This is my initial crack at a list of the most significant victory year by year from 93 to 17. 93: Gracie vs Shamrock 94: Gracie vs Severn 95: Shamrock vs Severn 96: Coleman vs Frie 97: Couture vs Belfort 98: Rutten vs Khosaka 99: Shamrock vs Ortiz 00: Coleman vs Vovanchyn 01: Nogueira vs Coleman 02: Hughes vs Newton 03: Silva vs Jackson 04: Emilianenko vs Nogueira 05: Rua vs Arona 06: Filipovic vs Barnett 07: Jackson vs Liddell 08: Lesnar vs Couture 09: GSP vs Penn 10: Silva vs Sonnen 11: Dos Santos vs Velasquez 12: Velasquez vs Dos Santos 13: Weidman vs Silva 14: Aldo vs Mendes 15: McGregor vs Aldo 16: McGregor vs Alvarez 17: GSP vs Bisping This is way harder than I thought it would be. Significant is a vague description I know but I'm sticking with it, take the meaning as what you want but it's like what's the biggest win of the year in my head. Not necessary the best fight, or the most money spinning, or the most skillful, just the biggest fight in terms of significance. Thoughts?
Not bad. Well done, actually. That wouldn't have been easy. I'll embolden the fights I disagree with. 00: Coleman vs Vovanchyn......Sakuraba vs Royce Gracie was the biggest fight that year. 04: Emilianenko vs Nogueira....Penn vs Matt Hughes is an honorable mention 08: Lesnar vs Couture....Anderson Silva vs Hendo would've been more significant if fame was distributed equally. 10: Silva vs Sonnen......Werdum vs Fedor was bigger 15: McGregor vs Aldo....Holm vs Rousey is an honorable mention
It's not my list, but I'll give you Fedor vs Cro Cop in '05. That was the Tyson vs Holyfield of the MMA world in 2005. I'm ok with his '03 pick, or Jackson vs Liddell from the same event. Edgar and Penn was also big, but I thought Penn won the first fight.
But Jackson beat Liddell coming off a loss to couture.your right about werdum vs fedor though.fedor was 1/8 favourite even though werdum was highly respected at the time.
Yes Gracie vs Sakuraba definitely tops the bill there. Penn vs Hughes was great, but Nog was basically untouchable until Fedor. Lesnar was a superstar though and he smashed the HW champ like he was nothing. Werdum vs Fedor, absolutely that was sensational. I was tempted by Rousey Holm close call.
Couture beating Ortiz was huge bit the pride championship tourney was next level high imo. I did think of Liddell vs Couture for 05 but again the way Rua smashed that tourney was sensational, although Liddell being champ was next level as well. Coin toss. Edgar vs Penn, should have been Werdum vs Fedor.
I wasn't disagreeing with any of your picks, outside of '00 and '10. Just mentioning those that were in the running those other years.
