'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
#2 Dan Henderson vs Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (UFC 139 - November 19, 2011)
In November 2011, Dan Henderson was enjoying something of a career resurgence having won three of his four bouts since leaving UFC two years earlier, most notably defeating Heavyweight legend, Fedor Emelianenko the previous July.
Mauricio Rua had had an indifferent start to life in the UFC after having previously dominated the competition as the main man in Pride FC, losing three of his first seven bouts in the promotion, which included a short Light-Heavyweight Championship reign, but the much younger man was still backed to defeat the old lion, Henderson.
In the 2011 match of the year, both men left everything they had inside the Octagon.
An incredible fight saw the pair exchange stiff strikes and takedowns as they jockeyed for an advantage.
It was "Hendo" who landed the first big blow of the fight when he landed a right hand which sent "Shogun" crumpling to the canvas in a heap. Smelling blood, Henderson jumped in for the finish but despite landing punch after punch could not put Rua away.
The barrage caused "Shogun's" left eye to swell shut but somehow he found a way to claw himself back into the fight, winning the penultimate round by smashing the American with rights which put him on spaghetti legs whilst Rua's trunks turned red with all the blood he was losing. A takedown and a choke attempt nearly won Rua the fight as "Hendo" desperately clung on to take the contest into a fifth round.
Running on fumes, the exhausted warriors continued on as "Shogun" took control, keeping Henderson on the ground and throwing punches over and over when the buzzer sounded.
Due to his dominance in the earlier rounds, Henderson won the closest unanimous decision you could ever see, winning the fight with scores of 48-47 all around.
A breathtaking classic main event, that almost has no equal, except for one bout that took place five years later.
