The UFC is known for giving the fans the fights they want to see. As opposed to boxing, where fighters are somewhat in more control of who they compete against and avoid unwanted challenges, Dana White has the power to pit whoever against each other as he sees fit. Fighters in the UFC are notoriously competitive, and more often than not, both of them would relish a chance to fight again and prove themselves. It has given way to some heated rivalries and even better rematches, but which of them are the best?
Matt Hughes vs. George St-Pierre
The legendary George St-Pierre and Matt Hughes dominated the UFC when they were fighting and went down as two of the greatest ever to do it. Like the upcoming match between Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington, the rematch came to see the dominant force in the welterweight division. Similarly, where UFC matches betting has Kamaru Usman favored -300 to Colby Covington at 225, Matt Hughes entered the contest as the favorite due to winning the first bout. However, unlike that contest, where both fighters were pretty even, George St-Pierre came into the first fight with significantly less experience than Matt Hughes.
The bout did not disappoint, as Matt Hughes was the superior fighter in the UFC for so long, but George St-Pierre established himself as the new unrelenting force with a devastating TKO. With each competitor winning one each, a trilogy was the only way to settle the score. George St-Pierre convincingly won the final chapter with an armbar and scored a submission victory. It signified the end of Matt Hughes in the UFC but made George St-Pierre a legend.
Randy Couture vs Chuck Liddell
Another legendary trilogy that lives on in the lore of UFC history is Randy Couture vs. Chuck Liddell. The matches were equally skillful and brutal, giving fans some of the most exciting fights the company has ever seen.
The first match appeared to begin on an equal footing, with both fighters landing devastating blows and hard strikes. It was until Randy Couture took Chuck Liddell down and began to take over; as he dictated, he landed clean shots, resulting in a TKO.
The rematch saw Chuck Liddel come in with a more focused and organized game plan. He foresaw the shots coming from Randy Couture this time around, and after a restart, Chuck Liddel flattened him and picked up a TKO.
The final contest was highly anticipated and where fans would see who the greatest light heavyweight was. Both men fought on their feet until Chuck Liddel countered Randy Couture’s step in to drop him with a right hand before landing some unrelenting hits for a TKO. It was a trilogy for the ages and put Chuck Liddell in the conversation for the UFC’s greatest ever.
Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz
Unlike the previous fights mentioned, this rivalry was never seen coming. Conor McGregor was the biggest star in the UFC at the time and was gunning for a title match with Rafael dos Anjos before he had to pull out with injury. Both Jose Aldo and Frankie Edgar declined to fill the spot for differing reasons until Nate Diaz was selected to fight.
Nate Diaz, until then a tough competitor, was not expected to give Conor McGregor many problems. It seemed like the outcome was going to be as everyone expected, with Conor McGregor landing heavy blows and opening a wound on Nate Diaz’s face. However, stamina played a considerable role in this contest. No matter how many blows Conor McGregor landed, Nate Diaz kept coming and eventually wore him down and scored a win by submission.
Naturally, as one of the biggest stars, Conor McGregor demanded a rematch, and Nate Diaz was more than happy to oblige. Conor McGregor came in with a focused game plan, landing a series of leg kicks. However, Nate Diaz came on strong in the later stages, where it looked as if stamina would play another role. In the end, the contest went the distance, with Conor McGregor winning by majority decision.
We are yet to see a third fight, and it is hard to predict with Conor McGregor often flirting with retirement.