The 5 best UFC fights in 2021 so far

Santiago Ponzinibbio and Miguel Baeza put on an instant classic at the recently-concluded UFC Vegas 28. After suffering from a bacterial infection that kept him out of commission for over two years and losing in his first fight back, 'The Argentine Dagger' earned a statement win in an early 'Fight of the Year' candidate.

The Argentine Dagger is BACK! 🇦🇷@SPonzinibbioMMA gets his hand raised after the slugfest #UFCVegas28 pic.twitter.com/lip14SXi5S
— UFC (@ufc) June 6, 2021

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Needless to say, in addition to being the 'Fight of the Night', Ponzinibbio vs. Baeza has already earned its rightful spot among the best UFC fights of 2021. On that note, let's recap some of the most memorable fights in the octagon as we approach the second half of the year.

Here are five of the best UFC fights in 2021 so far:

#5 UFC Vegas 20: Pedro Munhoz vs. Jimmie Rivera

Pedro Munhoz looked for redemption against Jimmie Rivera after their first fight in 2015 didn't go his way. Munhoz deployed a very effective weapon to get the job done: the calf kick.

'The Young Punisher' mercilessly targeted Rivera’s lead leg with stinging kicks that he consistently landed from the first exchange until the closing moments. At the end of the fight, Rivera's leg was a nasty sight to behold as it showed severe swelling.

But instead of giving up, Rivera switched stances and toughed it out until the final buzzer. Munhoz ultimately bagged a unanimous decision win, but Rivera's fortitude was put on display.

#4 UFC Vegas 25: Jiri Prochazka vs. Dominick Reyes

Light heavyweight rising star Jiri Prochazka announced his arrival with one of the most violent knockouts in recent history at UFC Vegas 25. The former Rizin FF champion inflicted damage early on as he bloodied Dominick Reyes' face in the opening round.

But the former title challenger found his range as he successfully landed his counterpunches. At one point, Reyes looked like he was about to make an epic comeback after stunning Prochazka with a huge left hand.

But Prochazka ultimately earned his second UFC victory when he unleashed a right elbow, followed by a thunderous spinning back elbow to send an unconscious Reyes crashing face-first to the canvas.

#3 UFC 258: Kamaru Usman vs. Gilbert Burns

Kamaru Usman vs. Gilbert Burns had the makings of a great rivalry. On paper, they match up well due to their styles. Not to mention that they have a history as former teammates at the Blackzilians.

Burns had success early on, tagging Usman with a huge right hook that almost resulted in a knockdown. The challenger tried to end the fight by stalking Usman, who was visibly shaken. But the champion did a phenomenal job weathering the storm by not taking any significant damage.

Once 'The Nigerian Nightmare' had recovered, he took control of the fight. Usman turned the tables on Burns by taking on the role of aggressor. The champion landed huge shots and dropped Burns twice to regain momentum in the second round.

Usman ended the fight just 34 seconds into the third round. He sent Burns crashing to the mat with a jab and rained down punches on him to score the TKO win.

#2 UFC Vegas 18: Beneil Dariush vs. Diego Ferreira

UFC Fight Night: Diego Ferreira vs. Beneil Dariush

It's difficult to stand out in a stacked division like lightweight. But Beneil Dariush and Diego Ferreira, two under-the-radar 155-pound contenders, certainly accomplished that task at UFC Vegas 18.

After an initial encounter in 2014, Dariush and Ferreira added a chapter to their rivalry in a rematch for the ages. It was evident that both men were hunting for the finish as they traded heavy blows from the jump. The bout remained competitive from start to finish with multiple momentum shifts over the course of 15 minutes.

Dariush landed on the right side of a razor-thin split decision to go 2-0 up against Ferreira. But the Assyrian-American wasn't too happy as he aired out his frustrations with UFC matchmaking during his post-fight interview, saying:

"You know, I gotta say something. This has really bothered me. Diego should have fought a top-five guy. I should have gotten a top-five guy. We have tough win streaks, we fought everybody, we never say no to anybody."

#1 UFC Fight Island 7: Max Holloway vs. Calvin Kattar

After losing in back-to-back title fights against Alexander Volkanovski, former UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway bounced back in a big way against Calvin Kattar at UFC Fight Island 7.

The redemption-hungry Hawaii native put on an absolute masterclass against his fellow top featherweight contender as a reminder that he's still one of the best fighters at 145 pounds.

Holloway came out firing on all cylinders as he landed crisp boxing combinations and clean shots at his opponent. Even more impressive was that Holloway kept the pressure on for the entire 25 minutes.

Max Holloway shouting "I'm the best boxer in the UFC" at the commentary desk while slipping punches is one of the baddest things to ever happen in the UFC.pic.twitter.com/2uTeaVkkzt
— UFC on BT Sport (@btsportufc) January 17, 2021

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The highlight of the fight came when 'Blessed' pulled off an unbelievable act of showboating to demonstrate how outmatched Kattar truly was. Holloway yelled “I’m the best boxer in the UFC, baby!” as he looked at the commentator's booth while avoiding Kattar's punches at the same time.

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