The 10 greatest UFC fights of the last decade (2010-2019)

2014: Matt Brown vs Erick Silva – UFC Fight Night 40

Matt Brown went to war with Erick Silva at UFC Fight Night 40.

Coming into 2014, brawler Matt Brown had gone from journeyman to legitimate title contender at Welterweight thanks to a 6-fight winning streak dating back to the beginning of 2012. Matched with Brazilian wildman Erick Silva in his hometown of Cincinnati at Fight Night 40, it was expected that Brown could receive a title shot with a win. Quite how hard he’d have to fight for that win proved to be a surprise.

‘The Immortal’ came out aggressively, only for Silva to destroy him in the opening minutes with a body kick before locking on a rear naked choke. It looked like curtains for Brown, but somehow the hometown fighter willed himself free, and then he unleashed hell on the Brazilian in the form of every strike you could possibly imagine.

Silva played his part, managing to come back on Brown with body kicks on more than one occasion, but this was always Brown’s fight, and ‘The Immortal’ continued to bombard ‘The Tiger’ like a force of nature, until finally, the Brazilian wilted in the third round, succumbing to a TKO.

Brown never did receive his title shot – champion Johny Hendricks was out with an injury and before he returned, ‘The Immortal’ lost to Robbie Lawler, but this fight with Silva remains a classic and should definitely be remembered as the best fight of 2014.