#2 Big Nog vs Sapp
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Pride FC’s first HW champion and a former Interim-UFC HW champion, Antonio Rodrigo ‘Minotauro’ Nogueira faced American behemoth Bob Sapp at Pride Shockwave in August of 2002; becoming the first man to defeat the notorious, steroid-abusing Sapp.
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The 300+ pound behemoth American absolutely rag-dolled ‘Big Nog’, performing powerbombs, piledrivers and all kinds of pro-wrestling moves on him.
After getting absolutely smashed over the course of Round 1 (10-minute 1st Round in Pride), Nogueira made one of the most memorable comebacks in MMA history, by catching Sapp in a ground scramble, securing an armbar and tapping out the American.
In a moment that is now considered iconic in our sport’s young history, Big Nog cemented himself as a legend after overcoming a one-way shellacking only to come back and dominate in the very next round.
Nogueira handed Sapp his 1st loss in professional combat sports and proved to the world that martial arts competition requires much more than simply being a brute. That brings us to the King of our list or should I say ‘Emperor’...
