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When you look back at the careers of top level fighters, there are usually key performances which, while they don’t necessarily define a career, certainly underscore the arrival of a fighter onto the main stage.
Last Sunday at UFC on Versus 2, Jon “Bones” Jones demolished respected veteran Vladimir “The Janitor” Matyushenko and took less than two minutes in doing so. It is quite possible that in the years to come Jon Jones may have cemented himself as one of, if not the, very best light-heavyweights of all time; and it may well be last Sunday nights blitz of the Belarusian that could be deemed the arrival of “Bones” into the division's elite.
In light of this performance, and the repercussions it may have on the light-heavyweight division, it is fitting to look at five of the biggest UFC stars today and reflect on the dramatic manner in which they made their presence known.
5. Shane Carwin vs. Frank Mir (UFC 111, 2010)
Shane Carwin came into this Interim Heavyweight Title fight with Frank Mir having blasted away all 11 of his previous opponents, all in the very first round. With Brock Lesnar healthy again, and Octagon-side awaiting the winner, the pressure was on for Carwin as he took on by far his toughest opponent to date.
Carwin was taken into the third minute of a fight for the first time in his career, but that was about as far as it would go as the 265 lb. giant connected with an upper-cut and then followed with a barrage of shots that sent Mir crumbling to the canvass. Despite his best efforts to survive on the ground, the assault was too brutal for Frank Mir to withstand; and as the referee stepped in to stop the fight, Mir was left lying face down bleeding into the canvass.
Shane Carwin had now defeated the last man to face Lesnar, but there were significant differences in Carwin's victory. Mir took a heavy beating from Brock Lesnar, but this loss to Carwin was something else. It was harder, faster and left no room for doubt on just how dangerous a threat Shane Carwin posed.
As Brock Lesnar entered the Octagon to now set up the bout with Carwin at UFC the excitement reached fever pitch for what would be one of the biggest Heavyweight Title fights in UFC history.
4. Randy Couture vs. Vitor Belfort (UFC 15, 1997)
At UFC 15, talented Greco-Roman wrestler Randy Couture took on rising star Vitor “The Phenom” Belfort. Just twenty years old, and having finished all four of his previous opponents, Belfort was widely regarded as the future of MMA, while the 34 year old Couture was believed to have possibly just missed the boat for a long term career in this new era of combat sports.
Couture took Belfort into deep waters for the first time in his career using every skill in his set to literally beat the will out of his younger opponent. Belfort had absolutely no answer for Couture’s relentless pressure, and the fight was eventually stopped, awarding Couture the TKO victory.
Some say that this loss has always stayed with Vitor Belfort, while Couture moved forward to enjoy what is possibly the most decorated career in UFC history. One thing that Randy “The Natural” Couture proved that night was, as far as he is concerned at least, age is not a factor.
3. Georges St. Pierre vs. Matt Hughes II (UFC 65, 2006)
Georges St. Pierre had worked his way up the welterweight ladder seeing off all comers in his bid to seal a second showdown with champion Matt Hughes. Having compiled a record of 11-1, St. Pierre knew he was just one fight away from a chance to not only win the welterweight title but to avenge his sole career loss.
Standing in his way was the returning former champion B.J “The Prodigy” Penn. Penn came to fight and for the majority of the first round beat St. Pierre up, sending him back to his corner, his face a bleeding mess. While St. Pierre battled back to win a split decision, many believed that the Canadian had lost the fight.
After St. Pierre pulled out of UFC 63 through injury, Matt Hughes instead faced B.J Penn for the Welterweight Title and defeated the Hawaiian to retain the belt. A few months later a healthy St. Pierre was granted another date to face Hughes, with many believing the Canadian wouldn’t fare much better than the first time the two met. St. Pierre had previously struggled to deal with B.J Penn while Hughes came into this fight having just handed “The Prodigy” the first stoppage loss of his career.
However, St. Pierre put on the performance of his life. With Hughes unable to take the challenger down, St. Pierre out-struck the Champion for a majority of the first round, dropping him to the canvass as the horn sounded for the end of round one. Just a minute into the second round GSP threw a head kick which landed flush to floor the Champion again. A follow up barrage of punches and elbows forced the referee to step in and stop the fight to crown George St. Pierre the new Welterweight Champion of the world.
2. B.J Penn vs. Caol Uno (UFC 34, 2001)
Known as “The Prodigy,” B.J Penn faced Caol Uno in only his third MMA bout, with a shot at Jens Pulver and the UFC Lightweight Championship awaiting the winner of this UFC 34 clash.
Coming into this fight, Penn had finished both Joey Gilbert and Din Thomas in the very first round and would look to continue that trend here. Caol Uno came out of the blocks flying, quite literally, as he threw a wild flying kick aimed to throw “The Prodigy” off guard. Penn instantly responded with a jab that dropped Uno and followed with half a dozen vicious unanswered shots that left the Japanese star slumped and unconscious against the cage.
With only 11 seconds on the clock the eccentric Penn ran from the Octagon to the locker-room having set himself up for a title shot at Jens Pulver in what would be only the fourth fight of his MMA career.
1. Anderson Silva vs. Chris Leben (UFC Fight Night 5, 2006)
This fight is quite simply unforgettable, as Anderson “The Spider” Silva exploded onto the UFC scene with one of the most clinical displays of striking and counter-striking that you will ever see.
Ready to welcome Silva to the UFC was iron jawed brawler Chris “The Crippler” Leben, who had won all five of his UFC fights. A victory over the promising Brazilian would have likely seen Leben solidify his shot at reigning Middleweight Champion Rich “Ace” Franklin.
Chris Leben came looking for blood and pressed forward, swinging wildly at Silva while the Brazilian retreated and landed devastating counter strikes. This fight resembled a scene from the Matrix as every aggressive shot throw by Leben was avoided by Silva. In contrast, “The Spider” landed 100% of his strikes with laser beam accuracy to destroy Leben within a minute and hand “The Crippler” the first, and to this day the only, knockout loss of his career.
This victory was so clinical, and so shockingly impressive, that the UFC had no choice but to reward Anderson Silva with a title shot at Rich Franklin in only his second UFC appearance, and he's now set to defend that title for a seventh time on Saturday night.
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Chris Park is the MMATorch UK Specialist and guest columnist at ESPN.co.uk. Please email any comments or questions to Chris at; mmatorchuk@gmail.com or look us up at http://www.facebook.com/mmatorchuk2 our new MMATorch Facebook home for UK Fans!
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