Historic Rivalries That Defined UFC: From Silva vs. Sonnen to McGregor vs. Nurmagomedov
The Ultimate Fighting Championship today has evolved from being a relatively unknown sporting event to a mainstream sporting event, and a major portion of this can be attributed to the tensions that have characterized most of the events in its history. Conflicts in the UFC are not only professional to a certain extent but also personal vendettas, differences in the fighting techniques, and passions that the fighters introduce into the cage. These rivalries have set the era, attracted people’s unprecedented attention to the sport, and given MMA fans some of the most iconic moments. In this case, it is worth taking a look at the five most iconic rivalries that took place at the UFC.
1. Chuck Liddell vs. Tito Ortiz
The Rivalry:
It is arguably one of the biggest rivalries in the history of the UFC, representing the new era of the sport in the early 2000s. Liddell, referred to as ‘The Iceman’ and Ortiz, called ‘The Huntington Beach Bad Boy,’ both were prominent in the light heavyweight class. He and his opponent, Ken Shamrock, had personal enmity and completely opposite personal characteristics, so their strife went far beyond the Octagon.
Key Moments:
UFC 47 (2004): The first time Liddell and Ortiz faced each other was at UFC 47. The fight ended by TKO in the second round, and Liddell, as expected, was the knockout specialist. This win was crucial for Liddell, as he would later transform into one of the most famous fighters in the UFC.
UFC 66 (2006): Their fight at UFC 66 was considered by many to be one of the most anticipated fights in the history of the UFC. Liddell once again came out on top; this time he won by TKO in the third round. This bout was extremely financially profitable for the UFC, which underlined the audience interest in their enmity.
UFC 115 (2010): The two fought for a third time, although this bout was never confirmed during the fighters’ prime years. But eventually, they faced each other once again outside the UFC in 2018, where Ortiz prevailed, although in very different circumstances.
Impact on the UFC:
The Liddell vs. Ortiz rivalry was the perfect formula for the growth of the UFC, as it brought a lot of pay-per-view buys and media coverage. Their spectacular battles and magnetic characters helped to enlist new followers and promote the UFC’s position in the sphere of sports.
2. Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen
The Rivalry:
Anderson Silva, often considered one of the best mixed martial artists of all time, had his ideal opponent in Chael Sonnen, a loudmouth wrestler. Sonnen’s constant trash talk and his willingness to be the underdog brought out the best in his opponent and made for quite the rivalry that was fun for all to watch.
Key Moments:
UFC 117 (2010): The first bout between Silva and Sonnen in UFC 117 is remembered as one of the best fights in the history of MMA. Sonnen controlled the fight against Silva throughout the fight with his wrestling, but Silva hit a spectacular fifth-round triangle armbar submission to defend his middleweight belt. It was legendary because of the element of surprise and Sonnen’s appalling pre-fight attitude.
UFC 148 (2012): Their next fight was again much expected and was held at UFC 148. Silva knocked out his contender in the second round to put an end to their rivalry in a TKO. The event became famous for having the largest live gate in UFC history at the time, which strengthened Silva’s position.
Impact on the UFC:
The conflict between Silva and Sonnen attracted a huge interest in the 185-pound division. Sonnen was great at marketing, while Silva was arguably the most talented fighter in the promotion, which ultimately drew a lot of attention, thus making the UFC financially successful and continuing to garner Silva’s popularity as an MMA fighter.
3. Jones vs. Cormier
The Rivalry:
Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier is easily one of the most intense personal rivalries in the history of the UFC. They shared the animosity that developed into a heated rivalry in and out of the cage: Jones, still regarded as one of the all-time greats of MMA, and Cormier, an Olympic wrestler and former Strikeforce heavyweight champion.
Key Moments:
UFC 182 (2015): In their first fight at UFC 182, Jones was able to retain his light heavyweight title via unanimous decision. The fight was very technical and intense, and there was visible hatred between the two fighters because before the fight they had exchanged words.
UFC 214 (2017): This fight was another highly anticipated bout that took place at UFC 214. Jones knocked out the opponent in the third round, although the victory was changed to no contest due to Jones’s violation of anti-doping rules. This made the rivalry between the two companies even more bitter, with this controversy adding to the existing conflict.
Impact on the UFC:
The Jones vs. Cormier rivalry was instrumental in bringing out the light heavyweight division in the UFC. The fight encounters between them attracted a lot of attention, and people who paid for the fight to be aired through the pay-per-view system, which is an indicator of the popularity of the sport, It also brought out the issues of drug testing and athletes’ behavior in the UFC.
4.Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz
The Rivalry:
Conor McGregor, who gained recognition for his arrogance and KO power, and Nate Diaz, a no-nonsense fighter hailing from Stockton, California, brewed one of the most interesting enmities ever seen in the UFC. Their meeting was a rather surprising one and brought two of the most memorable fights in the history of the sport.
Key Moments:
UFC 196 (2016): Originally, McGregor was scheduled to fight Rafael dos Anjos, but he was replaced by Diaz at the last minute as dos Anjos was injured. Diaz defeated McGregor in what was arguably the most shocking upset in recent memory, a second-round submission win that saw the Irishman lose his first UFC fight.
UFC 202 (2016): The build-up to the rematch at UFC 202 was expected, and the fight was everything that people expected it to be. The fight went the distance until the final round, and the result was a majority decision in favor of McGregor. It became the most-watched pay-per-view event in UFC history at that time, solidifying the rivalry as one of the best ever.
Impact on the UFC:
The animosity between the two fighters, McGregor and Diaz, made people tune in and created great revenue for the UFC. Their fights became a topic of discussion in the mainstream media and brought in the average Joe and Jane, wanting to view such a fantastic pair of fighters. The showcasing of McGregor’s chin and Diaz’s game plan made both fighters folklore in MMA.
5. Rousey vs. Miesha Tate
The Rivalry:
The most important factor that helped to promote women’s MMA was a rivalry between Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate. Rousey is an Olympic Judo medalist, and Tate is a skilled wrestler, and the two had very different personalities, which added to the intensity of the rivalry.
Key Moments:
Strikeforce (2012): Their initial bout was in Strikeforce, where Rousey submitted the opponent to an armbar, leading to victory for the women’s bantamweight championship. The prelude to the fight and Rousey’s victory created excitement for their subsequent physical confrontations.
UFC 168 (2013): Their battle in the octagon was just as intense when they faced each other for a second time in the UFC. Rousey once again came out as the winner, thereby submitting her opponent through the armbar in the third round. The bout was characterized by a highly charged pre-fight where the two fighters engaged in a verbal onslaught, glaring at each other, and this thrilled the fans.
Impact on the UFC:
The Rousey vs. Tate rivalry played a key role in the creation of women’s MMA in the UFC. These rivalries helped to reveal the ability and demand for female athletes, thereby creating further focus and appreciation for the women’s divisions. The constant pressure from Rousey and the ability to survive it from Tate both played a large part in the progression of the sport.
6. St-Pierre vs. Hughes
The Rivalry
Georges St-Pierre (GSP) and Matt Hughes have had one of the most fierce fighting backstories in the UFC. It was a perfect symbol of generations and generations of American wrestling and the new generation of the mixed martial art fighters like GSP who mastered more than one type of fighting. This competition was marked in three fights each of which was crucial in the fighter’s careers.
Key Moments
(UFC 50): The first battle was in 2004 on the occasion of UFC 50. Hughes, the current welterweight champion, choked GSP with an arm bar in the first round thus making the young Canadian tasted defeat for the first time in his professional fighting career.
(UFC 65): During their second fight at UFC 65 in 2006, GSP outpointed Hughes and emerged victorious through a second-round TKO to become the welterweight champion.
(UFC 79): The rubber match at the UFC 79 in 2007 saw GSP gain a clear win with an arm bar submission making him the clear champion of the welterweight division of his generation.
Impact on UFC
It played a major role in promoting the welterweight division of the UFC as well as increasing the intensity of competition. GSP’s wins against Hughes could be seen as the transfer of the torch to the new generation and the development of the sport. It also assured GSP as one of the best fighters in the history of MMA and that professionalism and discipline would inspire other fighters in the future.
7. Nick Diaz against Robbie Lawler
The Rivalry
When Nick Diaz and Robbie Lawler first faced each other, it was in UFC 47 in the year 2004. This fight was interesting because both fighters were true warriors who threw punches and possessed knockout strength. Their rivalry, as far as it was fought in their first bout which took place in 2018 but was only outdone in 2021, made a long-lasting impression because of the sudden and ferocious manner in which it unfolded.
Key Moments
(UFC 47): The first fight is recalled to be the most tense and dramatic and the result of the fight was quite unexpected. Diaz, who is more of a ground fighter, Toyed with Lawler all night long and eventually KO’d him in the second round much to the surprise of MMA fans.
(UFC 266): They faced each other at the welterweight division of the UFC 266 event after 17 years of their first fight. Even though both fighters were long since washed up, the bout was widely popular and considered more as a novelty spectacle. Lawler again made a comeback and defeated Hardy via TKO in the third round of the fight they had earlier lost.
Impact on UFC
The first fight between Diaz and Lawler also contributed in building a reputation of Diaz as a strong striker and also a very unpredictable fighter. It also focused on the fact that MMA is entertaining not only when title fights are taking place, but when two fighters have a personal grudge against each other. Their bout was expected to have that thing that reminded the fans of the history of the sport.
8. Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard
The Rivalry
The series of fights between Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard is considered as one of the most defensive and dramatic in UFC history. The three times that they met and fought was in a span of four years and each of those fights can be described as very close, with come-from-behind wins, and all out action.
Key Moments
(UFC Fight Night 13): In their first fight held in 2008, Maynard showed his superior wrestling and was able to secure a unanimous decision win over Edgar thus being the first person to defeat Edgar in a professional fight.
(UFC 125): Their second fight in UFC 125 in 2011 for the lightweight title was perhaps one of the best. Maynard was able to drop Edgar multiple times in the first round of the fight but Edgar was not deterred and fought his way back to a draw in what is now looked at as one of if not the best fights in UFC history.
(UFC 136): The trilogy ended in UFC 136 in 2011 where Edgar was able to withstand an early barrage from Maynard. Edgar came back to knock out his opponent in the fourth round and thus, retain his lightweight belt and a solid place in history.
Impact on UFC
The Edgar-Maynard trilogy was a perfect example of the soul and the fighting spirit that exist in the MMA. Their fights focused a lot of publicity to the light weight category and brought out the uncertainty of the game. These winning streaks in the comeback served Edgar well in building up his image as one of the toughest ever UFC fighters, if not the toughest.
9. Joanna Jędrzejczyk Vs Claudia Gadelha
The Rivalry
The animosity between Joanna Jędrzejczyk and Claudia Gadelha can be considered one of the greatest in the entire women’s MMA. It featured a classic clash of styles: Jędrzejczyk with rapid striking against Gadelha with a dangerous ground game. The rivalry between them was evident and this made the fight a rather physical one both inside and outside the octagon.
Key Moments
(UFC on Fox 13): Their first face off happened in 2014 and it was a very intense fight with highly charged exchanges in which Jędrzejczyk emerged the winner through split decision. Some felt that Gadelha was the victor of the match and thus laid the ground for a rematch.
(The Ultimate Fighter 23 Finale): In their second fight held at the TUF 23 Fination on December 10, 2016, Jędrzejczyk successfully retained her strawweight title. While Gadelha did manage to put up a solid performance especially in the initial rounds, Jędrzejczyk’s cardio and striking allowed her to make a case for why she should remain the champion.
Impact on UFC
This particular rivalry really helped in pushing the women’s strawweight division. The extent and the quality of the violence helped bring more focus on women’s MMA and demonstrated the level of competition. Jędrzejczyk built her legacy as one of the greatest female fighters in the UFC history with those wins and Gadelha was respected for her heart and fighting skills.
10. Dominick Cruz vs. Urijah Faber
The Rivalry
The beef of Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber is arguably the most documented and perhaps the oldest in the history of UFC. Their rivalry started from their time in WEC and carried on in the UFC; they are opposite in character and techniques. This fight was an example of contrasting types of fighting because Cruz’s technical, fast-paced movement was opposite to Faber’s pressure, wrestling background.
Key Moments
(WEC 26): The rivalry started in 2007 when Faber submitted Cruz in the first round and that was the first loss in the professional career of Cruz.
(UFC 132): They had a rematch in 2011 at UFC 132 event and in this fight Cruz managed to reverse the previous decision and won the title fight by unanimous decision. The fight was characterized by high work rate and quality of exchanges.
(UFC 199): The trilogy ended in 2016, at the UFC 199 event. Cruz reclaimed his title in the battle and the fight was ended by the unanimous decision where the judge noted that the reason was Cruz’s better footwork and striking.
Impact on UFC
This rivalry between Cruz and Faber focused a lot of attention on the smaller weight classes, especially the bantamweight division. Their fights were usually anticipated and the fights gave us a great and technical manifestation of Mixed Martial Arts. The rivalry also underscored personalities as a factor in the sport, where Cruz’s reserved nature was a stark opposite to the outgoing character of Faber. This dynamic helped attract the fans and provided more substance to the UFC’s stable of interesting narratives.
Rivalries are the heart and soul of what the UFC is all about; they add entertainment value to the sport and create a little controversy in order for it to evolve. One simply needs to look at the rivalries of fighters like GSP and Matt Hughes, Nick Diaz and Robbie Lawler, Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard, and Joanna Jędrzejczyk Josie. These rivalries showcase the elite level of technical aptitude and intensity MMA offers its fans. It is a display of passion and dedication. They all certainly helped the UFC in its evolution and reaching the next step towards being a top sports promotion.
