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#2. An MMA grudge match between two alpha males (UFC 217)
Now this is personal. The MMA grudge match between TJ Dillashaw and Cody 'No Love' Garbrandt was deeply rooted in hatred for each other. It wasn't fake beef to sell a fight whatsoever. The two started out as teammates and brothers in the famed MMA stable Team Alpha Male.
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Enter Duane 'Bang' Ludwig. The veteran striker was hired by the team as their new striking coach. Soon after, Dillashaw won the UFC bantamweight belt but broke free from the team, following Ludwig to another gym. His departure cut under the surface and caused hostility from his previous cohorts.
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Everything came to a head at UFC 217, where Garbrandt was the champion and Dillashaw was the challenger. You can feel the animosity emanating from every punch and kick thrown. Dillashaw won the grudge match by knocking out Garbrandt in the second round, after himself getting knocked down in the first. It was a classic back-and-forth affair that thrilled fans throughout.
#1. "Let's talk now" (UFC 224: Khabib vs. McGregor)
The mother of all grudge matches. The event involved the return of McGregor, the most recognizable figure in modern MMA, so getting people to watch was easy. However, what made it the most-watched MMA event in history was the real beef between the fighters.
The long, drawn-out saga of Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Conor McGregor was well-documented by the media. From gang-style bus attacks to verbal shots on religion and country, the road to UFC 229 was riddled with intense drama.
The fight, however, was a mauling. Despite moments of success by 'The Notorious', Khabib simply had the entire fight inside his fist. 'The Eagle' drowned McGregor in relentless wrestling and otherworldly pressure.
The grudge match ended with Khabib choking out his tired foe. The story didn't end there though. In the immediate aftermath, a brawl ensued, marring the greatness of an otherwise historic event.
