Blended Martial Arts (MMA) began out as a sport that was seen by nearly all of the general public as fairly barbaric. Quick ahead to right this moment, and it is without doubt one of the fastest-growing sports activities with a fanbase that may rival every other sport. MMA has seen such a big rise because of its controversial superstars and jaw-dropping moments that hold followers entertained. Viral upset victories and knockouts which might be heard all over the world, MMA has offered so many iconic moments in fight sports activities.
ProfitDuel, the house of sportsbook promos, has picked out its most iconic MMA moments of all time. This record is just not a rating; nonetheless, these moments are all iconic for various causes and deserve a spot on this record.
Conor McGregor’s 13-Second KO of Jose Aldo
Nobody has transcended MMA into the mainstream fairly like Conor McGregor has; the Irish celebrity has gone from a rookie fighter to a worldwide determine. In a profession crammed with iconic moments, there may be one which stands out in comparison with the remainder. At UFC 194, McGregor was scheduled to face the legendary Jose Aldo, making for probably the most anticipated fights within the sport’s historical past.
After months of build-up and a world press tour, the time lastly got here for the 2 to battle. Many fighters and followers predicted Aldo to dispatch McGregor, however nobody might have predicted what really occurred. McGregor knocked out Aldo within the first 13 seconds together with his first punch to win the featherweight title. This victory shocked the world and put McGregor within the historical past books for the quickest end in UFC championship historical past.
Holly Holm Knocks Out Ronda Rousey
Ronda Rousey’s reign within the UFC was nothing wanting unimaginable, and he or she introduced girls’s MMA to the forefront of the game. Rousey was on an unimaginable streak as champion, and it regarded like there was nobody in a position to match her abilities within the octagon. However her time as champion got here to a devastating finish at UFC 193, as high contender Holly Holm viciously knocked out Rousey with a head kick that turned the MMA world the other way up.
Holm handed Rousey the primary lack of her profession, and that is nonetheless thought of to be one of many largest upset wins in MMA historical past. This second marked a monumental chapter in girls’s MMA because the passing of guard and proved that dominance is just not at all times assured.
Jon Jones Turns into the Youngest UFC Champion
Jon Jones is taken into account by the overwhelming majority of UFC followers to be the best fighter of all time. He didn’t earn this title by luck; there has not been a extra dominant fighter in MMA historical past than Jones. At simply 23 years outdated, Jones turned the youngest ever champion when he defeated the legendary Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 128. Jones took the battle on quick discover, changing his teammate Rashad Evans; Jones placed on a masterclass. He was dominant from the opening second, with this mix of dynamic hanging and relentless wrestling.
Jones stopped Rua within the third spherical and was topped the brand new light-heavyweight champion. His report because the youngest champion in UFC historical past is a mark that doesn’t seem like overwhelmed anytime quickly. This victory marked the start of an extended title reign that will span over a decade. Jones’ dominance and battle IQ have been unmatched, with nobody in a position to actually defeat him, and with this current retirement, he is without doubt one of the uncommon circumstances of somebody strolling away whereas on high.
Khabib Nurmagomedov Dominates McGregor and the Chaos That Adopted
At UFC 229, probably the most extremely anticipated battle in UFC historical past happened between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor. The buildup for the battle was tense, and issues have been getting ugly as McGregor tried every little thing he might to get into the pinnacle of Khabib. With Khabib being undefeated in MMA, loads of followers anticipated him to smash McGregor like he had completed to everybody else. Nevertheless, the trash speak and thoughts video games of McGregor swayed sure followers into believing he was mentally one step forward.
Khabib dominated the battle from begin to end together with his high-pressure wrestling fashion proving an excessive amount of to take care of. McGregor had the odd second of success, however after Khabib was in a position to drop McGregor with a proper hand, the writing was on the wall. Within the fourth spherical, Khabib managed to get the submission, and this could have been the tip of it. However Khabib was not completed, and he jumped over the cage and began to assault a member of McGregor’s group. This second overshadowed what ought to have been a marquee victory for Khabib.