If you're an MMA fan, the agony of a month without fights is already setting in - but fret not, Fight Pass and this handy guide can help keep you sane
With mostly everyone stuck inside during the coronapocalypse, people left without much to do have already started to feel the boredom sink in - the content drought for sports fans is especially rough as there's no telling when major sports events are going to grace our television screens again.
Fight fans at least have the hope that next month's UFC 249 will go on in some capacity, but even if it does a month without any live combat sports action is a harsh reality nobody wants to endure, especially if you don't have much else going on in these trying times.
To help tide you over during the pandemic of boredom, I've compiled a few lengthy playlists below for MMA fans everywhere to enjoy from the comfort of their homes.
If you aren't already an MMA fan but want to learn more about it and what it's all about, you're also in luck - simply check out this handy Beginner's Guide to MMA and you'll be talking about triangle chokes and axe kicks in no time.
Now without further ado, take your mind off the stresses of our current whirlwind of bad news and statistically questionable predictions, sit back in front of your TV or computer screen and fire up good ol' Fight Pass to discover or relive some of the best fights and moments from the greatest sport on earth.
MMA Wars
Dan Henderson vs. Shogun Rua (UFC 139)
Cub Swanson vs. Doo Ho Choi (UFC 206)
Robbie Lawler vs. Rory MacDonald II (UFC 189)
Jose Aldo vs. Chad Mendes II (UFC 179)
Chan Sung Jung vs. Leonard Garcia (WEC 48)
Israel Adesanya vs. Kelvin Gastelum (UFC 236)
Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson (UFC 165)
Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard II and III (UFC 125, UFC 136)
Mark Hunt vs. Bigfoot Silva (UFC FN 33)
Diego Sanchez vs. Clay Guida (TUF 9 Finale)
Robert Whittaker vs. Yoel Romero II (UFC 225)
Vicente Luque vs. Bryan Barbarena (UFC on ESPN 1)
Wanderlei Silva vs. Bryan Stann (UFC on Fuel TV 8)
Dustin Poirier vs. Max Holloway II (UFC 236)
Tony Ferguson vs. Edson Barboza (TUF 22 Finale)
Daniel Cormier vs. Stipe Miocic II (UFC 241)
Steve Bosse vs. Sean O'Connell (UFC FN 89)
Justin Gaethje's Greatest Hits
If you're wondering why the human highlight reel that is Justin Gaethje isn't in the list above, that's because the man is so exciting he deserves a playlist all to himself. He has more post-fight bonuses from the UFC than he has fights for the organization after all. If you want almost-comedic levels of violence and aggression, look no further than Mr. Gaethje.
Gaethje's pre-UFC bouts are not available on Fight Pass, however many are available on Youtube so links to those are included.
Justin Gaethje vs. Brian Cobb (WSOF 3)
Justin Gaethje vs. Dan Lauzon (WSOF 6) - link is only highlights :(
Justin Gaethje vs. Luis Palomino (WSOF 19)
Justin Gaethje vs. Luis Palomino II (WSOF 23)
Justin Gaethje vs. Luis Firmino (WSOF 34)
Justin Gaethje vs. Michael Johnson (TUF 25 Finale)
Justin Gaethje vs. Eddie Alvarez (UFC 218)
Justin Gaethje vs. Dustin Poirier (UFC on Fox 29)
Justin Gaethje vs. James Vick (UFC FN 135)
Justin Gaethje vs. Edson Barboza (UFC on ESPN 2)
Justin Gaethje vs. Donald Cerrone (UFC FN 158)
Brutal Beatdowns
These are sustained, systematic beatdowns. If you just want to see someone get their ass kicked or watch a master school their outgunned opposition, this is the playlist for you.
Holly Holm vs. Ronda Rousey (UFC 193)
TJ Dillashaw vs. Renan Barao I and II (UFC 173, UFC on Fox 16)
Max Holloway vs. Brian Ortega (UFC 231)
Max Holloway vs. Jose Aldo I and II (UFC 212, UFC 218)
Cain Velasquez vs. Junior Dos Santos III (UFC 166)
Cain Velasquez vs. Bigfoot Silva (UFC 146)
Daniel Cormier vs. Dan Henderson (UFC 173)
Daniel Cormier vs. Bigfoot Silva (Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Kharitonov)
Georges St. Pierre vs. BJ Penn II (UFC 94)
Anderson Silva vs. Rich Franklin I and II (UFC 64, 77)
Anderson Silva vs. Forrest Griffin (UFC 101)
Joanna Jędrzejczyk vs. Carla Esparza (UFC 185)
Joanna Jędrzejczyk vs. Jessica Penne (UFC FN 69)
Frankie Edgar vs. BJ Penn III (TUF 19 Finale)
Nick Diaz vs. BJ Penn (UFC 137)
BJ Penn vs. Diego Sanchez (UFC 107)
Cris Cyborg vs. virtually everyone
Old School Classics
Forrest Griffin vs. Stefan Bonnar (TUF 1 Finale)
Chuck Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva (UFC 79)
Scott Smith vs. Pete Sell (TUF 4 Finale)
Nick Diaz vs. Robbie Lawler (UFC 47)
Fedor Emilianenko vs. Mirko Cro Cop (Pride Final Conflict 2005)
Matt Hughes vs. Frank Trigg II (UFC 52)
Shogun Rua vs. Antonio Rogerio Noguira (Pride Critical Countdown 2005)
Wanderlei Silva vs. Rampage Jackson II (Pride 28)
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Mirko Cro Cop (Pride Final Conflict 2003)
Frank Shamrock vs. Tito Ortiz (UFC 22)
Tyson Griffin vs. Clay Guida (UFC 72)
Nasty Knockouts
Dan Henderson vs. Michael Bisping (UFC 100)
Dan Henderson vs. Hector Lombard (UFC 199)
Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Mirko Cro Cop (UFC 70)
Edson Barboza vs. Terry Etim (UFC 142)
Edson Barboza vs. Beneil Dariush (UFC FN 106)
Francis Ngannou vs. Alistair Overeem (UFC 218)
Alistair Overeem vs. Mark Hunt II (UFC 209)
Holly Holm vs. Ronda Rousey (UFC 193)
Valentina Shevchenko vs. Jessica Eye (UFC 238)
Uriah Hall vs. Adam Cella (The Ultimate Fighter 17)
Anthony Johnson vs. Glover Teixeira (UFC 202)
Anthony Johnson vs. Charlie Brenneman (UFC on Versus 6)
Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort (UFC 126)
Lyoto Machida vs. Vitor Belfort (UFC 224)
Lyoto Machida vs. Rashad Evans (UFC 98)
Rashad Evans vs. Chuck Liddell (UFC 88)
Yair Rodriguez vs. Andre Fili (UFC 197)
Michael Bisping vs. Luke Rockhold (UFC 199)
Yoel Romero vs. Lyoto Machida (UFC FN 70)
Yoel Romero vs. Chris Weidman (UFC 205)
Yoel Romero vs. Luke Rockhold (UFC 221)
Jan Blachowicz vs. Luke Rockhold (UFC 239)
Vitor Belfort vs. Luke Rockhold (UFC on FX 8)
Vitor Belfort vs. Dan Henderson II and III (UFC FN 32, UFC FN 77)
Jimi Manuwa vs. Ovince St. Preux (UFC 204)
Jessica Andrade vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz (UFC 228)
Jessica Andrade vs. Rose Namajunas (UFC 237)
Amanda Nunes vs. Cris Cyborg (UFC 232)
Junior Dos Santos vs. Fabricio Werdum (UFC 90)
Wanderlei Silva vs. Kazushi Sakuraba III (Pride Total Elimination 2003)
Dan Henderson vs. Wanderlei Silva II (Pride 33)
Wanderlei Silva vs. Rampage Jackson II (Pride 28)
Rampage Jackson vs. Wanderlei Silva III (UFC 92)
Mirko Cro Cop vs. Wanderlei Silva II (Pride Final Conflict)
Mirko Cro Cop vs. Igor Vovchanchyn (Pride Total Elimination 2003)
Shogun Rua vs. Hiromitsu Kanehara (Pride 29)
Shogun Rua vs. Alistair Overeem II (Pride 33)
Shogun Rua vs. James Te-Huna (UFC FN 33)
Slick Submissions
Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira II (UFC 140)
Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen (UFC 117)
Chan Sung Jung vs. Leonard Garcia (UFC FN 24)
Bryce Mitchell vs. Matt Sayles (UFC FN 148)
Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida (UFC 140)
Frank Mir vs. Tim Sylvia (UFC 48)
Demian Maia vs. Chael Sonnen (UFC 95)
Charles Oliveira vs. Eric Wisely (UFC on Fox 2)
Charles Oliveira vs. David Teymur (UFC FN 144)
Charles Oliveira vs. Kevin Lee (UFC FN 170)
Dustin Hazelett vs. Josh Burkman (UFC TUF 7 Finale)
BJ Penn vs. Matt Hughes (UFC 46)
BJ Penn vs. Joe Stevenson (UFC 80) CB Dolloway vs. Jesse Taylor (UFC FN 14)
Misha Cirkunov vs. Jimmy Crute (UFC FN 158) Nate Diaz vs. Kurt Pellegrino (UFC FN 13)
Nate Diaz vs. Conor McGregor (UFC 196)
Aljamain Sterling vs. Cody Stamann (UFC 228)
Zabit Magomedsharipov vs. Brandon Davis (UFC 228)
Ovince St. Preux vs. Yushin Okami (UFC FN 117)
Freakshow Fights
In the mood to watch a circus act? This is the perfect playlist for you. MMA has had its fair share of freakshow fights - fights between people with vastly different skill levels or massive size differentials put together for the spectacle of it. There's also of course freakshow fights pitting famous competitors from other sports (or fake sports like pro wrestling) against far superior opposition.
Art Jimmerson vs. Royce Gracie (UFC 1)
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Bob Sapp (Pride Shockwave)
Fedor Emilianenko vs. Zuluzinho (Pride Shockwave 2005)
Mirko Cro Cop vs. Dos Caras Jr. (Pride Bushido 1)
Ikuhisha Minowa vs. Butterbean (Pride Bushido 12)
Butterbean vs Zuluzinho (Pride 34)
Randy Couture vs. James Toney (UFC 118)
Mickey Gall vs. Phil Brooks (UFC 203)
Mike Jackson vs. Phil Brooks (UFC 225)
Greg Hardy vs. Dmitry Smoliakov (UFC FN 150)
Quick Pick-Me-Ups
These are great rounds to watch for a quick dose of adrenaline, or great fights that ended in the opening round - note that because Pride had 10-minute first rounds, some of the Pride fights listed come in at more than 5 minutes and are up to 10. If a round isn't specified, that means the fight ended within the first frame.
Andrei Arlovski vs. Travis Browne (UFC 187)
Robbie Lawler vs. Carlos Condit R5 (UFC 195)
Robbie Lawler vs. Rory MacDonald II R4 (UFC 189)
Justin Gaethje vs. Michael Johnson R1 OR R2 (TUF 25 Finale)
Cub Swanson vs. Doo Ho Choi R2 (UFC 206)
Israel Adesanya vs. Kelvin Gastelum R5 (UFC 236)
Nick Diaz vs. Paul Daley (Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley)
Thiago Santos vs. Jimi Manuwa R1 (UFC 231)
Pat Barry vs. Cheick Kongo (UFC on Versus 4)
Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira II (UFC 140)
Chuck Liddell vs. Rich Franklin (UFC 115)
Lyoto Machida vs. Shogun Rua II (UFC 113)
Dan Henderson vs. Shogun Rua R3 (UFC 139)
Dan Henderson vs. Jake Shields R1 (Strikeforce: Nashville)
Fedor Emilianenko vs. Dan Henderson (Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson)
Frankie Edgar Gray Maynard II R1 (UFC 125)
Diego Sanchez vs. Clay Guida R1 (TUF 9 Finale)
Gilbert Melendez vs. Diego Sanchez R3 (UFC 166)
Vicente Luque vs. Bryan Barbarena R3 (UFC on ESPN 1)
Jose Aldo vs. Chad Mendes R1 or R2 (UFC 179)
Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz R2 (UFC 202)
Tony Ferguson vs. Anthony Pettis R2 (UFC 229)
Erick Silva vs. Matt Brown R1 (UFC FN 40)
John Lineker vs. Francisco Rivera (UFC 191)
John Lineker vs. Michael McDonald (UFC FN 91)
Chan Sung Jung vs. Leonard Garcia R1 (WEC 48)
Chan Sung Jung vs. Yair Rodriguez R5 (UFC FN 139)
Yoel Romero vs. Paulo Costa R1 (UFC 241)
TJ Dillashaw vs. Cody Garbrandt II (UFC 227)
Anderson Silva vs. Rich Franklin (UFC 64)
Edson Barboza vs. Jamie Varner (UFC 146)
Carlos Condit vs. Dong Hyun Kim (UFC 132)
Cris Cyborg vs. Gina Carano (Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg)
Robbie Lawler vs. Melvin Manhoef (Strikeforce: Miami)
Don Frye vs. Yoshihiro Takayama (Pride 21)
Wanderlei Silva vs. Rampage Jackson (Pride Final Conflict 2003)
Fedor Emilianenko vs. Mirko Cro Cop R1 (Pride Conflict 2005)
Takanori Gomi vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri (Pride Bushido 9)
Nick Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi R2 (Pride 33)
Miesha Tate vs. Ronda Rousey (Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey)
Shogun Rua vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira R1 (Pride Critical Countdown 2005)
Anthony Pettis vs. Benson Henderson R5 (WEC 53)
There are literally thousands of other great fights in MMA's history and with the current lockdown, now's as good a time as any to revisit some of the classic moments in the world's greatest sport.
Stay tuned for more MMA playlists coming in the coming weeks.
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