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Over the years, there have been fights in the UFC that have ended on such an exciting note that the only logical step was to book a rematch.
Sometimes, after the first fight, there's a lot of bad blood that develops between the two fighters that adds to the excitement for a rematch.
One great example of this is the rematch between Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz. Diaz shocked the world when he submitted 'Notorious' in the second round of their first fight. It was McGregor's first loss in the UFC, and the Irishman wanted to avenge it right away.
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So the two fighters ran it back at UFC 202 at gave us a classic five-round war. 'Mystic Mac' walked out with his hand raised at the end of the rematch. Their rivalry has become so epic that even today, fans want to see a third encounter between the two.
Other great rematches in UFC history include Demetrious Johnson vs. Henry Cejudo 2, Gray Maynard vs. Frankie Edgar 2, Rory McDonald vs. Robbie Lawler 2, and Jose Aldo vs. Chad Mendes 2.
But there have been times when UFC rematches have failed to live up to the hype created by the first fight. Sometimes, it is because one fighter has gotten significantly better over time and completely dominates the other fighter.
In other instances, it is because the fighters are familiar with their opponent, so they become more cautious and gun-shy.
On that note, here are 5 UFC rematches that weren't as good as the first fights:
#5 Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar 2 - UFC 62
The first fight between Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar took place at the finale of The Ultimate Fighter season 1 and is considered to be one of the most important fights in UFC history. Both fighters slugged it out for three rounds, with Griffin emerging victorious at the end. However, the fight was so good that UFC president Dana White awarded both Griffin and Bonnar a UFC contract.
So, it was only natural for people to have high hopes from the rematch. But it was almost impossible to match the excitement of the first fight, and that's exactly what happened. Griffin won the rematch more convincingly in a much less violent fight.
#4 Chael Sonnen vs. Anderson Silva 2 - UFC 148
Chael Sonnen came really close to becoming the UFC middleweight champion in his first fight against Anderson Silva. The 'American Gangster' used his wrestling skills to dominate Silva for the majority of the bout. Just as the fight was about to end in a decision victory for Sonnen, 'The Spider' pulled out a slick triangle armbar from his back and submitted Sonnen to retain the championship.
This obviously created a demand among the fans for a rematch, but the second encounter showed how Silva was clearly the superior fighter. 'The Spider' finished Sonnen in the second round after a poorly timed spinning backfist attempt from the 'American Gangster'.
#3 Chris Weidman vs. Anderson Silva 2 - UFC 168
Chris Weidman made history at UFC 162 when he became the first man to knock out Anderson Silva for the UFC middleweight championship. 'The Spider' was cocky during the entire fight, which led to his downfall as Weidman landed a perfectly placed punch on Silva's chin.
Fans were excited for the rematch to see whether Silva would bounce back and whether the first win was a fluke for Weidman. But no questions were answered that night.
In the second round of the much-awaited rematch, Weidman checked one of Silva's kicks which immediately snapped the Brazilian fighter's leg. The fight ended in a TKO victory for Weidman. It was one of the most gruesome injuries to ever happen in the UFC.
#2 Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson 2 - UFC 232
Alexander Gustafsson proved to be the toughest challenge for former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones as the duo put on a memorable show at UFC 165. Although the official decision went to Jones, many people believed the Swedish fighter to be the winner of the match. The rematch was bound to happen shortly.
Both fighters got a chance to correct the wrongs of the first fight at UFC 232. However, it was Jones who showed that he had grown leaps and bounds after their first encounter. 'Bones' completely outclassed 'The Mauler' and finished the challenger in the second round of the fight to reclaim the UFC light heavyweight title.
#1 Tyron Woodley vs. Stephen Thompson 2 - UFC 209
At UFC 205, when Conor McGregor became the first champ-champ in UFC history, it was the co-main event bout between Tyron Woodley and Stephen Thompson that stole the show. This was the first-ever UFC event to take place at the legendary Madison Square Garden in New York.
The fight ended in a draw, and the two welterweights matched up again for UFC 209. But the rematch turned out to be a major let-down for fans who booed multiple times during the event. The two seemingly hesitant fighters threw a very low number of strikes. Woodley ended up taking the decision win home, but the fight left a bad taste in the mouths of many MMA fans around the world.
