Best UFC Bouts of All Time

When it comes to fast-paced, aggressive MMA fights and headline-grabbing stars, UFC is the place to be.

Other promotions certainly have their fair share of great fighters, but for the pomp, ceremony and status, Dana White’s promotion steals the show. Looking back over the last ten years, some of the very best MMA fights of all time have taken place under the UFC banner.

It would be disrespectful to claim the UFC had a monopoly on great bouts – Nick Diaz vs. Paul ‘Semtex’ Daley was a great matchup which took place under the Strikeforce promotion back in 2011, whilst Bellator 58 delivered Eddie Alvarez vs. Michael Chandler which was also an instant classic. They deserve honorable mentions in any discussion when it comes to the greatest MMA matches of all time, but the UFC does dominate the rest of the list.

Here are four that stand out from the crowd and have stood the test of time.

Mauricio Rua vs. Dan Henderson UFC 139

The first on our list chronologically features a bout from November 19, 2011, between Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua and Dan Henderson. It swung back and forth, starting with Henderson delivering a beatdown before Shogun got his leg and almost turned it into a quick submission. It had an ebb and flow, so ferocious in pace but contested by two brilliant fighters executing technical excellence and raw aggression. It might have been stopped at numerous points, but was allowed to play out to a conclusion, which saw Henderson take the win 48-47.

Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson UFC 165

Jon Jones is a fighter widely regarded as one of the finest ever to step into the Octagon. Indeed, UFC supremo Dana White recently labelled him one of the greatest ever, although the Rochester-born fighter has previously labelled White as ‘stubborn and greedy’. Jones is a headline act, for sure, and yet when he faced off against Gustafsson it became a close-run thing.

The Swede was a huge underdog and was not expected to last five rounds, but he did just that. His best round was the second, landing a flurry of punches as the seconds ticked away that had Jones reeling, but ‘Bones’ eventually took the judges decision. By staying the course, Gustafsson must have rightly felt like the real winner.

Robbie Lawler vs. Rory MacDonald II – UFC 189

It is hard not to look back on UFC 189 as one of the finest events in the sport’s history, one that single-handedly brought an influx of new followers to the Octagon. It took place in the spiritual home of the UFC, Las Vegas, and boasted one of the finest cards of any event before or since. Las Vegas has hosted more UFC events than any other city, according to a Bwin MMA events infographic, with the MGM Grand the venue of choice for the biggest events, and the headline fight certainly lived up to the grand venue. Lawler was the victor, in no small part due to MacDonald’s broken nose sustained in the third, but both fighters combined to make this a memorable masterpiece of a bout.

Nate Diaz vs. Conor McGregor II

How could any list like this not feature the Notorious Conor McGregor? His two fights with Diaz are the stuff of legends, not least after tapping out in the second round of their first fight. There was no repeat in their second bout, with the Irishman taking the first two rounds courtesy of three knockdowns. Diaz is a tough customer though, and he fought back strongly with a monster third round. However, McGregor caught a second wind and won the 4th round, with the judges awarding McGregor the victory. Their rivalry remains 1-1, but there have been talks around completing the trilogy, despite his recent setback against Dustin Poirier.

“I’d love to compete against Diaz,” he said. “We will compete again. If it happens at lightweight for a title, that would be something special, also. I think if he’s going to come down to 155, he should come down for me, to be honest with you.”