. Nogueira being the second best heavyweight of all time and Couture being an always-game underdog, had a three round war with every facet of MMA on display. I remember people were actually pissed at me at the bar I was at for being the only person there going nuts for Nog, but I was so happy people finally got to see why he's held in such a high regard beating "Captain America".
1. Ben Henderson vs. Donald Cerrone: WEC 43
There was a few of us posting in the thread for this card when this fight happened, and we were all going crazy at the fight we were seeing. Cerrone, the always game for a brawl cowboy, throwing every single thing he could at the unknown Henderson, who was taking it all and getting out of all of the seemingly inescapable positions he was getting caught in. Henderson went on to win the 5 round decision for the interim lightweight title with his aggression and wrestling, and earned himself a new nickname in "Bendo". He's set to face ex-champ Jamie Varner to unify the title early next year, with Cerrone still undecided if he wants to drop down to the 145 lbs. division or face the winner in a rematch for the title, as he also had an insane fight earlier this year against Varner, which was only left off the list because of the tarnished ending.
Honorable Mentions: Clay Guida vs. Diego Sanchez, Gilbert Melendez vs. Josh Thomson, Benji Radach vs. Scott Smith, Melvin Manhoef vs. Paulo Filho (for shortest fight to make the list)
