Kimura

Exactly what the title of this thread says, what is the best fight you've ever watched?

I personally loved the Rampage/Forrest fight. The funny thing is, in that fight I started off cheering for Rampage, but I was on Forrest 'side by the end of it.

In that fight I liked the fact that untill the final bell, you did not know who was going to win. It always seemed like Rampage could just ended with one punch. Forrest fought with alot of heart and deserved the win.

I also liked the Lidell/Horn fight from UFC 54. Horn fought with a heart of a champ and I still can't believe he lasted 4 rounds that day. That was a brutal beating he took.

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Dmac

Well for me it has to be the fight that got me liking MMA to begin with, which was Tito vs Forrest where Forrest was totally screwed.

Forrest vs Bonnar comes in at a close second for me.

Forrest Griffin really cannot have a boring fight.

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Bigpapa42

I guess it depends on how you define "best". Simply the most exciting? The best possible outcome, from a personal perspective? The most entertaining? Best combination of skill, and excitement?

The first Griffen-Bonner fight jumps to mind as one of the most outrightly exciting, but there is a lack of technique and actual skill through much of that fight to the point where its almost painful.

I'd have to say the first Fedor-Nogueira fight, at Pride 25. It doesn't have the non-stop excitement of something like Griffen-Bonnar, but the technique and skill is off the charts. Its two of my all-time favorite fighters. And the context makes the fight simply amazing.

Nogueira was the Pride heavyweight champion and easily the best heavyweight fighter in the world. He was on a 13-fight win streak and had just avenged his one career loss by beating Dan Henderson. He consistently finished fights, had faced many of the top-rated HWs in the world, was almost impossible to hurt, and could pull a submission from anywhere. He was looked upon as one of the best submission artists in MMA. Whereas Fedor was still relatively unknown, an unimpressive-looking Russian with two solid wins in Pride. When Fedor got the title shot, many fans felt he was undeserving. Everyone figured his only chance to beat Nog was to keep the fight standing. You do not go to ground with Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.

What did Fedor do? Went to ground. He spent almost the entire fight in Nog's guard. He unleashed an offensive barrage that redefined ground and pound. He refused to be submitted, powering out of continual attempts by Nogueira. He nailed the Brazilian with trademark Fedor bombs, the kind of punches that would have destroyed any other fighter who didn't have Nog's granite chin. It wasn't simply that Fedor destroyed the guy who many considered the best heavyweight - and possibly the best fighter - in the entire world, he did so fighting the fight that Nogueira wanted.

That fight was where the legend of Fedor was born. The greatest fighter of his generation. Great fight that becomes even better when you consider the context.

Another favorite is Royce-Sakuraba from the Pride 2000 Grand Prix. Ninety minutes of fighting between amazing all-time greats. I've watched that fight time and again and it never bores.

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Kimura

I remember watching the Fedor vs Nogueira fight at a friend's house a couple of years ago. He always used to tell me that was his favourite fight and it was infact an awesome fight. For me it was ruined 'cause I knew the result already.

Another Fedor fight that I love is his fight against Cro Cop. They both took a beating in that fight, but what stands out for me the most, is Cro Cop's kick to Fedor's head and Fedor not going down. I also loved the fact, that at that time they were considered the top 2 Heavyweights on the planet and thats something we dont usually see.

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Bigpapa42

Watching old fights can be tough for that reason. You know the result - what's the point? I have a few friends with that approach. Unless its live, they won't bother. To me, the fight itself is the point. I watch my Pride DVD pretty regularly, even though I know every outcome of every fight at this point.

The Fedor-Nogueira fight is one that takes on so much more meaning when you know the context. Many big fights are that way - if you take away the context, its just another fight. Even the Penn-GSP fight seems far less exciting if you don't know the background there.

I'm trying to think of some other high exciting fights and I'm mostly drawing blanks. I've been at work for close to 12 hours now and I'm exhausted. Uh, the two Joachim Hansen fights from DREAM in 2008 - Koutetsu Boku at DREAM.1 and Eddie Alvarez at DREAM.3 were both amazing fights.

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Suffy

GSP vs Hughes 2, passing off the torch start of a new generation!!!

I'm also a massive GSP mark so yea...*bias*

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Kimura

Dont get me wrong Papa, I actually dont mind watching old fights as I always Watch UFC Unleashed, but it's not the same for me. When Couture fought Lesnar, I already knew the result, so I wasn't on the edge of my seat like I was for the Fedor/Arvlosky fight. I still enjoyed the old fights, but it's not the same.

I actually enjoyed the GSP/Fitch fight alot more than any other GSP fights.

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Bigpapa42

No, I completely agree. It really isn't the same. The first Fedor-Nogueira fight is probably my favorite all-time fight, but I knew the result when I saw it the first time as well. So while the action excited me, it just can't excite you the same way as watching something live. I don't think I've ever reacted to any other fights like I did to the Sylvia and Arlovski wins by Fedor. Beyond that rush at Fedor winning, though, everything about the Fedor-Nog fight was perfect for me.

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Suffy

See my two fav GSP fights are Serra vs GSP 2 and obviously Hughes vs GSP 2

I just love GSP and while GSP vs Fitch was an awesome fight for both men, I love Fitch now after that fight, but GSP coming back from two bad loses (espicially bad in Serra's case) and just destroying both of them proving the first time was the 9/10 fight senario.

And the fact I'm quebecois doesn't hurt my bias.

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