Top 5 Randy Couture UFC matches

"The Natural" Randy Couture is one of the greatest fighters to ever set foot inside the Octagon. A former three-time UFC Heavyweight Champion, two-time UFC Light-Heavyweight Champion and the UFC 13 tournament winner, he achieved everything there was to achieve in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts. This list counts down his five finest performances in the UFC.

#5 versus Gabriel Gonzaga (UFC 74, August 25, 2007)

Randy Couture at the age of 44 had defeated the much larger, more powerful and younger, Tim Sylvia in an upset to win the UFC Heavyweight Championship for a record third time at UFC 68. In his first title defence, Couture had been expected to face the renowned heavy hitter, Mirko Cro Cop. However, in another upset, Cro Cop was knocked out by a devastating kick to the head by Gabriel Gonzaga in a match with title implications.

Therefore, Gonzaga found himself as the number one contender for UFC gold instead. Couture was favoured to win, however, he was up against an extremely dangerous striker.

Couture though had come prepared. Specifically training in strikes and dirty boxing, Couture had greatly improved his striking ability prior to this match and surprisingly manhandled the more experienced striker with punches and took him down to the mat at will.

Gonzaga had no answer. The bout was stopped when he could no longer defend himself against Couture's strikes. With that, Gonzaga's UFC Heavyweight Title aspirations were over. It was the complete performance from Couture, who despite his advancing age, proved that he was still the man to defeat in the UFC's Heavyweight division.

#4 versus Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (UFC 102, August 29, 2009)

Couture and Nogueira exchange blows

In a match originally scheduled to occur 18 months earlier, following Couture's successful title defence versus Gabriel Gonzaga, it didn't happen after Couture declined the match, resulting in Couture disappearing from the company for a year.

After Couture returned, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira personally requested a bout with him. This time, "The Natural" accepted. In a gruelling three-round battle, Couture and Nogueira exchanged flurries of exciting strikes as they repeatedly traded blows with each other. Both men grappled, wrestled and exchanged takedowns and submission attempts. It was a world-class performance from two legends. Only one man could come out on top however and this time it was the Brazilian, Nogueira.

There was some consolation for Couture though; despite suffering his second consecutive loss, this bout was the 2009 fight of the year.

#3 versus Chuck Liddell (UFC 43, June 6, 2003)

Randy Couture upsets Chuck Liddell at UFC 43

Back in June 2003, Randy Couture was coming off two demoralising defeats, to giants, Josh Barnett and Ricco Rodriguez. With his UFC future on the line, Couture made the decision to step down to Light-Heavyweight and fought the perennial Light-Heavyweight contender, Chuck Liddell in a match to name an Interim Light-Heavyweight Champion, after incumbent, Tito Ortiz had declined to defend his title against Liddell.

Hard as it is to believe now, Couture was regarded as a fading force, with his best results behind him. However, he turned things up a notch at UFC 43. To the surprise of virtually everyone, Couture neutered the spectacular striking skills of the younger Liddell and took him down to the mat repeatedly, seemingly at will. Even more remarkably, Couture out-boxed the specialist striker and won the bout via TKO after Liddell could no longer defend himself against Couture's punches.

Couture was back and Liddell's crowning as UFC Light-Heavyweight Champion would have to wait.

#2 versus Tito Ortiz (UFC 44, September 26, 2003)

Tito Ortiz - Dominated by Couture at UFC 44

Three months after his surprise victory over Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture shocked the world again, with another decisive victory over a much younger opponent.

In another stunning display of defence and offence, for the second consecutive fight, Couture completely neutered his opponent's strengths.

In a match to determine the Undisputed Light-Heavyweight Champion, defending champion Tito Ortiz put his belt on the line against Interim Champion, Couture.

The crowd were gobsmacked when Couture put Ortiz on his back, the first time a fighter had done so in years. Couture didn't do it just the once, he took Ortiz down over and over again. The ending was memorable as while Couture held him down in the half guard, Ortiz attempted roll out but Couture held position and began spanking his young foe. The match ended soon after. Ortiz had been humiliated and Couture at 40 years of age was the UFC fighter to win the title in two different weight classes.

#1 versus Vitor Belfort (UFC 15, October 17, 1997)

UFC 15 - Couture upsets Belfort

In the battle of UFC tournament champions, UFC 12 winner, Vitor Belfort and UFC 13 champion, Randy Couture battled in a clash to determine the number one contender to the UFC Heavyweight Championship.

The 19-year-old Belfort was the clear favourite to win after destroying all of his previous opponents in 77 seconds or less with devastating striking skill. Couture at fifteen years the senior of the Brazilian appeared to be up against it.

Prior to the bout, however, it appeared to be Belfort who was the more nervous of the two as he stalled his entrance for an absolute age, while Couture waited for him in the Octagon. Belfort would later claim to have been unwell prior to the fight, however, regardless of what the real story was, this was another match that Couture dominated from start to finish.

After exchanging shots, Couture landed some huge uppercuts on Belfort and took over with knees for the stoppage victory.

It was one of the biggest upsets in UFC history at that point. Couture would go to defeat Maurice Smith to win the UFC Heavyweight Champion, the first of five title victories in the company. The finest victory of Couture's career is the one that kick-started it.