5 intense UFC rivalries that produced disappointing fights

#2. Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson vs. Rashad Evans – UFC 114

Rashad Evans' feud with Rampage Jackson failed to produce a classic fight

The UFC has seen few fights with quite as much bad blood as the clash between light heavyweight stars Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson and Rashad Evans in May 2010.

What began as a seemingly friendly rivalry quickly spiraled out of control when the two men coached against one another during the 10th series of The Ultimate Fighter. It felt like a brawl was likely to go off at any time during the reality show.

Despite the fight being delayed due to Jackson’s part in filming The A-Team, by the time it was finally booked at UFC 114, the feud certainly hadn’t lost any steam. ‘Rampage’ continued to throw an insane number of insults at Evans, who responded with the ultimate low blow when he labeled Jackson an ‘Uncle Tom’.

However, despite an epic build, as well as an epic staredown that left fans buzzing, the fight failed to even come close to expectations.

Apparently, while Evans despised ‘Rampage’, he was still smart enough to fight using a clever gameplan. While he did hurt his opponent with the first punch he threw – a jackhammer right hand – he then focused on clinching and wrestling, grinding Jackson down and forcing him to tire out.

‘Rampage’ did attempt a comeback in the third round, hurting Evans with punches, but it wasn’t enough. In the end, ‘Suga’ was rewarded with a decision win.

However, more than anything, the reputations of both men were hurt by the dull fight. After such an epic feud, fans expected a wild brawl and the bout didn’t come close to delivering that.

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#1. Ken Shamrock vs. Dan Severn – UFC 9

Ken Shamrock's rivalry with Dan Severn produced an epic letdown of a fight

If UFC fans were disappointed with Ken Shamrock’s second bout with his rival Royce Gracie, they probably felt far worse when they witnessed the culmination of his feud with Dan Severn.

‘The World’s Most Dangerous Man’ had first faced ‘The Beast’ at UFC 6 and their encounter ended with probably Shamrock’s most impressive win in the octagon. He caught Severn in a front choke and forced him to submit after just two minutes.

That win made Shamrock the promotion’s Superfight champion. While he defended his title successfully against Oleg Taktarov and Kimo Leopoldo, after Severn ran through the field at the ‘Ultimate Ultimate’ tournament, it was clear that there was money in a rematch.

The promotion obliged and booked the fight to headline their first event in Detroit, with the Superfight title on the line. However, from that point on, things simply didn’t go to plan.

Prior to the event, a campaign by Senator John McCain to get the UFC banned altogether forced courts in Detroit to enforce some new rules in the octagon – namely, banning punches to the head with closed fists and headbutts, as well as kicking while wearing wrestling shoes.

While some of the fighters on the card simply ignored these rules, Severn and Shamrock evidently decided to take them to heart. They treated the crowd to 30 minutes of circling with little to no contact, angering them beyond belief.

In the end, Severn was awarded a decision victory and claimed the title, but both men saw their reputations badly damaged by the clash.

This fight was so bad that even an attempt by WWE to recreate the feud a couple of years later was instantly rejected by viewers. It remains the most disappointing ending to a major feud in the UFC.