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UFC title fights are meant to represent the greatest possible matchups that MMA can offer, from both a skill-based standpoint and entertainment value. While this isn't always the case, they rank among the very best fights when they do deliver, as they typically pit a weight class' two best fighters against each other.
But even among the entertaining clashes that have come to define the promotion's title picture throughout the years, there are certain bouts that have elevated themselves above the rest. Sometimes, such fights are punctuated by the fact that fans and analysts alike expected a wash in the champion's favor.
Instead, a challenger rises to the occasion to push the reigning titleholder to their very limit. Some of these fights even make it into the UFC Hall of Fame due to their wealth of action and historical significance. So with that in mind, these are five of the best UFC title fights of all time.
#5. José Aldo vs. Chad Mendes 2, UFC 179
The rematch between José Aldo and Chad Mendes took on a far more different complexion than their first encounter. When the two men first crossed swords, the Brazilian great emerged victorious via first-round knockout. Their second bout, though, was a thrilling war.
Not only was it teeming with action, but it even included a moment of controversy when Aldo scored a knockdown with a one-two well after the horn had ended round one. Nevertheless, both men continued trading hard shots in a slugfest, bloodying and busting each other up for 25 minutes.
It was the closest 'Scarface' had ever come to losing before his subsequent bout with Conor McGregor. Chad Mendes had made him look mortal, and while José Aldo ultimately won by unanimous decision, the bout earned acclaim as 2014's Fight of the Year.
#4. Zhang Weili vs. Joanna Jędrzejczyk 1, UFC 248
After dethroning Jéssica Andrade as the UFC women's strawweight champion, Zhang Weili's first order of business was defending her title against the division's former queen, Joanna Jędrzejczyk. When the two squared off, it was an all-action clash between a powerful knockout artist and a tireless volume striker.
Both women traded hard shots, rocking and stunning each other on several occasions as the fight grew more and more violent with each round. Yet, no matter how bloodied and bruised they were, neither Zhang nor Jędrzejczyk lowered their output. Instead, they fought even harder, turning their bout into a contest of wills.
Towards the end, Jędrzejczyk's forehead had ballooned to freakish proportions due to a hematoma from the blows she'd absorbed. After round five came to a close, 'Magnum' was declared the winner via split decision in a bout that eclipsed UFC 248's main event and is now hailed as the greatest fight in WMMA history.
#3. Jiří Procházka vs. Glover Teixeira, UFC 275
The UFC closed out 2022 with one of the greatest light heavyweight title fights of all time. In fact, were it not for Jon Jones' first outing against Alexander Gustafsson, there would be no other bout at 205 pounds more entertaining than Jiří Procházka's war with Glover Teixeira for divisional supremacy.
Ahead of the fight, it was regarded as a classic striker vs. grappler matchup. But what ensued when the two men crossed swords was chaos in its purest form. Both men stunned each other at various points throughout the fight, while also having exciting scrambles on the mat as they battered and bloodied each other.
From start to finish, it was a bout defined by senseless momentum shifts. Teixeira badly rocked his foe with an overhand right that caused Procházka to stumble towards the fence. But the Brazilian made the inexplicable decision to jump for a guillotine instead of pursuing the knockout.
Eventually, the fight found itself on the mat once again, where, in a shocking moment, Procházka, who is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu white belt, submitted Teixeira, a second-degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, with a rear-naked choke.
#2. Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson, UFC 165
By 2013, Jon Jones began buying into the idea that he was invincible. He was the light heavyweight champion, the youngest titleholder in the promotion's history, and a slayer of legends. By contrast, Alexander Gustafsson was just another contender, one who was outwrestled by Phil Davis, no less.
Jones regarded Gustafsson without much respect, but when the two 205-pounders locked horns, 'Bones' nearly found his equal inside the octagon. He conceded the first takedown of his career, which UFC color commentator Joe Rogan labeled as incredible, and with good reason, as countless skilled wrestlers had failed to.
The two men battered each other beyond recognition, dragging their boat to the deepest of waters. Bloodied and hurt, neither man was willing to give the other an inch, but they barely survived the full 25 minutes. Jones was declared the winner in a fight that Rogan believed might be the greatest title fight in UFC history.
The result was controversial, with Gustafsson himself feeling like he'd done enough to win. Nevertheless, the bout was inducted into the Hall of Fame years later.
#1. Robbie Lawler vs. Rory MacDonald 2, UFC 189
The greatest fight in MMA history is a label that likely applies to different fights. But the most recent bout in contention for that distinction is Robbie Lawler's brutal war with Rory MacDonald. It was the first defense of his welterweight title, and it came against a man he'd beaten nearly two years prior.
The amount of punishment sustained by both men that evening almost certainly took something from them, as neither Lawler nor MacDonald was ever the same after it. It was a bloody affair that left them both with battle scars. 'Ruthless' sustained a torn lip, while MacDonald's nose was crushed.
In the end, 'The Red King' could take no more. A minute into round five, a Lawler punch caused more damage than MacDonald could withstand, and he collapsed, awarding 'Ruthless' a fifth-round TKO. Their bout was a showcase of grit, violence, and heart that earned it a spot in the UFC Hall of Fame.
