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Friends who fought like bitter enemies2014 wasn’t a great year for the UFC or MMA, several champions and top fighters were injured throughout the year like Cain Velasquez, Anderson Silva and Rashad Evans. Title fights were postponed, anticipated match-ups were cancelled and there were PED allegations and the Reebok deal was announced, there was a whole lot of action going on outside the Octagon but not inside.But 2015 has seen several great fights already. With events like UFC 189 and UFC 187 with stacked cards and box office superstars like Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey this year has been amazing in terms of action inside the Octagon.Here are the top 5 UFC fights of the year as of August 2015.
#6 Honorable Mention: Eddie Alvarez vs Gilbert Melendez
The co-main event of UFC 188 promised a war and it delivered one. Two of the greatest Lightweights to have been champions outside the UFC and bitter rivals Eddie Alvarez and Gilbert Melendez came face to face in an exciting match.
Melendez gained the upper hand early in the fight,landing combinations and doing a lot of damage to Alvarez’s eye which later on was completely swollen shut(After he blew his nose). With one eye and the heart of a warrior, Eddie Alvarez pushed forward and as Melendez’s cardio faded away, Eddie Alvarez was able to score points by landing strikes and walked away with the split decision victory.
#5 Benson Henderson vs Brandon Thatch
At UFC Fight Night 60, UFC Lightweight superstar took on young UFC Welterweight contender Brandon Thatch in an exciting back and forth match-up. Bendo took this fight on short notice but his persistence,strategy and experience prevailed.
A much smaller Benson Henderson was initially overwhelmed by Thatch’s high-class striking. But later on in the fight as Thatch’s cardio began fading away, Benson Henderson’s fantastic wrestling allowed Henderson to take Thatch down and secure a rear-naked choke for the submission victory.
#4 Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs Carla Esparza
UFC 185 saw the crowning of a new Lightweight champion,Rafael Dos Anjos. But the main event was overshadowed by the brutal co-main event where UFC strawweight champion Carla Esparza was made to look like an amateur by Muay Thai expert Joanna Jdrzejczyk. Jdrzejczyk overwhelmed the wrestling-based Carla Esparza with her strong combinations and superior take down defence until the referee stopped the fight at 4:47 seconds of round 2 for the TKO victory.
This might not have been a very exciting back and forth battle but it is the birth of a new superstar in the UFC and Women’s MMA.
#3 Edson Barboza vs Paul Felder
On the UFC on Fox: Dillashaw vs Barao card, there was a fight which was predicted to the fight of the night even before the event and it sure did deliver. Undefeated Donald Cerrone prodigy, Paul Felder and striking phenom Edson Barboza fought in a 3 round technical war.
A classic aggressor vs counter puncher match-up saw both men land heavy shots and score points, the back and forth technical striking clinic ended with a decision win for Edson Barboza after he found his range later on in the fight and successfully countered Felder’s offense and landed shots of his own.
Paul Felder did not look bad after his loss though, both these men are serious threats in the UFC Lightweight division.
#2 Andrei Arlovski vs Travis Browne
Travis Browne and Andrei Arlovski showed the world that even if two fighters are best friends in real life, when the Octagon door closes, there is no friendship or remorse. These two men battered each other for 4:41 seconds. Arlovski rocked Browne several times after which Browne retaliated purely based on instinct and swung a right a hand to knock Arlovski down but could not finish him.
Fortunately for Arlovski, Browne was literally out of his senses and could not keep him down, the two men then got back to their feet and Arlovski finished Browne at 4:41 in the first round for a TKO victory. Though this was a short fight, it is one of the craziest rounds in UFC Heavyweight history and a very memorable fight.
#1 Robbie Lawler vs Rory McDonald
This fight is what MMA is all about. The heart, the will and the determination of these two men will never be forgotten because Robbie Lawler and Rory McDonald put up one of the greatest fights in UFC/MMA history. The much-underhyped fight saw veteran Lawler take on the young Canadian Rory McDonald in a 5 round battle, both men scored points but Rory McDonald appeared to be ahead in the judges’ scorecard.
McDonald had the upper-hand in the first round with successful strikes to the body, but in the 2nd round the champion found his rhythm, blocking the brutal body kicks and eventually busting McDonald wide open.
Round 3, McDonald landed a devastating kick which hurt Lawler and he appeared to be in a lot of trouble retreating to the fence and trying to fend off McDonald. With wobbly legs, Robbie Lawler walked into the 4th round where he was hurt again by McDonald’s precise striking but Lawler soldiered on, astonishingly trading combinations evenly again and repeatedly striking the broken nose of Rory McDonald.
And in the first minute of the 5th round Robbie Lawler landed another final combination on Rory McDonald’s nose which made him crumble and fall to the ground for the stoppage.
This fight gave most MMA fans chills for the brutality, heart, will and the desire to win these two men displayed on that night. This is the best fight of 2015 so far, and most people doubt we can see a better fight this year or ever again in the Octagon.
