According to hofmag.com:
10. Chuck Liddell def. Randy Couture, UFC 52, April 16, 2005: The timing couldn't have been better, as "The Iceman" and "Captain America" - arguably the industry's brightest stars at the time of their much-hyped rematch - squared off on the heels of the first season of "The Ultimate Fighter's" conclusion.
As a vehicle to build and advertise upcoming pay-per-view extravaganzas, "The Ultimate Fighter" couldn't have led to a higher-profile match-up.
Opposing coaches on the first season of the reality show that introduced the UFC to the mainstream, the duo was in the midst of the sport's most storied trilogy. Couture had gone from surprising underdog to light-heavyweight champion and already owned a technical-knockout victory over Liddell, the mohawked striker with dynamite in his fists.
It didn't even last a round, however, as Liddell did what no other fighter had ever done or has done since, knocking out Couture to become the champion of the UFC's most famed division.
If nothing less, the fight served as the starting point for the age of the "Iceman," as Liddell's reign would last more than two years, ushering the company into its most profitable days and he would become the most recognizable fighter around.
9. Randy Couture def. Tim Sylvia, UFC 68, March, 3, 2007: As was the case so many times before, Randy Couture wasn't supposed to have a chance.
Tim Sylvia was the heavyweight champ, he was heaver, he was taller, he was younger. And Couture had lost his previous bout - via knockout to Liddell in the light-heavyweight division - before retiring.
But mere seconds into the bout, "The Natural" knocked Sylvia to the canvas and a monumental upset was in the making. "The whole place was electric," recalled Marc Ratner, the UFC's Vice Pre. Of Government and Regulatory Affairs of the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, which was jam-packed with a record-setting crowd of more than 20,000 frenzied fans. "It was surreal."
For five rounds, Couture put on a clinic, as the underdog masterfully took the fight to Sylvia en route to getting his hand raised after a lopsided unanimous decision.
"Not bad for an old man," replied the then-43-year-old UFC Hall of Famer.
Not bad at all.
8. Matt Serra def. Georges St. Pierre, UFC 69, April 19, 2007: There are upsets and then there is Matt Serra knocking out Georges St. Pierre for the UFC welterweight title.
If there's anything that mixed martial arts has proven, it's that an upset can happen to anyone - no matter how great - at any time.
And more than any other contest, this fight is the reason.
Coming off a victory in the fourth season of "The Ultimate Fighter," Serra had earned a title shot as per the show's stipulation for that season's "Comeback" theme. But, with St. Pierre, regarded as one of the sport's top-five pound-for-pound fighters, standing in front of him, Serra was a more-than 10-1 underdog.
Even in their eventual rematch - one that St. Pierre dominated - Serra entered as a significant underdog, influencing even more how little hope fight pundits and fans alike put in the Long Islander winning the first encounter.
But on this day, Serra had magic in his fists and a title belt wrapped around his waist after an improbable first-round knockout triumph.
It was the greatest upset in UFC history. Not to mention, the defeat unleashed St. Pierre's utter brilliance, which he's since shown in a string of one-sided victories as he's become the prototype of what an all-around MMA fighter should and will be.
7. Frank Shamrock def. Tito Ortiz, UFC 22, Sept. 24, 1999: During the so-called "Dark Ages" of the UFC, when sanctioning states were as hard to come by as notoriety, the younger Shamrock was one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. And as those "Dark Ages" carried on, it was largely Ortiz - cocky, dominating and charismatic - who carried the UFC through them.
But on this night, Shamrock was at his best in a middleweight title fight seen by few, but championed by all who did.
Ortiz was a force, but Shamrock was a cunning fighter with unmatched cardio, who let the younger fighter use his strengths against him.
After initial dominance by the "Huntington Beach Bad Boy," Shamrock slowly began to take control before winning a fight that never lacked drama and excitement with a fourth-round tour de force that saw Ortiz tap out due to strikes.
It was Shamrock's final fight under the UFC banner, but, perhaps most importantly, it turned Ortiz into a fighter who was prepared to fight for as long and as hard as needed be. That fighter would become the next UFC's next superstar, likely when the organization needed one most.
6. Ken Shamrock draws with Royce Gracie, UFC 5, April 7, 1995:The UFC's inaugural Hall of Famers, Ken Shamrock and Royce Gracie are forever linked as MMA pioneers.
But at a time when they were undoubtedly the industry's two most polarizing figures, Gracie's quick victory over Shamrock at UFC 1 served only as an appetizer for the fight that everyone wanted to see.
But for reason after reason - usually injury after injury - neither found the other in the UFC tournament.
So the UFC's first Superfight was set.
For more than 35 minutes, the rivals battled. It ended in a draw with the rivals embracing. It was the fight everyone wanted, the two biggest stars at their best against each other. In addition, it paved the way for the UFC in terms of doing away with one-night tournaments, implementing time-limits and judges. In the early days of the ever-changing UFC, this was a fight that buoyed tradition and displayed the best of the best at their pinnacle.
5. Tito Ortiz def. Ken Shamrock, UFC 40, Nov. 22, 2002: In the infant days of the UFC, Ken Shamrock was its most charismatic star. But as the sport became inundated with negative press and was saddled with sanctioning troubles, Shamrock moved on to World Wrestling Entertainment.
When Zuffa, LLC , the UFC‘s parent company, took over the organization in 2001, Shamrock eventually returned. With him came a blood feud with the reigning UFC light-heavyweight champion, Tito Ortiz.
Brought together after a media storm that saw the two trade memorable barbs, it was a showdown between then and now, with two combatants drawn together by genuine animosity, climaxing with the most appealing main event for casual fans possible.
"It was huge," UFC President Dana White said. "It was our first mega fight."
It saw a bloodied and battered Shamrock fight valiantly against his younger foe, but, ultimately, Ortiz was at his dominating prime and the "Bad Boy" prevailed with a stoppage victory.
4. Royce Gracie def. Gerard Gordeau, UFC 1, Nov. 12, 1993: It all began here.
At its genesis, the Ultimate Fighting Championship was a one-night tournament destined to prove what fighting art was the very best.
And a skinny, overpowered grappler named Royce Gracie proved it was Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Just about every "real" fight will go to the ground and that's where Gracie won every fight. Despite being significantly smaller than Gordeau, a kick boxer with infamous tactics, Gracie easily submitted his opponent - like he had done to his two prior foes that night.
The legend of Royce Gracie began that night and the fighting style of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu grabbed notice. More than that, though, had the smaller fighter not one, much less dominated, would the UFC still be here today? The sport of mixed martial arts and the body that is the UFC have changed drastically from their barbaric beginnings. But the seeds were planted in 1993 by the mystique surrounding Gracie. Had it not been for this victory, who knows where the sport and the organization would be? But Gracie did win, something he would continue to do with dominance for UFCs to come.
3. Chuck Liddell def. Wanderlei Silva, UFC 79, Dec. 29, 2007: Whether it's in the UFC or the NFL, whether its mixed martial arts or basketball, it's so very rare that a contest ever lives up to the hype.
And if there was anything that Liddell vs. Silva had, it was hype - more than half a decade's worth.
They were, and still are, the best light-heavyweights in MMA chronicle. Liddell had long been the poster boy for the UFC and Silva was the same for PRIDE, the now-defunct Japanese fighting organization that was the UFC's fiercest adversary.
Liddell had fought in PRIDE with the hopes of a showdown against Silva, but it didn't come to be. Silva showed up at a UFC pay-per-view and Dana White announced the fight would happen. But it didn't.
Not until December of 2007, after both had lost their titles and consecutive fights.
But neither took a step back in a face-off that, indeed, lived up the fight.
For three enthralling rounds, they waged war in a stand-up slugfest. Both were rocked, both came back.
A bloodied Silva showed a warrior's spirit as an equally fearless Liddell gained the striking advantage and also showed off the well-rounded skills that many fans had thought he'd lost on his way to a unanimous decision.
There were no titles, no bragging rights for competing organizations. It was simply, and magnificently, two proud legends - perhaps past their prime, perhaps not - going toe-to-toe for 15 unbelievable minutes.
2. Matt Hughes def. Frank Trigg, April 16, 2005: When Matt Hughes, the greatest welterweight fighter in UFC history, enters an arena, the familiar twang of Hank Williams, Jr.'s "A Country Boy Can Survive" resonates through it.
No one fight proved that claim more than his title bout against rival Frank "Twinkle Toes" Trigg.
Few could honestly say they didn't think the fight, along with Hughes' title reign, was over when Trigg, after an apparent low blow wasn't recognized by the referee, unleashed a ground-and-pound barrage on a stunned Hughes.
But Hughes survived and then some.
With a spectacular roar, the Las Vegas crowd erupted when Hughes' comeback came to fruition as he picked Trigg up over his shoulder, sprinted across the octagon and slammed his opponent to the floor.
Moments later, Hughes sank in a rear-naked choke and Trigg tapped out.
It was a fight that lasted just 4:05 into the first round, but it was drama at its highest, two world-class fighters in their prime and mixed martial arts at its very best.
1. Forrest Griffin def. Stephan Bonnar, Ultimate Fighter Finale, April 9, 2005: In choosing the greatest UFC fights of all time, there are bouts that are historic and influential, there were bouts that were hyped and hoped for and there are bouts that were simply riveting, whether they were upsets, comebacks or bloody brawls.
But there are none that wrap it up all into one as the epic encounter between Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar does.
Taking on all the costs themselves, the UFC put on "The Ultimate Fighter: Season One" without knowing if a network would even pick the show up. SpikeTV did, though. But whether the partnership would last remained to be seen.
Griffin and Bonnar answered the question and launched the UFC into the stratosphere. For 15 minutes of bloody fury, the two hungry combatants exchanged left and rights, kicks and knees. Just when it looked that the action would subside it picked up again. The fight never waned in either fighter and the drama never subsided until a battered Griffin had his hand raised and a beleaguered Bonnar dropped to his knees after the decision.
There have certainly been fights with greater technical merit, but the all-out slugfest that Bonnar and Griffin treated the fans to was what the fans wanted to see - all 2.6 million of them. At the time, it was more than had ever watched a UFC fight, and most importantly, the contest ensured even greater numbers would see future UFC fights.
Thrilling as the fight was, its overall impact on the UFC and the sport of mixed martial arts still resonates today, making its significance its most memorable factor. Moments after Griffin - whose championship career as one of the most popular fighters was likewise started that night - had won the fight, White and UFC officials were whisked away to sign a new television deal with Spike. Since then, the UFC has grown and grown and a three-round, all-out brawl for the ages is the largest reason why.
Says White: "Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar are the ones who are responsible for everybody being where they are right now."
