Issue 034

February 2008

Few things make a fight as memorable as a seemingly impossible comeback. Andrew Garvey reels off a list of his most important and incredible come-from-behind victories in MMA history.

1 Phil Baroni vs. Amar Suloev (UFC 37, May 10 2002)

One of the fights that made Baroni’s reputation as a fearsome striker, this one started slowly before exploding into action. The precise, controlled Suloev hurt the brash New Yorker with a high kick and a series of punches, but what really did the damage was an illegal knee to the downed Baroni’s face. With the referee failing to give him the proper time to recover, the visibly stunned Baroni was launched head over heels with a massive throw and almost fell victim to an armbar, but somehow summoned up the aggressive presence of mind to punch his way out of danger. He wrestled Suloev to the fence and unleashed a violent barrage of punches that ended the fight. The entire astonishing spectacle lasted just two minutes and 55 seconds.

2 Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Bob Sapp (Pride / K-1 Shockwave, August 28 2002)

A cartoon character come to life, the monstrous Sapp earned his K-1 paymasters a stupendous amount of cash at the peak of his fame. Loaned out for this co-promotion, most expected the far more skilled 16-1-1 Pride heavyweight champion Nogueira to weather the initial storm and beat the inexperienced behemoth. That he did, but not before taking a hellish beating. Things started out badly when Sapp picked him up and dropped him on his head. From there Sapp brutalised Nogueira, bludgeoning away from the top and maintaining control using his sheer mass. Inevitably, Sapp tired and Nogueira slapped on an armbar for a near-miraculous comeback win. Like the saying goes, “It's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you’re tired – you quit when the gorilla is tired.” 

3 Nino ‘Elvis’ Schembri vs. Kazushi Sakuraba (Pride 25, March 16 2003)

Vital to Pride’s commercial success (but already crippled by injuries) the promotion’s biggest star Sakuraba was gifted an ‘easy opponent’ in a BJJ stylist who (supposedly) offered no threat whatsoever. Sakuraba treated the whole affair as the joke it so clearly was. Schembri’s striking was pitiful and he was inexperienced in MMA. Sakuraba clowned around for his fans, giving them the show they paid to see while battering the Brazilian with punches, slaps, chops and kicks. That was until he rushed in a little too eagerly on a dazed Schembri and took an inadvertent knee to the jaw. Schembri went wild with knees and soccer kicks, forcing the referee to call it off in a shocking finish. 

4 Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Mirko Cro Cop (Pride Final Conflict, November 9 2003)

With Nogueira facing the unbeaten Cro Cop at the height of his destructive powers, this interim heavyweight title fight may have been the most dramatic in MMA history. Using his superb reflexes, precise punches to the face and kicks to the body, Cro Cop avoided Nogueira’s takedowns and punished him with strikes for the first round (a long ten minutes). With seconds left in the first, he floored Nogueira with a beautiful left high kick that broke Nogueira’s nose. Only the bell saved the battered, bloodied Brazilian. Nogueira came rushing out at the start of the second and got the takedown he needed. Seizing an arm following an amateurish escape by Cro Cop, he secured a perfect armbar for a rousing victory. 

5 Frank Shamrock vs. Tito Ortiz (UFC 22, September 24 1999)

Shamrock may have been erased from the company’s history but the final defence of his middleweight (then 199lbs and under) title reign remains one of the truly classic UFC fights. The younger, stronger, bigger Ortiz dominated the first three rounds with his aggressive wrestling. At times Shamrock looked in real trouble, but the supremely conditioned athlete survived and bided his time. Eventually, with Ortiz exhausted, Shamrock turned the fight around in a dramatic fourth round. Teaching the young upstart a valuable lesson about the importance of stamina and preparation, Shamrock ended the fight punching and elbowing his helpless opponent, forcing Ortiz to tap out with 18 seconds left in the round.