5 best UFC fights of 2023 so far

The UFC continues to reach new heights with every passing year, and 2023 has delivered no shortage of high-level MMA. The first half of the year has already blown by and we thought we'd revisit the best fights so far.

Fans have been treated to some truly spectacular fights in the first six months of 2023, which we've ranked below. Honorable mentions include Cory Sandhagen vs. Marlon Vera, Alex Caceres vs. Daniel Pineda, Kelvin Gastelum vs. Chris Curtis and Davey Grant vs. Rafael Assuncao.

On that note, here are the five craziest UFC fights of 2023 so far.

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#5. C.J. Vergara vs. Daniel Lacerda – UFC San Antonio

After securing a UFC contract with a stunning knockout on Dana White's Contender Series back in 2021, C.J. Vergara went 1-2 in his first three fights in the famed octagon. He was added to the UFC San Antonio line-up earlier this year, and being the only local fighting on the card, he absolutely stole the show.

CJ Vergara vs. Daniel Lacerda – UFC San Antonio

C.J. Vergara squared off against Daniel da Silva on the UFC San Antonio prelims. The raucous crowd was behind the local fighter right from the get-go and they were treated to a sensational comeback victory.

Silva dominated Vergara in the opening round, dropping the San Antonio native multiple times. At one point in the first round, Silva was chasing Vergara around the cage, but somehow, the American made it to the second round.

Vergara came back with a vengeance in the second round. Silva seemingly exhausted his gas tank in the first five minutes while chasing the finish and couldn't keep up with Vergara's pace in the second. With under a minute left in the round, the American flyweight smashed his way to a TKO victory, sending the fans into a frenzy.

Both fighters came away with Fight of the Night honors for their back-and-forth barnburner, and they shared a wholesome moment backstage after the fight.

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#4. Justin Gaethje vs. Rafael Fiziev – UFC 286

Justin Gaethje has made more money from post-fight bonuses than many fighters have made in their entire career. Aptly nicknamed 'The Highlight', Gaethje enthralled an English crowd in London with his memorable fight against Rafael Fiziev at UFC 286, picking up yet another $50,000 bonus.

Justin Gaethje was coming off his disappointing showing against Charles Oliveira last year. The former interim champion was looking to return to title contention by dispatching surging lightweight Rafael Fiziev, in a matchup that many felt Gaethje would be out of his depth.

Fiziev started strong, slamming many hard leg kicks into Gaethje's calf in the opening round. Being the more technical striker, it felt as though 'Ataman' was just too quick for his American counterpart.

Gaethje made the right adjustments in the second round and started having more success with his hands. He strayed from his usual chaotic approach, showing new layers to his game as he landed on Fiziev at will with his powerful hooks. The third round was much of the same, with Gaethje landing a takedown in the dying seconds of the fight to seal the decision.

Fiziev and Gaethje are among the most watchable fighters on the roster and this fight was always going to deliver. Ultimately, the old guard fended off the next generation to keep his place in the top tier of the division.

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#3. Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski – UFC 284

One of the most technical fights of 2023 so far headlined the UFC 284 pay-per-view in Perth, Australia, where Aussie featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski was looking to claim double-champ status when he took on lightweight titleholder Islam Makhachev.

This fight had everything, and irrespective of the polarizing judges' decision, Volkanovski gave Makhachev the toughest fight of his career.

The opening round was fairly close, with Alexander Volkanovski making inroads with his crisp striking and Islam Makhachev finishing the round in a solid ground position. Volkanovski performed well in the next two rounds, which largely played out on the feet before Makhachev dominated the fourth.

Going into the final frame, it was unclear who was ahead. The first four minutes of the round were somewhat even, before 'The Great' dropped the lightweight champion with a minute left on the clock. Volkanovski then pounded out Makhachev until the final bell.

After the bout, both fighters admitted to being surprised by one another. Volkanovski was impressed with Makhachev's striking and the 155-champion was clearly taken aback by the strength and defensive wrestling of his Australian counterpart. In the end, the judges gave the decision to Makhachev.

The judges' decision divided the MMA community, with many calling for a rematch. It feels as though these two will run it back at some point, and we can't wait to see it.

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#2. Jared Cannonier vs. Marvin Vettori

This next entry deserved a sold-out arena watching on. Nevertheless, we're thankful we got to see the fight, which went down at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, where top-ranked middleweights Jared Cannonier and Marvin Vettori threw down in the UFC Vegas 75 main event.

Jared Cannonier and Marvin Vettori have both tried and failed at dethroning middleweight king Israel Adesanya, with both fighters losing decisions to 'The Last Stylebender'. Cannonier and Vettori were looking to return to title contention when they locked horns at the UFC Apex, eager to show off their improvements.

Vettori enjoyed a solid start, catching Cannonier numerous times in the opening round every time 'Tha Killa Gorilla' went southpaw. Cannonier stuck with his orthodox stance from the second round onwards and put an absolute beating on 'The Italian Dream' over the next four rounds.

What made this fight so special was Vettori's toughness. The Italian showed why he's never been finished in his career, taking all of Cannonier's thunderous strikes. While he was clearly outclassed, his fighting spirit all the way to the final bell made this a very enjoyable five-round affair.

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#1. Geoff Neal vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov – UFC 285

The best fight of the year so far went down at UFC 285 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. On the undercard of Jon Jones' much-anticipated heavyweight debut, Shavkat Rakhmonov and Geoff Neal delivered a slugfest for the ages, which turned out to be the breakthrough moment for one of the most intriguing fighters on the planet.

Going into UFC 285, Shavkat Rakhmonov not only boasted an unblemished professional record, but he had also finished every opponent had faced in his career. Looking to keep his 100% finishing rate intact, the Kazakh phenom was pushed to the absolute limit by top-ranked contender Geoff Neal.

Neal's sharp boxing gave Rakhmonov problems throughout the fight. Every time they entered the pocket, 'Handz of Steel' was getting the better of the exchanges. However, he was struggling at range against his Kazakh foe, taking many kicks to the body and head.

Neal seemingly came close to putting Rakhmonov away for good early in the third round, but the unbeaten prospect rallied back soon after and it felt as though the judges' scorecards would be all over the place. However, in the final stages of the round, 'Nomad' locked in a standing neck choke out of nowhere, forcing the tap from Neal.

While the fight unveiled certain limitations in Rakhmonov's game, the fact that he came away with his perfect record and finishing rate intact while battling severe adversity showed just how good he really is.