Tap or snap is the line usually heard around the gym, but when it comes to fight time and money is on the line sometimes the tap option goes out the window.
10) Shogun vs Coleman 1
It was Champion vs Champion as the 2005 Pride Middleweight Grand Prix Champion Mauricio Shogun Rua took on the 2000 Pride Open weight Grand Prix Champion and former UFC Champion Mark ‘The Hammer’ Coleman. Giving up weight to the powerful wrestler Shogun Rua ended up having his right arm broken from a takedown giving Coleman the TKO win and then triggered infamous Hammer house vs Chute Box in brawl.
9) Aoki vs Keith Wisniewski
With a DEEP tournament win under his belt 3-1 Shinya Aoki made his Shooto debut against 20-6-1 Keith Wisniewski in January of 2005. Displaying his flair for unorthodox submissions the ‘Tōbikan Jūdan’ wrenched on a standing armpit arm bar, which instantly snapped the arm of Wisniewski prompting a referee stoppage.
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8) Kazushi Sakuraba vs Royler Gracie
At Pride 8 in November 1998 Kazushi Sakuraba would begin the long documented rivalry against the Gracie family when he was matched up with against Helio Gracies son; Royler Gracie. Coming in with a size advantage over the BJJ black belt, Sakuraba spent a majority of the rounds defending Royler’s takedown attempts and stifling any opportunities to play the grappling game. With the match coming to a close Sakuraba then opted to engage Royler on the ground, snagging his right arm and wrenching a kimura until breaking point. This would mark the first professional Gracie defeat in decades.
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7) Shinya Aoki vs Mizuto Hirota
On Dynamite 2009 a DREAM v Sengoku tournament was held pitting fighters from each organization against each other. DREAM Lightweight Champion Shinya Aoki took on SenGoku Lightweight Champion Mizuto Hirota in a non-title bout that had promotional bragging rights on the line. With just under three minutes left the unorthodox Aoki put Hirota into a painful hammerlock that snapped the arm of the Sengoku champion and broke the tie making it 5-4 DREAM. Always humble in victory Aoki proceed to give the finger to his injured adversary before exiting the ring.
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6) Mir vs Sylvia
At UFC 48 Heavyweight prospect 8-1 Frank Mir would be granted a shot at the vacant heavyweight title against former champion 18-0 Tim Sylvia. After some brief exchanges on the feet the BJJ Black belt got taken down by ‘The Mainiac’ and quickly secured an arm bar which snapped Sylvia’s radius bone prompting a stoppage from Herb Dean. Sylvia would return six months later with a titanium plated forearm.
5) Kazushi Sakuraba vs Renzo Gracie 1
Earning himself the nickname ‘The Gracie Hunter’ with his victories over Royler and Royce, Kazushi Sakuraba would find himself in the ring with another member of the clan taking on Renzo Gracie at Pride 10 in August of 2002. Getting his back taken near the end of Round 2, Sakuraba snagged a standing kimura and spun the BJJ Black belt around landing in side control popping Renzo’s elbow. Refusing to tap Renzo was added to the list of Gracie’s falling to the IQ Wrestler.
4) Cantwell vs Razak Al Hassan
In 2008 the UFC held their inaugural Fight for the Troops card to help raise money for the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund which provides support for wounded veterans and their families affected. The main card featured a bout between former WEC Champion Steve Cantwell and 7-0 prospect Razaak Al Hassan. After securing mount Cantwell spun for an arm bar and managed to hyperextend Al Hassan’s arm resulting in a dislocated elbow adding to the hyper violence of this night.
“I’ve been waiting so long to do that, you have no idea” the former champ said post fight.
3) Frank Mir vs Antonio Rodrigo Minotauro Nogueira 2
Minotauro Nogueira was vocal that his KO loss to Frank Mir at UFC 92 was largely due to him being hospitalized 20 days prior to the bout and that if he were healthy he would dominate Mir in a rematch. Getting his wish at UFC 140 it looked like the former Pride champion was en-route to a TKO victory, but after a failed guillotine finish, Mir capitalized getting into side control locking up a kimura. Following a thrilling battle for position Mir ended up snapping Nogueira’s humerus bone at 3:38 of Round 1, giving him the distinction of being the first fighter to both KO and tap out the former Pride champion.
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2) Anderson Silva vs Chris Weidman 2
Many regarded Anderson Silva’s loss against Chris Weidman a mere fluke when he got separated from consciousness at UFC 162 due to his in-fight antics, thus an immediate rematch was scheduled at UFC 168. After dropping the first round the former champ began to utilize more low kicks in the second frame, but at 3:49 Anderson threw a kick that was checked by Weidman which resulted in a shattered left tibia and fibula for ‘The Spider’ and making it 2-0 for the Serra-Longo fighter.
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1) Corey Hill vs Dale Hartt
For all the devastating finishes at the 2008 Fight of the Troops card, the most noteworthy would be none other than the late Corey Hill’s bout against Dale Hartt.
Twenty seconds into round two ‘The Real Deal’ threw a right low kick which was checked by Hartt resulting in a gruesome shin break adding to the carnage of this Fight Night and shocking the MMA populous.
After financial support from the UFC to aid in his recovery Corey miraculously recovered and resumed his career competing 11 more times outside of the organisation.
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