Founded in 1993, the UFC has established itself as the world’s preeminent mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion. It’s done so by signing the best fighters and putting on the best fights.
Jon Jones, Amanda Nunes, Ronda Rousey, Randy Couture—these and many others have competed for immortality in the Octagon. And while not all 7,000-plus bouts in the promotion’s history have been memorable, plenty have been. Looking back on the 30-year history of the UFC, here are what experts say are five of the best.
Nate Diaz vs. Conor McGregor II, August 2016
Nate Diaz handed Conor McGregor the first loss of his UFC career when he submitted the Irishman via a rear-naked choke at UFC 196. Five months later, the pair squared off again.
Each man came into the rematch looking to do what he did best. For McGregor, that meant using his prodigious knockout power to put Diaz on the canvas. Diaz, meanwhile, aimed to repeat the previous result and score the 14th submission victory of his career.
While neither fighter got what they wanted, the grueling clash was an instant classic. Diaz edged McGregor in punches landed and recorded nearly 6 minutes of control time. McGregor, however, knocked Diaz down three times and had the more memorable moments.
After 25 minutes, the fight went to the scorecards. One judge scored it a draw, while the other two gave it to McGregor, giving him a controversial majority decision win. UFC fans are still waiting for a rubber match.
Jon Jones vs Alexander Gustafsson I, September 2013
Few expected Alexander Gustafsson to offer much resistance when he faced off with Jon “Bones” Jones at UFC 140. Jones had run off five straight title defenses since TKO’ing light-heavyweight champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in 2011 and was well on his way to becoming one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time. To many, the 27-year-old looked unbeatable.
Gustafsson, on the other hand, was an unheralded fighter who had never fought for a title. The matchup had all the makings of a rout.
Gustafsson had other ideas.
The Swede took it to Jones early, opening a cut around the champion’s right eye and shockingly taking Jones down twice. Jones ultimately showed his greatness by winning a unanimous decision victory, but never in his career has he had to dig deeper.
Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio Rua, November 2011
Eight months after dropping the light-heavyweight title to Jones, “Shogun” stepped into the ring against fellow hard-hitter Dan “Hendo” Henderson. Both were icons of the MMA promotion Pride, but despite their tenures overlapping, they had never met there. MMA fans, then, were finally getting a fight for which they had long clamored.
Henderson and Rua didn’t disappoint. In a contest that Dana White likened to the “Thrilla in Manilla,” the two combatants spent five rounds battering each other. Remarkably, both were standing when the final bell rang, a testament to their preternatural toughness and durability. “Hendo” did just enough to earn the win, taking the decision on all three judges’ scorecards, but the fight was close enough that the pair had a rematch three years later.
Zhang Weili vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk, March 2020
This bout, which occurred just before the COVID-19 shutdowns in the United States, brought together two marquee names of the strawweight division: Zhang Weili, the current champion, was riding a 21-match winning streak; Joanna Jedrzejczyk, the former champion, was considered the best fighter in the division’s history.
The matchup appeared on the undercard of UFC 248, but it ended up stealing the show. Zhang and Jedrzejczyk came out fast, exchanging vicious blows at a furious rate. They basically didn’t stop until the final bell rang. The brutality of the contest was evident on each of the combatants’ faces: Zhang’s, bruised purple; Jedrzejczyk’s, grotesquely swollen with a hematoma.
Unfortunately, someone had to lose, and that ended up being Jedrzejczyk, who came up just short on the judges’ scorecards. Fortunately for both women, their performances will never be forgotten.
Robbie Lawler vs Rory MacDonald II, July 2015
That Robbie Lawler finished Rory MacDonald one minute into the fifth round of this brutal battle is almost immaterial. Over 21 minutes, Lawler and MacDonald combined for a fight that experts say is one of the—if not the—best ever.
Lawler, the welterweight champion, came into the bout having beaten MacDonald a year and a half prior at UFC 167. That win, via a split decision, was close enough to warrant a rematch.
Their second clash was even better. Each man badly cut and bruised the other, and by the end of the fourth round, the faces of each were so bloodied that they were nearly unrecognizable. That didn’t stop the pair from engaging in an intense stare down at the end of the round. For MMA fans, the moment still brings chills.
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