5 UFC rematches that we waited for years to see

#4 Vitor Belfort vs. Randy Couture – UFC 15 & UFC 46 (7 years)

Randy Couture and Vitor Belfort first fought in the UFC's early days, and then rematched in 2004

When Vitor Belfort first debuted in the UFC back in 1997, he seemed invincible. ‘The Phenom’ mixed a high-level Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu game with insane hand speed and punching power. Crude brawlers like Scott Ferrozzo and Tank Abbott simply couldn’t live with him.

So when Greco-Roman wrestler and former Olympic alternate Randy Couture became the first fighter to beat him, UFC fans were treated to one of the most memorable upsets of the promotion’s early years.

The fight took place at UFC 15 in October 1997. By the time UFC 46 came around seven years later, Couture and Belfort were still around, unlike the majority of fighters from that era.

Not only were they still around, but they were still among the best fighters on the planet at 205lbs, with Couture holding the UFC light-heavyweight title and Belfort recently returning to the UFC in his best form in years.

Based on the fame of their initial fight seven years earlier, it made sense for the UFC to book a rematch between the two, this time with Couture’s title on the line. It felt like a cool throwback to the UFC’s older days, but was still highly relevant at the time too.

Jan31.2004Vitor Belfort def. Randy Couture by TKO,to become the new UFC Light Heavyweight Champion pic.twitter.com/LIAVOg805a

— MMA History Today (@MMAHistoryToday) February 1, 2020

Unfortunately, the rematch turned out to be a disaster, as Couture suffered an eye injury that forced a stoppage in less than a minute. The UFC then took the opportunity to book a rubber match – creating the promotion’s first trilogy in the process – and Couture won in the same fashion he’d done seven years earlier.

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#3 Chuck Liddell vs. Jeremy Horn – UFC 19 & UFC 54 (6 years)

At UFC 54, Chuck Liddell avenged his loss to Jeremy Horn - six years after their initial fight

When Chuck Liddell dethroned Randy Couture and won the UFC light-heavyweight title at UFC 52 in early 2005, ‘The Iceman’ immediately became the UFC’s new poster-boy.

Many fans expected the promotion to book an immediate rematch between Liddell and Couture, but instead – perhaps sensing that it’d be better to wait a little to end the trilogy – decided to allow the new champion a chance to avenge his first loss.

That first loss had come way back at UFC 19 in 1999, just over six years before Liddell’s title win. His opponent? Jeremy Horn, who was able to use an arm triangle choke variant to leave ‘The Iceman’ unconscious as the single 12-minute round came to an end.

Mar5.1999Jeremy Horn hands Chuck Liddell the first defeat of his career,when he submits him off his back with an arm triangle choke pic.twitter.com/i4dSASuriv

— MMA History Today (@MMAHistoryToday) March 6, 2020

Horn hadn’t actually fought in the UFC since 2001, but was quickly brought back to the promotion and, in a rare opportunity, was given an instant title shot against Liddell as ‘The Iceman’ looked for revenge.

Indeed, revenge was exactly what he got. Horn was simply unable to come close to taking Liddell down and implementing his ground game, and ‘The Iceman’ beat him from pillar to post on the feet en route to a fourth round TKO win.

Two years later, Liddell attempted to avenge the only other loss on his record. Instead, he fell to Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson in a rematch that had been four years in the making.