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UFC President Dana White said it best - "MMA is not a team sport". This is isn't completely true, considering that almost all fighters have a team of coaches, nutritionists, therapists and sparring partners to help them prepare for a fight. But when the octagon door closes, it's a duel to the death between two warriors and though a fighter's corner may be yelling instructions from the sidelines, it's only through their own strength that they remain the last one standing.
So what happens when two friends face each other in the octagon? Is there a brief and violent interlude in their camaraderie? Does that person become just another hurdle to cross on the path to gold? In the case of these fighters, that's just what happened:
#5 Tyson Griffin vs Evan Dunham
In 2010, Evan Dunham and Tyson Griffin were training partners at Xtreme Couture Gym in Las Vegas when they were offered a fight against each other. It's always a sticky situation, but Griffin and Dunham agreed to the bout after making sure the other had no reservations. Dunham, who had just 3 UFC fights under his belt and was the newer member of the gym, deferred to Griffin, a veteran who was going into his 10th UFC bout.
Dunham would win the back and forth bout by split decision and the loss would mark the beginning of Griffin's decline. Griffin, who had won 7 of his last 9 fights and earned as many performance bonuses, lost 6 of his next 8 fights.
He retired in 2014. After 3 losses to big names in Raphael Dos Anjos, Donald Cerrone and Edson Barboza, Evan Dunham rebounded with 4 wins. His last bout, against Beneil Dariush ended in a draw.
#4 Pat Barry vs Antoni Hardonk
When you lock two Heavyweights who are high-level strikers in a cage, something's bound to give. Pat Barry and Antony Hardonk were former K-1 kickboxers who had trained together for 5 years at VAS Gym in Holland under the legendary Ernesto Hoost. Hardonk had cornered Barry in a few Kickboxing bouts in Holland.
In an interview before their bout, Barry said he had a point to prove. He revealed that he considered Hoost as a mentor, but this was unrequited and he was always made to feel below par compared to the other fighters in the stable. Hardonk denied there being any bad blood heading into the contest and said that his refusal to touch gloves before they threw down was just his signal to Barry that it was time to get down to business.
The fight itself did not disappoint - Hardonk battered Barry with leg kicks and punches in the first, but the latter survived. Barry rebounded tremendously in the second, landing his jab and several combinations before stopping his former teammate at 2:30.
Barry was emotional after the win, which was validating in more ways than one. Not only had he exorcised the demons of his past, but he was broke and six days from being evicted from his home. Barry won FOTN and KOTN for his inspiring performance. Hardonk was released from the UFC after this loss.
#3 Frank Mir vs Roy Nelson
To be clear, Frank Mir and Roy Nelson weren't exactly chums but both being Las Vegas residents, they trained with each other frequently and had a lot of mutual friends. Both had even faced each other in a BJJ tournament many years before this fight, with Nelson getting the better of Mir.
In UFC fight promotion terms, that's good enough to be called a "friendship".
In the lead-up to the fight, Mir and Nelson were very respectful to each other but they did clarify that they were more acquaintances and occasional training partners than friends. The biggest connection between the two was that one of Frank Mir's groomsmen, James Johnson, was in Roy Nelson's corner for this fight.
Mir beat Nelson handily at UFC 130, besting Big Country in every aspect en route to a unanimous decision win.
#2 Roy Nelson vs Antonio Silva
At UFC Fight Night 95 in his hometown of Brasilia, having lost four of his last five fights, Bigfoot Silva was either on the verge of being cut by the UFC or scripting a comeback straight from a movie. He was up against good friend Roy Nelson, whom he had helped train for his fight against Alastair Overeem at UFC 185.
Roy Nelson's dreaded right hand made sure it was the former. Big Country was coming off a disputable split decision loss to Derrick Lewis and his once-bright prospects had dimmed considerably.
In round 2, Nelson landed his right-hand square on Bigfoot's chin after noticing that the Brazilian didn't move his head off the center line. Referee Big John McCarthy stepped in after Big Country bounced a couple of more punches off Bigfoot's head. Nelson, furious because considered it a late stoppage, actually kicked McCarthy and gave him the finger.
He was fined and suspended for his actions, which was a light sentence, considering that the last fighter to get physical with a referee, Jason High, was cut by the UFC for his offence. Nelson now fights for Bellator and will face Matt Mitrione at Bellator 194.
#1 Andrei Arlovski vs Travis Browne
Andrei Arlovski and Travis Browne were close friends (Arlovski lived at Browne's place for six months) and training partners for over two years, but before their fight at UFC 187, Arlovski said he always believed they would face each other.
The former UFC Heavyweight champion had won 2 fights since his return to the organization and was looking to make his way back into title contention. Travis Browne had left their longtime gym, Jackson-Winkeljohn MMA the previous year and had finished Brendan Schaub in his last fight.
Their tilt last just under 1 round, but seemed like a 5 round war. Arlovski stormed Browne and hurt him within the first minute. Despite his legs barely able to support him, a dazed Browne miraculously managed to stay upright and around the fourth minute, dropped Arlovski. But Browne had taken too much damage to continue his offensive and Arlovski recovered, finishing the fight a little while later.
After the fight, Arlovski revealed that he had suffered a leg injury just before the bout and considered pulling out. Arlovski won his next contest, but went on a 5-fight losing streak before beating Junior Albini at UFC Fight Night 120. Browne bounced back by beating Matt Mitrione in his next bout, but has lost his last four fights.
