Curious to see who the closest title fights in UFC history were between? Well, look no further because we have them right here!
What could be more exciting than a back-and-forth mixed martial arts fight, you ask? One that is taking place between a challenger as he takes on the champion while they battle to prove who is the best of their division.
For the majority of high-level fighters, the thought of winning that belt is what pushes them through the hardest moments of their training and fills their dreams when they sleep at night. Once you finally give those fighters a chance to step into the octagon with that belt on the line, expect to see them pour their absolute everything into the fight until the final bell.
Are there any fights that should have been included that weren’t? Who did you have winning the fights that are listed? Check out the list and let us know what you think in the comments below!
5) Mauricio Rua vs. Lyoto Machida
–UFC 104: October 24th, 2009
If you’ve ever wanted to see Karate vs Muay Thai in high-level MMA competition, this is as pure an example as you’re going to be able to find. After winning the title from Rashad Evans, Machida was scheduled to take on Mauricio Rua in his first title defense. Rua was formerly considered one of the pound-for-pound best, but after falling off in a couple of fights, few gave him a chance to win this the title. Machida remained undefeated with a style that no one had been able to figure out. When the two finally squared off and the bell rang, the fight played out as one of the most classic clash of styles to date in modern MMA.
4) Carlos Condit vs. Nick Diaz
–UFC 143: February 4th, 2012
Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit are both two of the most exciting fighters in the sport. When this matchup was originally made fans were salivating at the potential war that could unfold over five rounds, but Condit came into the fight with a strategy that kept him on the back foot. Diaz chased him across the ring, talking smack and trying to goad Condit into wild exchanges but with little success. Fans to this day still debate whether Condit’s successful point fighting or Diaz’s octagon aggression should have picked up the judge’s decision.
3) Frankie Edgar vs. BJ Penn
–UFC 112: April 10th, 2010
BJ Penn was coming off the best performance of his career against Diego Sanchez. He had never looked better and everyone thought the boy from Jersey would have zero shot at taking his title, but Frankie Edgar emerged from the dark of the division and brought the fight to Penn over the course of five rounds. Managing to do enough with his boxing and movement to dethrone Penn from his lightweight throne.
2) Robbie Lawler vs. Carlos Condit
–UFC 195: January 2nd, 2016
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, you do not want to be in a title fight against Robbie Lawler. He is going to try to destroy you and will refuse to quit until his body is physically shut down by one way or another. Carlos Condit was brave enough to step in against him with the intentions of taking his belt. The two went toe-to-toe for five rounds, including the fifth when Lawler came out charging like a man on the mission. Many judges’ decisions come down to the argument of volume vs damage, and in this fight, damage won when Lawler was awarded with the decision victory.
1) Johny Hendricks vs. Georges St. Pierre
–UFC: November 16th, 2013
This is the single most controversial fight on the list, not just because of how close it was but because of the stakes at hand. When Johny Hendricks took on Georges St. Pierre, he wasn’t only challenging for the title, he was challenging the greatest welterweight to ever step into the cage. The majority of those who watched this fight thought that Hendricks had won handily, but the judges gave the decision to St. Pierre. Many felt that Hendricks was not only robbed of the title, but was also robbed of having a win on his record over arguably the greatest martial artist of all time.
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