An article was recently published on the Internet that listed what the author felt was the 25 saddest moments in MMA (see at bottom). The unfortunate piece mingles deaths with fights that a majority of fans were actually happy with.
The UG shook it’s head and put together an alternative list, of things that genuinely left the sport sad.
There is no comparison beyond losing a sporting event and death. And every death is unfathomably tragic to some, so ranking deaths is innapropriate. Here is a list of some of the figures that have forever departed our sport:
Ryan Bennett
Douglas Dedge
Helio Gracie
Ryan Gracie
Michael Kirkham
Charles “Mask” Lewis
Evan Tanner
Shawn Tompkins
Sam Vasquez
Shelby Walker
Sadness is subjective, so no attempt at ranking of awfulness is made, but the list below is sad.
The long wait for word about the kidnapped and ultmately murdered sister of Vitor Belort. While his sister Priscilla was missing, Belfort went 4-5, with wins over Ivan Serati, Kazuo Takahashi, and Antony Rea. After his sister’s killer confessed to the crime in August of 2007, Vitor went 5-1 with his sole loss coming from Anderson Silva.
The latest stage of Fedor Emelianenko’s career, going from never having lost (by any rules in force today) to having lost three in a row, a situation that would likely see him cut from the UFC, and he isn’t even in the UFC.
The later stages of Royce Gracies’ career were not without sad moments, including Helio throwing In the towel for Royce vs. Sakuraba, and Royce later getting walked through by Matt Hughes.
The late stages of Mark Kerr’s career, as chronicled in The Smashing Machine documentary, including Mark Kerr Knocking himself out versus Yamamoto at Pride 27, a sad display that was the end of his career as a serious fighter.
Kimbo vs. James Thompson becomes most watched MMA fight ever.
John McCain’s “human cock-fighting” attacks on MMA in the early days, that forced the then SEG-owned UFC off PPV, nearly causing its demise.
The death of Pride Fighting Championship. Jeff Monson vs. Fujita was the last bout in PRIDE’s history.
The uneven time most Pride champions have had in the UFC, including Wanderlei Silva, Big Nog, and Mirko Cro Cop. Even Shogun who went to win the world title lost his first UFC fight.
Rickson retires without fighting Sakuraba (or anyone with a good record).
The late stages of Sakuraba’s career, inlcuding terrible beatings, and his ear falling off.
Steven Seagal getting credit for great fighters’ wins.
The late stages of Ken Shamrock’s career.
The Strikeforce Brawl on CBS, which effectively ended what up until the UFC on FOX, was one of MMA’s greatest opportunities to break through to a mainstream audience.
Tim Sylvia being knocked out by Ray Mercer. Maybe not sad for Sylvia, but sad and embarassing for MMA.
The original list:
25. Joe Stevenson Loss to BJ Penn
24. Frankie Edgar 2-0 over Penn
23. Andrei Arlovski KO Loss to Sergei Kharitonov
22. Kenny Florian 0-3 Title Fights
21. Shogun Losing Decision to Lyoto Machida
20. Mirko Cro Cop KO Loss to Brendan Schaub
19. Matt Hughes KO Loss to Josh Koscheck
18. Gina Carano Loss to Cris “Cyborg”
17. Wanderlei Silva KO Loss to Dan Henderson
16. Death of Helio Gracie
15. Jens Pulver WEC Losses
14. Forrest Griffin Loss to Anderson Silva
13. Chael Sonnen Loss to Anderson Silva
12. Wanderlei Silva KO Loss to Chris Leben
11. Death of Ryan Gracie
10. Death of Pride FC
9. Chuck Liddell KO Loss to Rashad Evans
8. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira KO Loss to Cain Velasquez
7. Fedor Emelianeko Loss to Antonio Silva
6. Randy Couture First Retirement
5. Chuck Liddell KO Loss to Rich Franklin
4. Mark Coleman Second Loss to Fedor Emelianenko
3. Death of Evan Tanner
2. Death of Shawn Tompkins
1. Death of Charles “Mask” Lewis
