25 Years Deep: Favourite Moments

[ColinBollocks]

Seeing as UFC 1 happened 25 years ago today, may as well make a thread where we all do a circle wank thinking of our favourite moments watching the sport, and if you want some of the shite stuff too.

I'll kick off by saying I think only United winning the Champions League has filled me with as much joy as Michael Bisping twatting Luke Rockhold to become Middleweight champion. It's almost impossible to do justice just what an underdog Bisping was going into that fight. Luke Rockhold, at the time, was considered potentially the greatest MW we'll ever see, he was certainly on the road to building his legacy, where as we all seemed to agree Bisping just getting that title shot was his career high point, with some calling on him to retire after he beat Silva because it wouldn't get any better for him. Add onto that Rockhold battered Bisping a few years before, when Bisping was younger and Rockhold wasn't quite as great as the Rockhold that's the champion of the world.

Of course, what happened is about as beautiful a moment as you'll see in sport. One-eyed Bisping, sometimes out gunned but never backing down, becoming the champion of the world and securing his legacy as an all-time great. The memory of Bisping's winning punches and gormless "this wasn't supposed to happen" celebration is still fresh in the old brain and has yet to fail bring a smile on my face when I remember.

[AdamTH17]

McGregor winning the strap from Alvarez at UFC 205 was probably the moment my fandom peaked, to be honest.

Had all my mates round staying up to watch it, and even though the cracks were beginning to show in the McGregor facade, we were all still firmly on the bandwagon after he beat Diaz at 202, and were rooting for him to beat Eddie. Of course, 205 ended up being a cracking show in itself, so we were all buzzing by the time the main event rolled around. Then Conor went out and delivered his best ever performance to go and win the belt. It just felt like a perfect culmination. The biggest star the sport had ever seen, making history in the most famous arena in the world. It felt like a proper pinnacle of MMA. If they'd have cancelled MMA after that show, I don't think I would've had many complaints. Obviously, in hindsight it's nowhere near as glamorous, but it felt like a huge, huge deal at the time - which it of course was.

Special nominations to Nunes knocking out Ronda, Lawler's reign as Welterweight champion, Cormier beating Stipe and Khabib twisting Conor's jaw off. Cunt. 

[jimufctna24]

I will keep this to just the UFC, and moments that have stood the test of time. 

- Chuck beating Couture in 2005. This was my first rewarding memory as an MMA fan. Chuck vs Randy was the first major MMA rivalry that I experienced in the moment. I had taken Chuck's side over Randy because I preferred his fighting style. I was chuffed when Chuck was victorious at UFC 52. 

- GSP knocking out Hughes to win the Welterweight belt in late 2006. Matt Hughes played me like a fiddle. He successfully pushed all my buttons. By the time he faced GSP, I was desperate to see him get beat. I exploded with joy when GSP took him apart inside two rounds. 

- Bisping's Indian Summer in 2016. No explanation necessary. I went back and forth with Bisping over his career. But it was hard to root against him as he defied the odds to finally win the Middleweight belt. Of course, his knockout win over Rockhold was the standout moment. 

Not a moment as such, but worth a mention:

- The two week period surrounding UFC 100. I was heavily invested in the Lesnar vs Mir and GSP vs Alves bouts. There was a real buzz surrounding the company during this timeframe. My actual MMA fandom peaked in mid-2006. But it was this period when my UFC fandom was at its highest. 

Sadly, a number of moments that I enjoyed in the moment have since been soured. I jumped with joy when Griffin beat Rampage in 2007. But I went off Griffin as the years progressed. It's the same for McGregor's victories over Mendes and Aldo. It was a great ride at the time, but given Conor's most-recent antics. there is a niggling regret when I reflect back on those nights. It's the same for Couture's Indian Summer in 2007. Although I can't quite articulate why. 

 

 

[chokeout]

Dana calling in Randy to get the belt off Big TIm.

The build up to Tito vs Ken. The first big fight feel for a UFC fight. 

Anderson Silva's path of destruction before the crowds turned on him. Special mention to the finish of the Chael fight, the whole build up of him dismissing triangles, dominating for a drawn out decision and losing how he did was just wonderful. A genuine rollercoaster ride of a fight.

UFC coming to Bravo! After years of catching fights through friends who were buying off traders we had UFC PPVs on tv, just in time for the explosion of The Ultimate Fighter.

The Ultimate Fighter. Those first four seasons were just a great time to be a fan. The first season was just what it needed to be and had a final that changed the company forever, the second season gave us Matt Hughes being Matt Hughes, and annoying the hell out of me (I still wasn't over him getting the win in the dodgy Carlos Newton finish....I'm still not). 3 gave us Tito vs Ken (again) TUF 4 was the pinnacle for me. Not the best for fights but for characters and the outcome, it can't be beaten.

Special mention to season 8 with Big Nog and his Team (Stankie!) being the greatest coaching team of ALL TIME, Mir making me genuinely despise him. Just never mention their fight  

UFC 100 as an event, ending with Mir getting turned to mush.

Bisping having an almost perfect ending to his career. 

 

[TildeGuy~!]

UFC 91 - Brock winning the belt from Couture, it was the first UFC PPV I ever watched, I stayed up to watch live (from what I remember it was on Bravo or Channel 5?) 

UFC 100 - Just a big show all round, Lesnar battering Mir, GSP schooling Alves who was being built as a monster after destroying everyone in his path. 

UFC 189 - McGregor/Mendes and that beast of a fight between Lawler and McDonald 

UFC 194 - McGregor/Aldo obviously 

[wandshogun09]

Just a few highlights...

Frank Mir getting twatted all over the shop by Ian Freeman. This was back in 2002 at the Royal Albert Hall. I didn't see this until years later, by which time Wank Frank had shown himself a proper cretin many times over. So this made for pleasant viewing. It was Frank's first loss and it was a bad one as Freeman really kicked his arse and stopped him inside a round. This actually happened on the day of my 17th birthday as well. Frank Mir suffering his first loss and getting his head kicked in, in the UK, on my birthday. What a lovely present. 

Frank Mir getting his shit pushed in by Marcio Cruz. 2006 now, on the undercard of Liddell vs Couture 3. Cruz was only 1-0 here and pretty much purely a BJJ guy. Yet here he absolutely battered Mir into oblivion and TKO'd him in the first round. 

Frank Mir getting battered Tong Po style by Brandon Vera. Same year, different arse kicking. It's UFC 65, the night GSP dethroned Matt Hughes. It took Vera just 1:09 to pick Mir apart and knee his face in. 

Frank Mir getting crushed by Brock Lesnar at UFC 100. This should really be on everyone's list. After a shitload of trash talk from Mir about how it's "not the WWE" and how Brock's punches "feel like your little sister hitting you" and how he was "working on the intricacies of details of manoeuvres that Brock didn't even know the names of"...Brock royally fucks him up. Beats him into a bloody mess, TKOs him, then gets in his face post-fight to call him a cunt, tells Bud Light to piss off for not paying him and declares his plans to ground and pound Sable that night. 

Frank Mir getting obliterated by Shane Carwin. UFC 111 in 2010. And here's Mir again, getting smashed to bits, again inside a round. Carwin just smashed him up quick and Mir did what Mir does, turtled up and accepted the beating he so thoroughly deserved. 

Frank Mir getting slapped about and knocked out by Junior Dos Santos. About as clear a heel vs babyface divide as there's ever been in MMA. Frank the Cunt vs loveable JDS. And JDS took him to school. Handily outstruck him at every turn, shut down all his attempts to grapple and beat him up. The gif above is my favourite bit. JDS getting that one last whack in to Frank's head. I like to to think Big Junior was saying 'that's for Big Nog's arm you prick', as he blasted him one last time. 

Frank Mir getting stopped by Josh Barnett. It's 2013 and Mir's still getting bashed. This time it's the Warmaster's turn as he puts the heat on right away and crumbles Mir with a knee to the chops for the first round TKO. 

Frank Mir getting the walk-away KO treatment from Mark Hunt. 2016. Frank's looking roly poly as fuck and gets sat down by a clubbing Hunt right hand in just 3 minutes. He traveled all the way to Brisbane for that  

Honourable Mentions;

- Frank Mir getting his head stamped on by Wes Sims at UFC 43.

- A 6 months pregnant looking Frank Mir almost getting armbarred by Dan bastard Christison at UFC 61. 

- Frank Mir losing to Daniel Cormier on FOX in 2013. 

- Frank Mir getting schooled by Alistair Overeem at UFC 169. 

- Frank Mir losing to Andrei Arlovski at UFC 191. 

[Egg Shen]

Fair play, Frank Mir took some hammerings.

[Keith Houchen]

Jon Jones making Daniel Cormier cry.

[Astro Hollywood]

When Tim Sylvia shit himself.

Also this.

 

[Fox Piss]

I only got balls deep into MMA at the start of 2015. 

Nothing comes close to the way i look back on the Siver to Alverez journey. Plotted with golden moments and drama. Highlight probably that mega weird 3 day bonaza at the beginning of December 2015 which of course all lead to the 13 second finale. 

 

[Cousin Jim Bob]

Chuck finally getting his hands on Tito. It was an epic build to that original fight. Even after Chucks Pride adventure and both losing to Randy nothing could put a dampner on this. It was before I had broadband as well. I avoided spoilers and waited a week before I could see this on tape. Got it from someone on here, Simania I think. I do remember losing it when Chuck hit that final salvo and started unloading on Tito.

 

Anderson Silva makes Chris Leben look like a jobber. Never liked Leben much and this squash match will always be awesome for me. From the opening video package where Leben calls all Pride fighters rubbish this was hilarious. Silva just lands everything he throws at Leben, its all really nasty stuff as well. That final knee is brutal. No messing about from Silva this night, he just wants to smash him and show the UFC what he could do. 

 

Another UFC debut I love was Sean Salmon. Talks loads of shit then gets his head kicked into the stands by Rashad Evans. One of the best KO's in UFC history.

[Magnum Milano]

Talking of Anderson Silva making people look like jobbers...

Matt Hughes vs Frank Trigg II 

and finally Matt Serra's victory over GSP at UFC 69.

[Egg Shen]

4 hours ago, Astro Hollywood said:

When Tim Sylvia shit himself.

Also this.

 

it really is quite sad that for a guy like Paul Buentello, a man who laid it all on the line every time he fought, and basically fought a whos who of MMA heavyweights, hes best remembered for fluffing a post fight interview, poor fucker 😂

[Supremo]

I love this.

[IANdrewDiceClay]

This will always be the best moment in UFC history. Tank mocking him, even though the person may have died, is a close second.

Tank Abbott was everything people percieved the old UFC to be. If UFC was around in the 80s, he'd have been in No Holds Barred. The unskilled puncher with a beer gut, who had bags of charisma. What a man. Very underrated presence in this history of MMA, too. Everyone knows Tank. He was in Friends for fuck sakes. He never had a win streak more than 2 in a row. If he didnt have value he'd have disappeared, but there was always a place for the big man in MMA.