'%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. Anderson Silva applauds Chael Sonnen to end their historic MMA rivalry
One of the most iconic and heated rivalries in MMA ended with both fighters applauding each other. Anderson Silva was such a dominant champion that no challenger dared to disrespect him -- until he met Chael Sonnen. Sonnen blended bravado, creativity, and humour into his trash talk, such that people couldn't help but pay attention to the fight.
In the first fight, Sonnen almost came through with his big words as he dominated Silva in the first four rounds. In the fifth, however, the champion pulled off a miracle with a come-from-behind triangle choke.
The second fight at UFC 148 was similarly competitive but Silva closed the show with a TKO win in the second round. After the fight, Silva thanked his fallen foe for the memorable MMA fights and even jokingly invited him to his family barbecue. Even Sonnen, who is usually brash and confident, was humble in defeat.
#1. McGregor-Diaz rivalry ends in blood and respect
Without a doubt, the McGregor-Diaz MMA saga is one of the most well-documented and entertaining rivalries in sports, period. Conor McGregor, with a rocketship strapped to his back, was on his way to superstardom. Nate Diaz however, was the first to truly put the Irishman to the test. At UFC 196, the Stockton native pulled off an upset as he presented problems that McGregor couldn't solve.
The rematch, both in the build-up to the bout and the fight itself, was one for the history books. We ranked it as one of the biggest grudge matches in MMA history and it delivered in spades. It was a grueling, back-and-forth affair where both fighters bloodied and battered each other to the final horn. Just look at this epic post-fight photo to see the respect earned and given from both sides after the war they just went through:
Such moments of magnificent humanity tell us that MMA is not just a sport of brutality and violence. It's also, most importantly, a sport rooted in honor and respect.
