Issue 149
December 2016
When there is previous between two fighters, the level of intensity is generally taken up a couple of notches when they fight again.
Fireworks usually follow. In the past 12 months alone, returns between Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz, Michael Bisping and Luke Rockhold have given fans some of 2016’s defining moments.
But what about those remarkable fights we wanted to see all over again but were never realized? How many times were mouth-watering return fights that could have been legacy-affirming battles for the participants disappear into the ether? What about the ones that got away? Here’s some of the greatest fights in history that should have been replayed – and some that still could be.
- Controversy: The first result is in dispute thanks to those darn judges’ decisions.
- War: A great fight we’d love to see again for more unbelievable action.
- Earned it: The loser gave a great account of themselves or won their way back to contention.
- Close call: We need another three to five rounds to be sure of the winner.
BAS RUTTEN VS. KEVIN RANDLEMAN: UFC 20
Why the rematch? Controversy.
One of the most controversial decisions in early UFC history, the fight where ‘El Guapo’ claimed the heavyweight title despite spending the majority of the fight on his back dealing damage and fending off ground ‘n’ pound from ‘The Monster’.
Contested before MMA took up the 10-point-must system of scoring, Rutten fans accused Randleman of stalling on the ground but he just took away Rutten’s striking game entirely – to this day it’s hard to see why the judges saw it the other way.
FRANK SHAMROCK VS. TITO ORTIZ: UFC 22
Why the rematch? Earned it.
Arguably the first great mixed martial arts contest due to the outstanding skill set offered by both men, the light heavyweight title fight raised the benchmark in the Octagon.
Ortiz scored with takedowns while Shamrock countered with great scrambling and striking and would eventually win via fourth round submission.
Ortiz went on to become champ, scoring three wins over Frank’s half brother Ken, but would have loved to avenge this bitter loss.
NICK DIAZ VS. ROBBIE LAWLER: UFC 47
Why the rematch? Earned it.
Prior to his UFC title KO defeat to Tyron Woodley in the summer, this was Lawler’s sole knockout defeat – after a scintillating six and a half minutes too. Both men, typically, came out swinging, but it was Stockton’s finest who landed the decisive punch – a strange backpeddling right hook.
Even though this fight was well over 12 years ago, a rematch would still be worthy of headlining a UFC card in 2017 and give ‘Ruthless’ a chance to right the wrong of his most humiliating loss.
MICHAEL BISPING VS. MATT HAMILL: UFC 75
Why the rematch? Controversy & a close call.
Controversy reigned when Bisping got the nod over TUF 3 rival Hamill in London, UK.
Two judges scored the fight 29-28 for the Brit at home, while one had every round for ‘The Hammer’. The American appeared to dominate the first two rounds with takedowns and ground ‘n’ pound as Bisping only came on strong in the latter stages.
Highly debated to this day, it’s a fight that lacks a sense of closure. But with Bisping now champ and Hamill in the MMA wilderness debate will rage on.
FEDOR EMELIANENKO VS. MIRKO CRO COP: PRIDE CONFLICT 2005
Why the rematch? War & earned it.
Their first fight in Japan was one of the classics in heavyweight history. A judo Olympic alternative, out-striking the greatest kickboxer in MMA history – even dubbed fight of the decade by some writers.
When Cro Cop won the 2006 Pride grand prix, he booked his chance at revenge, but injury stopped their fight on New Year’s Eve.
Even though both are well past their primes, this one may not be out of reach just yet.
JON JONES VS. ALEXANDER GUSTAFSSON: UFC 165
Why the rematch? Conflict, war and close call.
The night arguably greatest talent the Octagon has seen was exposed as a mere mortal for the first time by a big Swede. Gustafsson gave as good as he got against ‘Bones’ taking the 205lb title fight to the wire, with debate from both sides on who actually deserved the ‘W’.
‘The Mauler’ had the chance to earn his shot at redemption, but Anthony Johnson’s fists put a stop to that.
FORREST GRIFFIN VS. 'RAMPAGE' JACKSON: UFC 86
Why the rematch? War & close call.
When Griffin was dropped by an uppercut in round one, Rampage’s title looked safe.
But the original Ultimate Fighter came back and kicked the leg from under the champion to take the title on the judges’ cards. But it was a coin-flip decision, with the media and fans split down the middle about the outcome.
Some even called it a draw.
A repeat was warranted, but after dropping the belt to Rashad Evans in his first defense, their career paths drifted apart.
GEORGES ST-PIERRE VS. JON FITCH: UFC 87
Why the rematch? War & earned it.
Fitch was cut by the UFC for being in boring fights, but his scrap with newly-minted 170lb champ was anything but.
The challenger tried to make it a war of attrition, but the champ controlled the fight and landed four times as many strikes to win by a wide margin, snapping a 16-fight win streak for Fitch. He valiantly won his way back into contention with another five wins, but his lay-and-pray reputation worked against his aspirations for a rematch and the UFC cut him loose at first opportunity.
EDDIE ALVAREZ VS. JOACHIM HANSEN: DREAM 3
Why the rematch? War & earned it.
Long before his sucessful Bellator or UFC title runs, Alvarez was thrilling fans in Japan. The pick of his pulse-racing 2008 Dream lightweight grand prix run was the war he had with ‘Hellboy’.
A 15-minute war, Eddie came out on top but injury forced him out of the final, and Hansen stepped in to defeat Shinya Aoki. Everyone rejoiced when he called for the Alvarez rematch for his first title defense, but Japanese matchmakers don’t think like the rest of us.
MIGUEL TORRES VS. YOSHIRO MAEDA: WEC 34
Why the rematch? War.
It was one of the best fights to grace the blue cage and one of former bantamweight champ Torres’ defining moments.
The two swapped big punches and submission attempts for three rapid rounds before the doctor brought the action to a premature end because Maeda was unable to see out of his swollen eye.
The Japanese star never had the chance to prove himself for a full five rounds after signing with Dream soon after, which was a shame as their fighting styles gelled perfectly.
NICK DIAZ VS. TAKANORI GOMI: PRIDE 33
Why the rematch? War.
A war between two of the sport’s most popular warriors swung one way and then the other before Diaz locked in a gogoplata submission that blew the roof off the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
A subsequent failed drugs test by Diaz led the state’s athletic commission to overturn the result to a no contest. Everyone would have wanted a repeat to settle the score once and for all, but their careers followed different paths in different weight classes.
DIEGO SANCHEZ VS. CLAY GUIDA: TUF 9 FINALE
Why the rematch? War, earned it & close call.
The World MMA Awards’ 2009 ‘Fight of the Year’ was fast a furious from start to finish. Two of the UFC’s most exciting fighters of the day went at it for three incredible rounds, which the TUF 1 winner edged a split-decision victory.
We would have loved to have rounds four, five and six booked that very night, but ‘The Nightmare’ went on to a title shot, before becoming great friends with his former foe.
CHRIS LEBEN VS. YOSHIHIRO AKIYAMA: UFC 116
Why the rematch? War.
After replacing Wanderlei Silva with just two weeks notice, Leben got beaten from pillar to post by Akiyama but hung in there to pull off a career-defining triangle submission in the final seconds of the fight.
One of the best comebacks of 2010, Leben and Akiyama were briefly linked with a second fight a couple of years later but it never materialized.
BROCK LESNAR VS. SHANE CARWIN: UFC 116
Why the rematch? War & close call.
Top of the bill in Las Vegas was the heavyweight unification fight between that took three dates to finally make. Carwin dropped Lesnar in the first and almost put the champion away with ground ‘n’ pound, but Brock fired back in the second to finish the fight with an arm-triangle.
The challenger claimed he could have won had he paced himself – and maybe he would, given another chance.
ANDREI ARLOVSKI VS. TRAVIS BROWNE: UFC 187
Why the rematch? War.
Crazy things often happen when two former teammates collide and there was no love lost when these two heavyweights went at it last year.
It didn’t even go one round, but the two of them unloaded huge shots and looked destined for victory before the veteran ‘Pit Bull’ eventually found the finish. Both still in the heavyweight top 10, but in a tough spot thanks to losing runs, so maybe another war is what they need to jump-start their careers again.
JOE LAUZON VS. JAMIE VARNER: UFC ON FOX 4
Why the rematch? War and earned it.
The classic that was awarded 2012’s World MMA Awards ‘Fight of the Year’ wasn’t even originally scheduled. Lauzon was due to face Terry Etim in LA, but the Brit pulled out, Varner stepped in and the outcome was a win for everybody.
The lightweights slugged it out until, deep in the final round, Lauzon scored the submission. It would have only been fair to give Varner a full fight camp for a second go-around.
ROGER HUERTA VS. CLAY GUIDA: TUF 6 FINALE
Why the rematch? War & earned it.
After being manhandled in the opener, and rocked hard by a punch in the second round, Huerta connected with a knee, then took Guida’s back to sink in a rear naked choke to win a fight later labeled as UFC’s ‘Fight of the Year’.
A repeat would have surely guaranteed more of the same. But it proved to be a high point in ‘El Matador’s career. He was cut from the Octagon roster and could only manage two wins in 10 fights.
He’s not even in the same league as ‘The Carpenter’ any more.
DIEGO SANCHEZ VS. MARTIN KAMPMANN: UFC LIVE 3
Why the rematch? Controversy.
‘Fight of the Night’ king Diego pops up again with his bloody classic from 2011 against newly retired Kampmann.
Both left it all in the Octagon as they went toe-to-toe for the duration, but how red-faced Diego edged a 29-28 decision on all three scorecards is anybody’s guess. Kampmann cut him to ribbons and was the victim of a robbery in broad daylight. He deserved the chance to erase that ‘L’, but UFC matchmakers just never found the right fight night spot to make it happen.
VITALY BIGDASH VS. IGOR SVRIRD: ONE CHAMPS 32
Why the rematch? War and a close call.
The One Championships middleweight title fight could have fl own under the radar had it not been one of best fights of 2015. An absolute circus of chaos, Bigdash looked out of it in the first round before completely turning the fight and outcome around in the second to claim the belt and retain his unbeaten record.
Already lined up once but postponed, Svirid has lost again since and will need a big performance in 2017 to ensure the Asian promotion’s tastiest return finally goes down.
CHEICK KONGO VS. PAT BERRY: UFC ON VERSUS 4
Why the rematch? War.
Crowned ‘Comeback of the Year’ in 2011’s World MMA Awards ceremony, Kongo’s unbelievable back-from-the-brink KO return against Barry remains one of the most ridiculous moments in MMA history.
Seemingly out on his feet, the Frenchman caught Barry wading in for one of the most dramatic instant reversals we’ve ever seen. A rematch would have been sweet, and probably no less action-packed, but it wasn’t to be as Barry retired and Kongo switched to Bellator.
ROBBIE LAWLER VS. CARLOS CONDIT: UFC 195
Why the rematch? Close call, war, controversy and earned it.
One of the best fights so far this year, January’s welterweight title war was an incredible mix of pride, passion and desire. Lawler managed to keep hold of his title – just – but it led to a defeat against Tyron Woodley, while Condit stumbled into a first-round defeat to Demain Maia.
If ‘The Natural Born Killer’ opts to stay in the game, a Lawler return may be his quickest route back to the belt.
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