Roundtables
ROUNDTABLE (pt. 1 of 2): What were your favorite fights of the first half of 2010? Perez, Marsh, Bacior and Hansen
Jul 17, 2010 - 11:43:12 AM ROUNDTABLE (pt. 1 of 2): What were your favorite fights of the first half of 2010? Perez, Marsh, Bacior and Hansen

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What are your top five fights of 2010 so far and why?

ANWAR PEREZ, MMATORCH COLUMNIST

I'm basing these top 5 fights based on not just the action in the cage, but also, the emotion that was also present during the fights.

1. Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin

This fight was built as the biggest heavyweight fight in the history of the UFC, and in some ways it lived up to that moniker. The feeling you got from watching that fight was palpable and you knew that at any moment it could end. The fact that Lesnar won via submission against Carwin shows that he's still learning, which means every fight from here on out is going to be the biggest fight of his career, and rightfully so.

2. Leonard Garcia vs. Chan Sung Jung

Many felt that this fight should have gone to the "Korean Zombie" Jung, but instead, it went via split decision to Garcia. In the words of Jim Ross, this was a true slobberknocker. One we'll be hard pressed to get again this year.

3. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua vs Lyoto Machida

With the KO of Machida, Rua was able to gain the championship belt that many felt he deserved from their first meeting, while also destroying the myth that was built around Machida's fight game. Rua came back in a big way.

4. Rashad Evans vs Rampage Jackson

There is a probably a better fight true, but, in terms of the emotion, and the buildup of this fight, no other fight can really equal the feeling you got from watching the fight at the time. Evans defeating Rampage was very underwhelming in and of itself, but no matter, you didn't want to be the one person who DIDN'T watch this fight.

5. Chris Leben Vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama

This was a battle that went back and forth, and really a fight that Akiyama was winning (and should have), but the resilient Leben coming in on two weeks notice after fighting right before that never let up, and kept coming forward and was able to secure a submission for the win. A true clutch performance.

MIKE BACIOR, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

1) 1. Leonard Garcia vs. Chan Sung Jung: This was the best fight of 2010 in my opinion, and I love the way it has made Jung into a star. I don't feel it is the fight of the century as some people do, though.

2) Carlos Condit vs. Rory MacDonald: It was great to see Condit come back from two rounds down to put an absolute ass-whipping on MacDonald in round three.

3) Fedor vs. Werdum: The shock-factor and the slick submission had me screaming in my living room.

4) Leben vs. Akiyama: This fight could easily be higher, with the non-stop action and the dramatic triangle from Chris Leben. Both fighters showed incredible heart.

5) Diaz vs. Zaromskis: This is as entertaining of a one-round fight as you can get, with both fighters being hurt, but Diaz's unorthodox boxing taking over in the end.

GRIFFIN MARSH, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

5.) Jason Brilz vs Rogerio Noguiera
4.) Chris Leben vs Yoshihiro Akiyama
3.) Mauricio Rua vs Lyoto Machida
2.) Brock Lesnar vs Shane Carwin
1.) Fedor Emelianenko vs Fabricio Werdum--EXPOSED!!!

RICH HANSEN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

There are some prevailing themes to my five favorite fights of 2010. These five fights were fought predominantly on the ground, had dramatic comebacks, and had unexpected* finishes. There was a high drama factor to each of these fights, not to mention a good to high level of technical acumen as well. Each of these fights got me out of my seat at one point or another.

*- Unexpected, in a vacuum. I may have expected Lesnar to beat Carwin before the fight started, but two minutes into the fight, the idea of Lesnar winning would have been unexpected.


5.) Tatsuya Mizuno vs. Melvin Manhoef, Dream 15: This was a fight between two very limited fighters, but it had me out of my seat on multiple occasions. I got completely invested in this fight, despite knowing what Manhoef is on the ground, and knowing literally nothing about Mizuno. When the fight was stood up, there was no way I thought Mizuno would win the fight. Twenty seconds later, he was pounding on Manhoef in the corner, and less than a minute later it was over.

4.) Chael Sonnen vs. Nathan Marquardt, UFC 109: I loved this fight. It got bonus points (as did Mizuno v. Manhoef) for the major upset. Sonnen was ruthless and brutal with the elbows, and still almost got choked out in the waning minutes of the fight. The next time any moron bitches about Sonnen's Lay and Pray (disrespectful asshats), show them this fight.

3.) Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin, UFC 116: 10-8 first, dramatic come from behind ground based finish in the second. There's no more to be said about this fight, it was the most dramatic fight of the year. Or was it?

2.) Chris Leben v. Yoshihiro Akiyama, UFC 116: How can you not love Chris Leben's attitude? He fought Akiyama's fight in the first and seemed to be completely outclassed. He drew Akiyama into a Leben brawl in round two, got battered in the process, but still managed to win the round. Then, Leben was on his back most of the third round, doing much more damage from the bottom than Akiyama managed from the top. But in the US, if you're on your back that means you lose the round, period. Realizing that fact, Leben never gave up. He locked in a sloppy triangle which didn't get Akiyama to tap. So he then had the presence of mind to adjust his triangle, grabbed Akiyama's head, and managed to get the tap. Inspiring stuff there.

1.) Carlos Condit v. Rory MacDonald, UFC 115: Yet another come from behind victory on the ground. MacDonald looked fantastic for ten minutes of this fight, but there was only so long he could hold off the relentless Carlos Condit. Even though the Lesnar fight clearly meant more, being a title fight and selling 1.3 MILLION PPVs and all), what separates that fight from this one is the level of skill shown by both competitors. Lesnar is a dominant wrestler, and Carwin punches like a sledgehammer, but neither guy has the total package like Condit has, and like MacDonald is developing. This fight was a savage chess match, and is my favorite fight of 2010 (so far).

Honorable mention (in no particular order): Mark Munoz vs. Kendall Grove, UFC 112; Jim Miller vs. Mark Bocek, UFC 111; Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Jason Brilz, UFC 114, Mirko Cro Cop vs. Pat Barry, UFC 115, Chris Lytle vs. Matt Brown, UFC 116, Babalu Sobral vs. Robbie Lawler, Strikeforce LA; Fabricio Werdum vs. Fedor Emelianenko, Strikeforce Fedor vs. Werdum; Leonard Garcia vs. Chan Sung Jung, WEC 48; Mark Hominick vs. Yves Jabouin, WEC 49

UPCOMING ROUNDTABLE QUESTIONS

• How should Strikeforce handle the situation with Fedor with one fight remaining on his contract?

• What do you think about the UFC 119 and 120 cards with Mir-Nogueira II and Bisping Akiyama as their respective headliners?

• What are your early thoughts on how Brock Lesnar and Cain Velasquez match up in their UFC 121 showdown?