WW Division: 5 must-see MMA fights
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Mixed Martial Arts, like all sports, has fans who are either faithful regulars or curious newcomers. The more veteran viewers among us can talk shop about obscure amateur fighters as enthusiastically as about the champions we know and love from pay per view.
It is the top-billing names, however, that draw in the all-important "newbie revenue" of the MMA virgin. Fans new to the sport typically have to see a major fight -- a blockbuster or two -- in order to become a faithful follower.
The latest in MMA news is that we are staring down the barrel of a string of lesser known fights that will prove to be just as explosive as anything you've shelled out $49.95 plus tax to see from Las Vegas.
This is the second part of a series that will break down five fights by each division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
This time, I’ll be focusing on the welterweight division.
It is mostly going to be a UFC show (including Pride which is now a part of the UFC) because outside of that, it’s pretty much a level playing field of hundreds of MMA organizations.
I have selected these five great fights that may not be so familiar to the casual MMA fan. We all know the epic battles of Forrest Griffin, Chuck Liddell, B.J. Penn, Randy Couture, Fedor Emelianenko, etc. These will be five battles that are a must-see of which most rookie MMA fans have never heard.
I based my opinion on total action, pace of the fight (with very little down time), underdogs, comebacks and shock value. I feel that for a fight to be great, either contestant should spend some time in control, if not winning the fight. Dominating fights are fun to watch, but do not necessarily make for the best competition. A fight takes two people, not just one beating on another.
In the following list, the outcomes were either by decision, submission, knockout or no contest -- a very exciting mix. In the end, the veterans among you will enjoy reminiscing about some of these battles. For those of you new to the sport, prepare to be entertained.
I will break them down by date and venue and will try to give very little to no spoilers. Please enjoy.
No. 5. Josh Neer vs. Melvin Guillard
Setting – Ultimate Fight Night 3 - 01/16/2006
This was fresh off the set of The Ultimate Fighter Finale 2 when Melvin Guillard was still fighting in the welterweight Division. This fight is not for the weak of heart as it gets really bloody and came very close to a doctor’s stoppage. This is a great battle of two guys who just refuse to quit.
No. 4 Joe Koppenhaver vs. Jared Rollins
Setting – The Ultimate Fighter Finale 6 - 12/08/2007
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