One of the single most feared strikers in the world, Pedro (The Rock) Rizzo was a protege of UFC 7 tournament winner Marco Ruas. A Vale Tudo and kickboxing practitioner, Rizzo is still considered the best heavyweight in MMA/NHB history in his use of lower leg kicks. Once described as getting hit by a baseball bat to your thigh by a major league slugger, Rizzo's kicks are still often talked about amongst MMA fans. A 20-11 record with 12 by way of KO/TKO...his statistics are considered average or even lackluster, but his wins over top ranked opponents during a 4 year reign is what's to be considered here.From 1999-2003 Rizzo defeated the likes of Mark Coleman, Dan Severn, Josh Barnett, David (Tank) Abbott and Andre Arlovski. But what Pedro Rizzo will most likely be remembered for are his two "apocalyptic" wars with Lion's Den fighter Tra Telligman, where Rizzo would win both times by TKO and a doctor's stoppage. A Vale Tudo Heavyweight Champion he tried to get gold in the UFC by trying to upend UFC Hall of Famer and then UFC HW Champion Randy Couture at UFC 31 where he would lose via split decision but sent "The Natural" to the hospital and out of commission for 4 weeks due to his brutal leg kicks that left Randy with discolored legs. Years later Couture would claim it was Rizzo who gave him his toughest fight in his long storied career. He may not have been a champion but his exciting style of using his kickboxing and excellent use of the jab made Rizzo quite popular among MMA traditionalists even to the very day.
Pedro Rizzo vs Tra Telligman II (UFC 43)
Pedro Rizzo vs Josh Barnett I (UFC 30)
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