I was talking with another member of my MMA gym earlier about how we go started following MMA and I had talked about my 1st fight card was the Tito Ortiz-Ken Shamrock 1 in 2002 because I was a big WWF fan I thought Ken was the greatest of all times and my freind showed me a VHS tape of Tito beating up Evan Tanner and I saw the PPV preview show of Tito just talking so much **** and for the week up to it I was going crazy waiting for this even the walk thrus I started to get goosebumps and after that night ive been a hooked UFC fan and eventually all around MMA. Some other ones are : Wanderlei Silva vs Rampage Jackson II - Around this time it was Wandys peak in Pride and he was destroying all comers and alot of people said he would kick Randy Coutures (my favorite fighter) ass if they ever fought and kinda felt like Silva was a bit overatted I always brought up the Tito and Vitor fights :yep I so bad wanted Rampage to beat his ass and after watching the powerbomb KO over Arona and his beating of Liddell I thought yeah yeah hes going to get the job done this time. Plus all the the **** talk and their little altercation at another show got me really pumped and I wasnt disapointed IMO its the best fight in MMA history. Jens Pulver vs Takanori Gomi - I had watched some videos of Pulver in the UFC when he was Champion and fell in love with his left hand also I had seen a few Gomi fights and kinda built see fight in my head as a UFCs best Lightweight vs Prides best Lightweight and I knew these 2 would just stand and bang and was really exicted to see Shockwave that year and not for Wandy-Hunt or Nog-Fedor but this as ive always liked the little guys in combat sports. Another fight that I wasnt disapointed in even though im a Pulver fan it was a fine fight. Pride Total Elimination 05 - I just really liked some of the matchups and all the guys apart of the Middleweight tournament. I was intrested in seeing what Vitor could do in his 2nd Pride run,the Lister-Arona fight I thought would be a fine grappling battle,Yoshida-Wanderlei,Henderson-Rogerio,Shogun-Rampage. Just really pumped for the card and agian I enjoyed it. Fedor vs Cro Crop - It was built as the biggest Heavyweight fight in MMA history and its hard to argue both guys where looking unbeatable at that point and it was that great grappler vs striker matchup. Agian a fantastic fight I wasnt disapointed. Randy Couture vs Vitor Belfort III - I was at the imature stage in my life where I bitched about things for awhile and this was one of them im like no ****ing way that 2nd fight should be a win for Belfort and I was counting the days down for the 3rd bout so Randy could get his revenge and he got it and I was so happy during the whole fight hes just elbowing and elbowing and busting him apart. Randy Couture vs Chuck Liddell III - This was for everything the Light Heavyweight title and the winner of one of MMAs if not the greatest trilogy. I was exicted cause I thought Randy could repeat the 1st fight yet scared that Chuck could do it all over agian by KO. I was feeling good after the 1st round then Randy fell into the right hand and me and my freind just got quiet for like 20 secounds like we just lost somebody we cared about. BJ Penn vs Matt Hughes II - From the moment I found out GSP got hurt and BJ stepped in im like oh yes this is great I thought both guys would come out to fight the fight of there life cause you know BJ had got his 2nd chance after the GSP loss and he wanted back the belt he never lost and of course Hughes wanted to avenge his last humilating loss. It was a hell of a fight thats for sure. Tito Ortiz vs Chuck Liddell II - I enjoyed the 1st fight and had kinda convinced myself that Tito would get the job done in the rematch and the hype for the event was crazy and im a sucker for it :-( Was a good fight though. Randy Couture vs Tim Sylvia - Everyone said Randy was a deadman but I knew stylistically Randy could be a nightmare for Sylvia and he would prove them all wrong and he did. Anderson Silva vs Rich Franklin II - Another fight where I convinced myself a guy could return from the savage KO loss. Franklin had looked really good in his comeback fights and I thought yeah hes learned how to defend that clinch and hes going to take Silva out. It never happened. Chuck Liddell vs Wanderlei Silva - Waited about 5 years for it and it was sure worth the wait one of the great slugfest in MMA history. Dan Henderson vs Anderson Silva - A dream match for everyone and Dans a favorite of mine I really had him winning and dominantly I thought he had the right style to dethrone the Spider plus it was just such a great matchup on paper I was freaking out before the bell rang. Honestly the fight was disapointing to me. Jens Pulver vs Urijah Faber - Agian ive been a Pulver fan for years and I do not like Faber so this was like when the Broncos play the Raiders I was hoping my team (Broncos-Pulver) would destroy who I couldnt stand the sight of. Plus me training and fighting at 145 I was pumped to see such a huge matchup at the weight the biggest of all time. Kinda long I know but I was bored post your own guys :good
This is a great thread, Jimmie. Been meaning to respond to it - but I'm thinking through all the fights I've anticipated and watched over the years.
Thankyou I was disapointed it went nowhere but im glad u brought it back up hopefully it gets some responses.