A. Nunes, A. Silva, K. Nurmagomedov and R. Rousey are highlights in the 14 years of SUPER FIGHTS. Photo: SUPER FIGHTS montage
What were you doing in 2011, 2013, 2015, etc…? Were you already interested in MMA? In celebration of the 14th anniversary of SUPER FIGHTS, our team selected 14 news stories that marked an era in mixed martial arts. Of course, not everything is rosy, but there are epic episodes that stirred the spirits of sports fans.
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Among the topics covered are some disappointments, surprises and failures. However, there are also reasons to smile, such as historical achievements and evolution within the sport.
1) 2011: UFC returns to Brazil after 13 years
A. Silva (photo) is considered one of the best fighters of all time. Photo: Reproduction/Twitter @spideranderson
With several representatives who helped to spread MMA as we know it today, Brazil remains a great reference in the sport. The country, however, went 13 years without hosting a fighting show from the largest mixed martial arts organization in the world on its territory.
The last – and only – Ultimate event held on Brazilian soil had been the modest 'UFC Brazil', which brought Vitor belfort e Wanderlei Silva as protagonists. Although it introduced fans to names that would emerge in combat sports, the show didn't come close to what would happen in 2011.
Rio de Janeiro was the location chosen for the Ultimate delegation's return to the Brazilian country. The main star: Anderson Silva, which reigned supreme as the company's biggest name. On that occasion, 'Spider' would defend his middleweight belt against Yushin Okami, knocking out the Japanese in the second round.
With a stage set up in the 'Marvelous City', the event also brought names such as Mauritius Shogun, Edson Barboza e Rodrigo Minotauro.
2) First fight between women in the UFC
R. Rousey (photo) was the first woman to be contacted by the UFC in 2013. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram @rondarousey
MMA genius and legend, Dana White is one of those largely responsible for the advancement of the sport in the world. The 'boss' of Ultimate, however, 'dropped the ball' and, to this day, 'burns his tongue' when it comes to 'women in MMA'.
Almost 10 years ago, a statement from Ultimate's leader went around the world. At the time, White stated that fans of the sport would 'never' see a fight between women within his organization.
Without fear of contradicting herself, it didn't take long for Dana to change her stance on women's MMA and, in February 2013, the story was written.
As the big star of UFC 157, held in Anaheim (USA), Ultimate brought Ronda Rousey: bantamweight champion in Strikeforce, undefeated in MMA and Olympic medalist. The bet on the blonde was successful and, upon finishing Liz Carmouche in the show, the fighter's success was immediate and the fighter became a true phenomenon in the sport.
To this day, the American, retired in 2016, is remembered by many as being largely responsible for the spread of mixed martial arts among women.
3) Surprise and sadness: Anderson Silva is dethroned
C. Weidman shocks the world by knocking out A. Silva. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram
Considered by MMA fans as the greatest representative of the sport of all time, Anderson Silva ended up being the pivot of one of the biggest surprises in the history of the sport. In 2013, the Brazilian, who reigned supreme in the UFC middleweight division, saw his throne taken by a hitherto unknown Chris Weidman.
July 6, 2013 will forever be etched in the memory of everyone who followed the fateful UFC 162. Famous for almost always getting past his opponents with ease, Silva ended up suffering his first defeat in Ultimate in a hard way.
After provoking Chris, trying to induce his rival to make a mistake, the one who ended up surprised was the champion himself. In the second round, after some dodges, the North American found the distance and 'erased' the Brazilian with a clean cross to the chin. There, the longest undefeated streak in UFC history ended, which continues to this day.
Even defeated, the prestige of 'Spider' continued unabated. An immediate rematch, then, was a given.
4) Drama in the Anderson Silva rematch
A. Silva expresses solidarity with C. Weidman after UFC 261. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook
Just under five months after his historic defeat, the time had come for Anderson Silva get revenge on Weidman. The stage, as in the first meeting, was set in Las Vegas (USA) and the expectation was to regain the throne.
For the duel, Silva appeared more focused and willing to regain the crown. What no one imagined, however, was that a tragedy was close to happening.
In the second round, spectators were able to watch the agony of one of the biggest names in MMA history. By risking a low kick, saved by Chris, the Brazilian ended up suffering a serious injury, collapsing after a wound that, to the naked eye, made a fracture clear.
After the incident, the confrontation was immediately stopped and Anderson was taken to the hospital. After the tragedy, the Brazilian legend went through a long recovery process, returning to the octagon in January 2015, when he faced Nick Diaz.
5) Zero tolerance: USADA arrives at the UFC
D. White at a UFC press conference. Photo: Reproduction/YouTube
The now famous USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency) in 2015 was not so well known among some sports fans. Entity responsible for accusing legendary cyclist Lance Armstrong in the sport's scandal in 2012, the organization would start to deal closely with doping issues within Ultimate.
The UFC's action with USADA was to make the sport fairer and cleaner. From then on, several athletes would be caught and, sometimes, fired or suspended, depending on the severity of the case.
Frequency exams began operating on July 1st. Since then, all athletes have been required to undergo testing.
While some fighters fail, others are rewarded for passing the anti-doping test 'intact'. When athletes surpass the mark of 50 assessments without fail, they receive a recognition 'jacket'.
6) Fall of an empire with record attendance
R. Rousey is retired from MMA. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook RondaRousey
November 14, 2015 is forever marked in the history of Ultimate. On that date, the event was bold and took its entourage to Melbourne, Australia, and promoted a show for more than 56 thousand people at the Etihad Estadium.
The mark reached by the organization ended up surpassing a historic record that belonged to the card headlined by Georges St-Pierre and Jake Shields, in 2011. The event topped the list after bringing 55.724 thousand people to the Rogers Centre, in Toronto (Canada), and ended up being surpassed by around a thousand fans.
The event that surpassed 'St-Pierre x Shields' was the UFC 193, which stars Ronda Rousey and Holly Holm. In addition to surpassing the 2011 mark, fans of the show watched the fall of one of the most important reigns in the history of Ultimate.
Female MMA legend, Ronda Rousey He ended up experiencing the first defeat of his career in brutal fashion. Victim of an opponent who was more efficient on the feet, a high kick wiped out the then champion, propelling Holm to immediate stardom.
7) UFC 198: Anticlimax at the biggest event in Brazil
F. Werdum was defeated by S. Miocic at an event in Curitiba. Photo: Reproduction/Twitter UFCBrasil
Famous for revealing several names for world MMA, Curitiba had never hosted an Ultimate event in its history. The city, home to the renowned 'Chute Boxe', however, entered the map of Dana White's company in 2016.
As the main star, the new heavyweight champion (up to 120,2kg.), Fabricio Werdum tried to maintain his throne against the feared Stipe Miocic. The chosen location: Arena da Baixada, home of Athletico Paranaense.
Protagonist of the show, Fabrício ended up not having the expected result in the confrontation. After using the 'Victory Theme' - music that covered Ayrton Senna's Formula 1 triumphs - upon his entrance to the octagon, the excitement was short-lived. Faced with an opponent famous for his fist strength, the gaucho succumbed after a well-aimed counterattack, getting knocked out in the first round and losing the throne.
Even with Werdum's stumble, the fans turned out in large numbers. In total, there were more than 45 thousand spectators, marking, at the time, the third largest audience in the company's history.
8) UFC is sold
D. White in a post-UFC 267. Photo: Reproduction/YouTube
With a strong and consolidated name in the martial arts universe, Ultimate surprised the world when it was sold in July 2016. The scenario was historic. The company had just made big money with the epic UFC 200, which featured big stars.
What shocked happened days later. The board confirmed suspicions that 'William Morris Endeavor/IMG', a famous Hollywood agency, would buy the organization and the value was around US$4 billion (more than R$20 billion today).
With the agreement, Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta ended up leaving their positions and would become minority partners. A world-renowned face at the head of the company, Dana White would be kept in his position and would continue to hold a prominent position in the largest MMA organization in the world.
9) Khabib and McGregor extrapolate rivalry
K. Nurmagomedov submits C. McGregor at UFC 229. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram
Considered, by many, as the greatest rivalry in the history of MMA, the legendary Khabib Nurmagomedov e Conor McGregor they let their differences go beyond the limits of the Octagon. Protagonists of the biggest audience event in the history of the sport, at UFC 229, in October 2018, the athletes were at the center of great confusion after the fight won by the Russian.
The success of the confrontation was already guaranteed even before the lightweights (up to 70,3kg) shared the Octagon. With provocations from both sides, insults, disrespect and even a violation of a bus driven by athletes, there was a chance that the 'circus' would not end well.
The duel took place on October 6, in Las Vegas, and would put two of the biggest names in the company's recent history face to face. In the confrontation, Khabib ended up proving his superiority, nullifying his rival for a large part of the confrontation, until reaching a submission in the fourth round.
The victory would have been enough for Nurmagomedov to be crowned the best lightweight at that time, but the victory was not enough for the Russian. After forcing the Irishman to withdraw, Khabib shocked the world by jumping over the containment bars and starting a full-blown fight with the 'Notório' team. The confusion spread to the public and the athletes had to leave the octagon accompanied by security guards.
The controversy prevented Nurmagomedov from receiving the belt from Dana White, breaking the company's tradition. Weeks later, the fighters were tried and punished for the altercation.
10) Amanda Nunes makes history in women's MMA
A. Nunes owns two UFC belts. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram
2016 was a huge year for women's MMA in Brazil. That season, Bahia gave sports fans one of the biggest names in the sport.
Synonymous with perseverance, an athlete with the nickname 'Lioness' would begin one of the greatest careers within Ultimate. Famous for her aggressiveness and versatility, Amanda reached the top of the world after a real run over in front of the iconic Miesha Tate. Without taking notice of the North American, Nunes submitted her opponent and, from then on, would begin an impeccable trajectory.
Undisputed UFC bantamweight champion (up to 61,2kg), Amanda needed to prove herself once again within the company. Willing to win her second belt, the Brazilian took on the challenge of facing the legendary and dangerous Chris CyborgIn 2018.
In the confrontation between Brazilian stars, Nunes managed, for the second time, to shock the world. In front of the fierce Cyborg, Pojucana once again proved to have sharp hands and didn't give her compatriot a chance.
Erasing Cyborg in the first round, Amanda became the first woman to win two consecutive Ultimate titles in women's MMA. Since 2020, the Bahian has continued to defend her reign in both categories and increasingly consolidates herself as the best fighter of all time.
11) Pandemic interrupts UFC calendar
UFC spent just over a month without holding events.. Photo: Reproduction / Instagram @ufc
The year 2020 was marked by difficulties regarding the Covid-19 pandemic. Within the uncertainty and dangers of the lethality of a virus that has taken and continues to take the lives of millions of people around the world, problems have affected the world of sports.
Several organizations interrupted their calendars and, with Ultimate, it was no different. Even though we were willing to continue with the schedule, trying our best to keep the athletes safe, there came a time when it was not advisable to take risks. Like this, on March 7, Dana White and her team 'surrendered' and officially canceled three events that would follow.
In a statement, White stated that the position was not the one chosen by the UFC, but the one that would be accepted at the moment.
“We have no other choice now but to postpone these fights. So, we are postponing the next three events,” Dana said at the time.
Disappointed at not being able to maintain the schedule, White did not rest until he found a solution to resume activities. At the time, the president of the company said that he would be the first promoter to return with events, and the 'boss' complied.
12) UFC resumes activities
UFC Apex hosted Ultimate fights during the public ban period. Photo: Reproduction/Twitter
From the forced stoppage to the return of activities, it took just over 30 days. Fulfilling the promise he had made to the fans, Dana White and his team shocked again and announced the return of Ultimate in a show that would be held in Jacksonville, on May 9th.
Along with the confirmation, the company published a safety protocol that would be followed to the letter so that the risk of infection by Covid-19 for those involved could be minimized. Thus, fans were strictly prohibited from attending the venues.
The initial expectation was to promote the utopian struggle between Khabib Nurmagomedov e Tony Ferguson for the lightweight belt (up to 70,3kg.). The confrontation, however, ended up being canceled for the fifth time.
'Stranded' in Russia to maintain health security at airports, Nurmagomedov was prevented from traveling to the United States. Without the linear champion, it was up to Ultimate to summon Justin gaethje to face 'Bicho Papão', in a clash for the interim title.
In addition to the main fight, won by Gaethje, the UFC 249 It also brought a fight for the bantamweight title (up to 61,2kg.) between Henry Cejudo e Dominick Cruz.
13) The return of the public
Madison Square Garden is one of the martial arts stages. Photo: Reproduction
After promoting events without fans throughout 2020, one question always reached the ears of organizations: when will the public return to the arenas?
For the UFC, the mystery ended up being closed in March 2021. After more than a year without feeling the energy of fans in an arena, Ultimate announced the long-awaited UFC 261, also in Jacksonville, with three title fights.
The announcement was made through a post by Dana White on social media. The president spoke with pride and invited fans to fill the house.
14) Important retirements
K. Nurmagomedov has no regrets about retirement Photo: Reproduction/Instagram
Over the course of 14 years, several MMA icons made the tough decision to abandon the sport. Some names deserve to be highlighted.
Brazilian legend and favorite of mixed martial arts fans around the world, Rodrigo Minotauro left the sport in August 2015. The announcement came after the defeat to Stefan struve.
Twin of Minotaur, Rogério Minotouro also left mixed martial arts. Pride icon, like his brother, the athlete hung up his gloves after ending the historic trilogy with Mauritius Shogun, in July 2020.
One of those responsible for the current success of women's MMA, Ronda Rousey He ended up not having the end of his career that he expected. Former Strikeforce and UFC bantamweight queen, the blonde ended up not absorbing well the hard setback she suffered to Holly holm, in 2015 and, in his attempt to regain the belt, he ended up stopping in front of the new legend, Amanda nunes. Against the Bahian, the North American practically couldn't touch the new champion and ended up brutalized in the first round.
MMA living legend and former UFC double champion, Randy Couture also left the sport with a tough defeat. Just like Ronda, the North American struggled in his last performance and succumbed to Lyoto Machida. The Brazilian's victory, in 2011, ended up marking an era, with a kick à la 'Karate Kid', which obliterated the veteran and ended his participation in the sport.
Considered by some to be the best heavyweight of all time in MMA, Cain Velazquez was at the top of the group up to 120,2kg. twice. The athlete, who dealt with injuries during his career, ended up having his career in the sport interrupted prematurely. Executioner of junior gypsy in two situations, it was with a tough defeat to Francis Ngannou that the fighter said goodbye to the octagon. The setback happened in February 2019.
Velasquez's personal friend, Daniel Cormier recently said goodbye to MMA. A legend in the recent history of the sport, the athlete, who won the company's second belt in 2018, also did not have the goodbye he would have liked. After winning the heavyweight title at UFC 226, DC began his heavyweight reign and even defended the throne on one occasion. Subsequently, the same Miocic, who had been a victim the previous year, became the executioner. Cormier ended up badly knocked out in 2019 and, in the trilogy, in 2020, he was beaten again, this time, by points. The new stumble ended the career of the fighter, who became a commentator in the company.
In October last season, martial arts fans were able to see history being written by one of the best fighters of all time. Unquestionable lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov he put an end to a successful career in the sport and left the sport undefeated, with 29 consecutive triumphs. The athlete's decision came immediately after deleting Justin gaethje in a confrontation for the unification of the group's belt. The Russian justified his position with the death of his father and mentor, Abdulmanap, victim of Covid-19, a few months ago.
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