The 10 Greatest Light Heavyweight Title Fights In UFC History
“That might be the greatest title fight in the history of the light heavyweight division — and I don’t even know who won! What an incredible fight!”
Those are the words UFC color-commentator Joe Rogan uttered last weekend at the end of the five-round epic at UFC 165 between UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and challenger Alexander Gustafsson, a fight Jones won via razor-thin unanimous decision.
Although Rogan is often known for his hyperbole, he might have been dead-on that night. Was “Bones” vs. “The Mauler” really the greatest 205-pound title fight in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship? To determine the veracity of that statement, I went back and watched the best light heavyweight fights ever held inside the Octagon, and after countless hours of tape study, I feel as though I’ve come up with a very fair list.
Below I’ve listed what in my opinion are the top 10 light heavyweight fights in UFC history based on a mixed criteria of competitiveness, excitement level, hype, how the fight played out in comparison to its expectations, and how it ended. So without any further ado, let’s get started…
10. Lyoto Machida vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua 1, UFC 104
Kicking off the list is the controversial first fight between Lyoto Machida and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, a fight that still ranks up there with the worst-all time judging decisions in MMA history.
Machida had just knocked out Rashad Evans at UFC 98 and, in the fateful words of Joe Rogan, the “Machida Era” had commenced. However, “Shogun” had a thing or two to say about that as the former PRIDE star was coming off of two TKO wins over Hall of Famers Chuck Liddell and Mark Coleman, and he wanted to prove to everyone it was he, not Machida, who was the best light heavyweight in the world at the time.
For five rounds, Machida and “Shogun” went toe-to-toe in the Octagon and although Machida definitely had his moments in the match, it appeared to most observers that there would be a new light heavyweight champion crowned, as Rua landed a ton of brutal leg kicks to Machida that left the champ’s torso and thighs looking like a bruised peach.
But while “Shogun” arguably won every round of the fight, the judges somehow saw the fight in favor of Machida, with all three scoring the bout 48-47 in favor of “The Dragon” despite the volume of leg kicks thrown by Rua, leading judge Cecil People to idiotically declare that leg kicks don’t finish fights. UFC president Dana White saw things differently, however, and set up an immediate rematch at UFC 113 where Rua KO’d Machida into oblivion — a happy ending to an infamous screwjob.
9. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Dan Henderson, UFC 75
The UFC promoted this fight as a title unification bout between Jackson, who had just won the UFC title from Chuck Liddell via first-round TKO at UFC 71, and Henderson, who was a two-division champ coming over from PRIDE. But even though it was a title fight, since it took place in England the UFC decided to put the tape-delayed event on SPIKE TV instead of pay-per-view, which turned out to be a great idea as 4.7 million viewers tuned in to watch what became one of the biggest MMA fights in TV history.
The match delivered as much action as it promised, with Henderson and “Rampage” going back-and-forth for five rounds with both men displaying their excellence in striking and wrestling. After it was all said and done, “Rampage” won a unanimous decision, a victory that gave him the only successful defense of his UFC light heavyweight title. As for Henderson, he finally earned another crack at the UFC light heavyweight title in 2012 — a full five years after the fight with Rampage — but after the fiasco of UFC 151 he never ended up getting his shot at the belt. And at 43 years old now and coming off of two losses, it’s doubtful that he will again.
8. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Forrest Griffin, UFC 86
Rampage’s next outing was his five-round battle at UFC 86 against Forrest Griffin, which followed a coaching stint on The Ultimate Fighter season seven — the same show that rocketed Griffin to stardom just three years earlier.
Griffin entered the fight as a big underdog, as most fans thought Jackson’s knockout power and wrestling skills would make it an easy second title defense for him. But the fight sure didn’t play out that way, as Griffin used leg kicks and submission attempts to make it competitive throughout and a true coin-flip on the judges’ cards.
At the end of five rounds, Griffin was announced the winner by unanimous decision and in the process became the second TUF winner to win a UFC title (after Matt Serra the previous year). However, the fight was not without controversy as “Rampage” and many media and fans felt he should have won the decision.
But he didn’t, and that night at UFC 86 was the last time Jackson would ever hold a UFC belt. As for Griffin, he fought another TUF winner, Rashad Evans, in his first title defense at UFC 92, and was knocked out. And, like Jackson, he never came close to sniffing the belt ever again.
7. Jon Jones vs. Vitor Belfort, UFC 152
The seventh fight on this list is one of three bouts to feature current UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, and it only came together as a result of the debacle that was UFC 151. Jones had been set to face Dan Henderson at UFC 151, but “Hendo” pulled out of the fight just a week earlier and Jones refused to face Chael Sonnen on short notice. After Lyoto Machida refused to fight Jones for a second time on short notice, the UFC then recruited middleweight Vitor Belfort to move back up to 205 and try to win back the UFC light heavyweight championship, a belt he held briefly in 2004 when he “stopped” Randy Couture with a cut at UFC 46.
Belfort wasn’t supposed to stand a chance in the matchup, but in the first round he caught Jones in a tight armbar and nearly shocked the world. However, Jones — even though he damaged his arm in the process — fought through the early adversity and then poured it on a game Belfort until the fourth round, when the champ was able to coax a stoppage with a keylock submission.
Although he did win, the fight wasn’t as one-sided as Jones’s previous conquests and it showed that the champ was vulnerable and not as unstoppable as many had previously thought, a point which was driven home in his most recent fight against Alexander Gustafsson. As for Belfort, he used the loss to Jones as fuel for a run at middleweight and he’s since knocked out Michael Bisping and Luke Rockhold in scintillating fashion to emerge as one of the top contenders at 185 pounds.
6. Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida, UFC 140
2011 saw Jon Jones choke out Ryan Bader, become light heavyweight champion with a TKO of Shogun Rua, and stop Quinton Jackson with a fourth-round rear-naked choke. For an encore performance, he would have his fourth fight of the year against Lyoto Machida. It turned out to be by far his most difficult match to date, as the elusive Machida was able to outstrike Jones in round one and even rock the young champion at one point, something which no one else had ever done to him inside the Octagon.
But Jones battled back hard and in the second round he began taking it to Machida before snatching “The Dragon’s” neck in a standing guillotine choke. As soon as the referee told Jones to break, he let the choke go and Machida dropped to the canvas, unconscious and with his eyes pointing into nowhere. Jones, meanwhile, just walked away.
Jones has since made four more title defenses to break the former record held by Tito Ortiz, proving without a doubt he is the greatest light heavyweight fighter in the history of the sport. As for Machida, he’s since dropped down to 185 pounds as he looks to become the third fighter in UFC history to win belts in two different weight classes after Randy Couture and BJ Penn previously accomplished the feat.
5. Chuck Liddell vs. Tito Ortiz II, UFC 66
The title-fight rematch between Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz was so popular amongst fans that it became the first UFC event to ever sell over one million pay-per-view buys; it also did a gate of over $5.4 million which, at the time, was the gold standard for MMA events in North America.
The feud between Liddell and Ortiz had grown to epic proportions, and although Liddell did knock Ortiz out in their first fight at UFC 47, Ortiz felt he could still beat Liddell. At UFC 66, Ortiz definitely gave Liddell a hell of a fight during the peak of The Iceman’s career.
Although Ortiz ultimately fell short and was TKO’d late in the third round, he showed improved toughness and gave the fans a show, ultimately the most important consideration in the fight business. By the way, the fight would also mark the last time Ortiz competed for a UFC title.
As for Liddell, this fight marked the start of his decline as he would go on to lose five of the final six bouts of his storied career. Known for his heavy hands, UFC 66 was the last time Liddell ever earned a stoppage victory in the Octagon.
4. Frank Shamrock vs. Tito Ortiz, UFC 22
The classic brawl at UFC 22 between Frank Shamrock and Tito Ortiz is the only fight on this list to take place before the year 2000 (it happened in September 1999), and the only fight on this list to actually be for the old UFC “middleweight” title; however, that’s the same belt that would eventually become the current light heavyweight title, so it’s fair game to be included on the list.
The fight was scheduled for five rounds between the young buck Ortiz and the young vet Shamrock, who had defended his belt three times before taking on “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy.” And it turned out to be one of the greatest fights in UFC history as it featured both men displaying all the skills of a well-rounded mixed martial artist years ahead of their time.
Even though Ortiz had all the hype behind him and was thought to have the physical edge, Shamrock proved he was the better man as he was able to take Ortiz into the deep waters and force him to tap to strikes late in the fourth round for his fourth successful title defense.
Shamrock retired after the bout and briefly left the UFC without a middleweight champion. At UFC 25 Ortiz would fight Wanderlei Silva and win the vacant title. Ortiz would then go on to break Shamrock’s record for UFC light heavyweight title defenses, even though he never actually beat “The Legend” inside the cage.
3. Tito Ortiz vs. Ken Shamrock I, UFC 40
What a war this was!
Tito Ortiz and Ken Shamrock were ultimate rivals just when the UFC needed them the most, and the pair helped the company jump out of the dark ages by promoting what was, at the time, “the biggest fight in UFC history” according to UFC play-by-play commentator Mike Goldberg. And “Goldie” backed up his claim by announcing a then-record attendance at MGM Grand Garden Arena of 14,000 before the pair faced off in the main event of UFC 40.
The hype-loaded build-up to the fight was incredible, and in the early years of MMA, it was by far the most-anticipated fight on the planet. Even thought I was only 14 years old when it happened, I remember the buzz surrounding this fight, mainly because of Shamrock’s involvement in pro wrestling, and I remember buying the hype; everyone did.
Luckily, the fight turned out to be as good as advertised, with Shamrock and Ortiz exchanging wildly early in the first round to the crowd’s delight, before Ortiz took advantage of his superior strength and conditioning, winning the fight via corner stoppage TKO after three rounds despite Shamrock exhibiting what Joe Rogan called “the heart of a lion” during the match, surviving an extended assault at the hands (and feet, and elbows, and knees) of Ortiz.
The pair would fight two more times, each time Ortiz winning by knockout, and although the 0-3 trilogy result for Shamrock looks awful, the record doesn’t speak to the importance of this fight right when the UFC needed a boost the most, and that’s why it deserves to be ranked at #3 among the all-time greatest 205-pound title fights.
2. Chuck Liddell vs. Randy Couture I, UFC 43
The second-best light heavyweight title fight in UFC history was the first fight between Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture, which took place at UFC 43 all the way back in 2003. And, even though it took place more than a decade ago, it’s still one of the greatest fights I’ve ever seen with my two eyes.
Although Liddell was the No. 1 contender for the title, Tito Ortiz wouldn’t fight him for whatever reason and instead the UFC booked an interim title fight between Liddell and former UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture, who had been chased down to 205 after losing two-straight fights to Josh Barnett and Ricco Rodriguez.
Couture entered the fight against the streaking Liddell as the underdog, but UFC 43 turned out to be another one of those magical nights for The Natural, who showed solid boxing and wrestling skills that surprised everyone, but most of all Liddell, who showed up to the fight out of shape and unprepared for what Couture had in store for him.
And that was a mistake, as Couture was able to impose his grinding wrestling game to wear Liddell down for over two rounds before finishing him off with a swarm of punches in round three to become the UFC interim light heavyweight champion.
Couture then fought Ortiz at UFC 44 and defended the belt before losing it via a cut to Vitor Belfort at UFC 46, then winning it back from “The Phenom” at UFC 49. As for Liddell, he ended up fighting Couture twice more, at UFC 52 and UFC 57, and both times The Iceman showed that fight at UFC 43 was an anomaly as he beat Couture via KO on each occasion on his road to becoming the greatest light heavyweight in UFC history — that is, until Jon Jones came along.
1. Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson, UFC 165
I tried very hard to prove Joe Rogan wrong and pick another fight as the top light heavyweight title match of all time, but the UFC’s always-colorful color-commentator was speaking the truth: The UFC 165 bout between Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson IS the best UFC light heavyweight title fight ever.
My hat goes off to both men, but especially the Swedish challenger, as a bout most thought was a to be a mismatch on paper turned out to be the most competitive and thrilling of all the 205-pound title fights the UFC has ever held. Sure, Lyoto Machida vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua I was a very close fight, but at the end of the day that fight was universally regarded as a robbery against Rua, and isn’t remembered fondly by most fans. In the case of Jones vs. Gustafsson, though, everyone knows it was just a close fight that was very hard to score, as both men laid it all out on the line for a full 25 minutes. Both fighters deserved to be called winners that night, but under the harsh (and subjective) reality of the 10-point must system, Jones ended up winning the unanimous decision.
I have to admit an inherent bias to this list, as I was in attendance at Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada that night, and the energy of the crowd — especially after the fourth round of the fight — was unbelievable, and it’s part of what swayed me to place this bout at #1 on the list. I’ve attended many fights in my lifetime and the only things that compared to the atmosphere inside the arena at the end of the fourth round of Jones vs. Gustafsson were the crane kick KO that Machida scored against Randy Couture at UFC 129 and the fifth round of Mark Hominick vs. Jose Aldo on that same night. But the difference was that the Rogers Centre was packed with 55,000 fans that night back in April 2011; at UFC 165, there were just 15,500 fans in the building, even though it sure sounded like more than that.
From my seat about 100 feet away, I scored the fight 48-47 Jones, giving Gustafsson the first two rounds and Jones the last three. In the fourth round, I had Gustafsson leading until Jones hit him with a spinning back elbow and stole the round back with a series of brutal elbow and knee strikes. That elbow turned the fight on a dime and it may be the single most important reason why Jones retained his title last Saturday night, setting the UFC record for most successful title defenses (six). That, and his champion’s heart which compelled him to fight harder as the match went on instead of fading.
I’ve re-watched the fight several times on tape and I still think Jones won 48-47, but I believe there is the argument to be made that Gustafsson won the first three rounds of the fight. The UFC obviously saw differently, though, and that’s the reason why Glover Teixeira is getting the next title shot and why Gustafsson isn’t getting an immediate rematch – or maybe they’re just buying time before a blockbuster rematch next summer at Cowboys Stadium. Who knows how promoters actually work?
There’s one thing I do know for sure, though, and it’s that I knew the whole time while watching the Jones vs. Gustafsson fight that I was witnessing one of the greatest fights of all time. It was the same feeling I got when I watched Dan Henderson vs. “Shogun” at UFC 139 — it was a fight that’s so close and competitive for five rounds that a draw almost seems like the fairer outcome. And while I admit “Shogun” vs. “Hendo” is still my pick for the greatest UFC fight of all time, Jones vs. Gustafsson is right up there — definitely top 10 and likely top five. But that’s a list for another day.