Issue 192

September 2020

After Shogun and Nogueira met on Fight Island. We look back at the most exciting three-fight series

1 Fights of the year

Edgar vs. Maynard

Their first fight was a one-sided decision, but the second two went back and forth, with incredible comebacks from Edgar, creating two of the best fights of all time. Though they had a win, loss and draw each, ‘The Answer’ put a bow on the rivalry with a fourth-round KO.

2 Blockbusters 

Liddell v Couture

Three title fights, three knockouts, two of the biggest stars in MMA history. First, ‘The Natural’ schooled Liddell with great game-planning, but ‘The Iceman’ got his revenge with two brutal Kos. The fights also helped launch the UFC into a new era of success. 

3 Fueled by hate

Silva vs. Rampage

These guys >did not< like each other, which meant they attacked each other with bad intentions whenever they met. Twice

Wanderlei Silva destroyed Quinton Jackson with knees for famous finishes in Pride before ‘Rampage

got his revenge in the UFC. There was never any love lost between them.

4 Welterweight greats

St-Pierre vs. Hughes

A passing of the torch between the two best 170lb champions. An awe-struck GSP was tapped quick in their first meeting, but ‘Rush’ developed into the more complete and superior fighter to embarrass his idol in the rematch and rubber match.

5 15 relentless rounds 

Melendez v Thomson

Hard to find a closer and more action-packed trio of bouts. ‘The Punk’ and ‘El Niño’ each took a wide unanimous decision win before they ended things inconclusively with a razor-thin, controversial split-decision in favor of Melendez, which left us wanting more.

6 High drama

Aoki vs. Hansen

Three fights, three shocking finishes. Aoki drew first blood in Pride with one of the only gogoplata submissions ever pulled off in top-level MMA. ‘Hellboy’ evened the score with a KO to win the Dream lightweight title, but their rivalry ended when the Japanese submission specialist pulled an armbar out of the bag with four seconds to go in a fight he was losing to come out on top.