Headbutts can be some of the most devastating strikes that one can land, hence why they’re banned across the board in terms of all combat sports.
Occasionally, though, the accidental or accidental headbutt will make a rare appearance during a fight. This is why we have compiled a list of the five worst we have ever seen in all of sporting history!
5) Rampage Jackson vs Ricardo Arona
The finish to this fight is easily one of the most iconic in all of mixed martial art’s history. The image of Rampage hoisting Arona clear above his head in the air is one that the majority of MMA fans will never be able to forget, but, many of them don’t even realize that on the way down the amount of momentum generated propelled Rampage’s head directly into Arona’s as the two hit the mat.
4) Victor Ortiz vs Floyd Mayweather
Floyd Mayweather has made himself one of the easiest to hate men in all of sports, but even when taking that into account, it’s hard to side against him in this case. Victor Ortiz made it as clear as day several times throughout their bout that he was intentionally trying to use his head as a weapon, thrusting his head forward directly at Floyd, all while in front of the referee. After the break, when the two returned to the center of the ring Ortiz attempted to apologize, leaving his hands to his side. It didn’t seem as Mayweather accepted the apology, as he threw a clean 1-2 that ended the fight right there.
3) Phil Baroni vs Scott Jansen
This is a rather interesting one, as the headbutt didn’t come from either of the fighters. Phil Baroni, also known as the New York Badass, had just finished his opponent by strikes. Jansen laid on the mat while being checked on by medical professionals, and as Baroni came over to check on him himself, he was headbutted by a family member of his now former opponent. To see the incident yourself, just watch the video below.
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2) Zinedine Zidane at the 2006 World Cup
This is the only headbutt on our list that took place outside of combat sports, but it is one that is hard to ignore or forget. It is possible that is because it took place on one of the world’s greatest stages, the World Cup of 2006. After a player of the other team had pulled on his jersey during a play, Zidane retaliated by delivering a stiff headbutt to the chest that sent the player back onto the pitch.
1) Evander Holyfield vs Hasim Rahman
Evander Holyfield is no stranger to controversy within the ring, being the man to have a portion of his ear bitten off by the legendary Mike Tyson. In his bout against Rahman, he landed a headbutt that resulted in one of the worst visual injuries in boxing history. A hematoma the size of an actual baseball formed on Rahman’s forehead and the bout was called to a stop to prevent it from getting any worse.
Are there any that we missed? Let us know in the comments after checking out the full video below!
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