5 UFC fights that matched the McGregor vs Khabib hype

#3 Randy Couture vs Chuck Liddell 2 - UFC 52 (April 16, 2005)

Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell exchange blows

In 2005, hugely popular veteran fighter, Randy Couture was enjoying a career resurgence in the Light-Heavyweight division, having upset Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz and Vitor Belfort in Light-Heavyweight bouts.

Seeking revenge for his loss to Couture at UFC 43, a more experienced Liddell was a much greater match for his experienced opponent at UFC 52.

Adding to the hype was the fact that Couture and Liddell had been competing coaches in the first season of the Ultimate Fighter reality series that gave the winner a UFC contract. The show launched the UFC and MMA much further into the mainstream and led to the massive hype for the Couture-Liddell sequel.

Liddell had been craving the Light-Heavyweight Championship for years but despite his dominance had never been granted a shot.

This time he had it against one of the only two men to defeat him in his last six years of competition.

The match sold itself but the hype machine was still in full force and the event attracted a then huge 280,000 buys.