5 most memorable short notice wins in MMA history

#4. Michael Bisping finally reaches the top of the mountain

One of the biggest criticisms of UFC Hall of Famer Michael 'The Count' Bisping's decade-long UFC career is that he never seemed to get over the hump. Despite being in the top ten for a very long time, Bisping never got a title shot. It seemed like every time 'The Count' strung together a couple of wins, he lost to the next top guy.

He'd lose to the guy that could have brought him straight to title contention such as Rashad Evans, Dan Henderson, Chael Sonnen and Luke Rockhold. In 2016, the England-native was nearing gatekeeper status. It wasn't until 10 years and 26 fights into his UFC career that Bisping finally got over the proverbial hump.

With his monumental win over former middleweight champion and MMA GOAT-contender Anderson 'The Spider' Silva, Bisping finally beat the guy. As luck would have it, however, life threw another curveball at 'The Count'. With former middleweight champion Chris Weidman pulling out of his title rematch with then-champion Luke Rockhold, Bisping got his shot. The catch, though, was that it was on 17-days' notice.

Nonetheless, at UFC 199, against a man who had already beaten him, Bisping made all Brits proud by introducing 'Left Hook Larry'. After connecting with the now-famous left hook on Rockhold's jaw, Bisping finished the night with subsequent strikes on the ground. It was one of the most heart-warming moments in MMA history. The man's 10-year journey culminating in a fight he took on little over two weeks only adds to the drama of it all.

Watch Bisping talk about his win in this clip from Joe Rogan's podcast:

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#3. Seth Petruzelli single-handedly put EliteXC out of business

When we said "single-handedly", we meant quite literally. The relatively unknown Seth Petruzelli's short right hand that dropped EliteXC's top star, the late-great Kimbo Slice, will forever be etched in MMA lore. It started a chain of events that led to the eventual closing of EliteXC.

To make things even crazier, Seth took the fight on less than a day's notice. Yes, you read that right. Less than 24 hours against one of the hottest prospects in MMA at the time. It doesn't get more short notice than that.

When Kimbo's original opponent, UFC Hall of Famer Ken Shamrock, pulled out after suffering a cut over his eye during pre-fight practice, Petruzelli got a call to step in. Getting promoted from the prelims, Petruzelli was outweighed by more than 20 pounds and was seen as a sacrificial lamb to one of the biggest stars in the company.

In a fight that mirrored the swiftness of how it was put together, Petruzelli KO'd Slice in just 14 seconds. In the fallout, Petruzelli spoke on a morning radio show called Monsters in Orlando, shedding light on a possible underhanded manipulation by the company:

"The promoters kinda hinted to me and they gave me the money to stand and throw with him, they didn't want me to take him down. Let's just put it that way. It was worth my while to try and stand up and punch him."

While Petruzelli later recanted the statement, it sparked an investigation by the Florida State Athletic Commission into possible shady practices by EliteXC. With such heat putting pressure on the company and other speculated financial difficulties, the LA-based fight league closed its doors for good.

It all started with Petruzelli's now-infamous right hand. MMA is a crazy sport sometimes.