As the summer comes to an end, it’s now time to reflect on which fights were “the best” ones.
What some people may consider good or bad when it comes to entertainment may vary. However, there were several aspects that allowed ranking these three fights as great: If it was back and forth, unpredictable, and had those oh my god moments.
Read about the three UFC fights that stood out this summer…
#3. Paulo Costa vs. Luke Rockhold (UFC 278)
Coming in at #3 is the hottest match of the summer… This fight was amazing in so many ways. It featured the return of former middleweight champion, Luke Rockhold, and the ever exciting Paulo Costa. When the fight was first announced, many believed this would be a one-sided beatdown from Costa. Although the scorecards had Costa winning every single round, the fight wasn’t as one-sided as the numbers made it out to be.
Rockhold had his handful of exciting moments in this fight. Whether it was the four liver kicks in a row, the 360 tornado kick to the stomach, or the famous “F— You” punch, this fight was full of excitement. Let’s not forget Rockhold smearing his blood all over Costa’s face while in the guard position. Despite gassing out early on in the fight, Luke showcased an immense amount of grit and heart, surprising every one at home in the final fight of his legendary career.
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#2. Nate Landwehr vs. David Onama (UFC on ESPN 41)
The co-main event of UFC on ESPN 41 delivered more than half of the PPV main events this year. Talk about an absolute barn burner… From bell-to-bell these two went at it. In the first round, Onama caught Landwehr clean on the button, and sat him on the canvas. However, despite being dropped, Landwehr recovered after surviving a two-minute barrage. He came back to land his own devastating elbows from top position in full guard.
After emptying the gas tank in round one, Onama seemed to be on his way out. Despite applying so much pressure for 10 full minutes, Landwehr couldn’t get the finish. Although it looked to be curtains a few times, Onama came back with a few flurries to show Landwehr that he wasn’t going anywhere. In the end, Landwehr completed his comeback with a majority decision victory.
#1. Glover Teixeira vs. Jiri Prochazka (UFC 275)
When it comes to Glover Teixeira vs. Jiri Prochazka, this fight was in a league of its own in terms of greatness and entertainment. It’s arguably the best fight of 2022 so far. The pace that was set by these two was unmatched by any light heavyweight scrap in history. From the moment the words “fight” left Marc Goddard’s mouth… These two went at it.
Many believed this fight was either going to end by Prochazka knocking Teixeira out, or by Teixeira submitting Prochazka. Ironically, the complete opposite took place. For the first three rounds, it was fairly even. Both fighters had their moments on the feet and on the ground. However, the major of OMG moments took place in the dying embers of the 4th round when Teixeira landed a monstrous right hand to the dome of Prochazka.
Prochazka was nearly out on his feet with just the cage holding him up. Instead of throwing more strikes, Texeira tried going for a submission, but lost it- ultimately costing him the fight. With just 30 seconds left, Prochazka took Teixeira’s back and submitted him via rear naked choke in the 5th and final round. Despite being down on the scorecards, Prochazka defied the odds and became the newest UFC light heavyweight champion. Not to mention, he also became the first man to submit Glover Teixeira in a MMA fight. Not bad for a kickboxer, right?
What were your top fights this summer? Let us know in the comments below.
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