What fight do you think was/is the pinnacle matchup of MMA at the time?

[FrankDux]

I'm not talking about a stylistic matchup or how the fight actually played out per se. I'm talking about the matchup on paper going into the fight: 2 fighters squaring off who are both at the tops of their game/the sport at that particular time. Gotta be one of these right?

Fedor vs Big Nog - Pride 23
-Fedor was 13-1. Big nog was 19-1.

Fedor vs Cro Cop - Pride Final Conflict
-Fedor was 22-1. Cro Cop was 16-2.

Jones vs Gustafsson 1 - UFC 165
-Jones was 19-0. Gustafsson was 16-1.

Machida vs Rua I & II - UFC 104 & 113.
-Machida was 16-0 (16-1). Rua was 18-3 (19-4).

Conor vs Aldo - UFC 194
-Conor was 19-1. Aldo was 25-1

Cormier vs Jones I - UFC 182
-Cormier was 15-0. Jones was 20-1.

Islam vs Volk I - UFC 284
-Islam was 23-1. Volk was 25-1.

What are some others?

 

[Sheva]

Fedor Crocop for reasons said many times before

 

[blaseblase]

Cain vs JDS

 

[FrankDux]

Cain vs JDS

Damn, I forgot to add that fight.

 

[blaseblase]

Fedor/Cro Cop always gets mentioned but Cro Cop wasn't the second best heavyweight in the world when they fought.

 

[CroCopsLHK]

Edgar vs Maynard 2 was like that. Edgar only lost a decision to The Bully

 

[SkinnyClaw]

Colby vs Usman, same records, losing to the guy the other one beat, similar styles, this was a great matchup

 

[Nathan LaMontagne]

Fedor vs. Crocop

No fight since has had the prestige or importance of that one.

The fight also delivered.

 

[Typrune Goatley]

Igor Vovchanchyn vs Mark Kerr
Kazushi Sakuraba vs Royce Gracie
Wanderlei Silva vs Rampage Jackson 2
Dan Henderson vs Rampage Jackson
Dan Henderson vs Anderson Silva
TJ Dillashaw vs Dominic Cruz
Demetrious Johnson vs Henry Cejudo 2
BJ Penn vs Matt Hughes 1
BJ Penn vs George's St Pierre 2
Georges St Pierre vs Jake Shields

 

[noizer]

Fedor Crocop for reasons said many times before

Same here. Biggest and baddest matchup in mma history

 

[jx820]

DC and Jones were the 2 best fighters ever to share a cage at the same time. Both guys were at the peak of their skills and physical capability. Just a perfect storm.

I'd add Hendo vs Anderson which at the time was not only UFC champ vs Pride champ, but probably the best and second best MW we'd ever seen at that point.

Volk vs Max - all 3 fights

 

[jx820]

Demetrious Johnson vs Henry Cejudo 2

This one too. The idea that Cejudo was the less decorated fighter is shocking in retrospect. Loved both of these guys.

 

[Young Calf Kick]

Jones vs Gustafsson 1 - UFC 165
-Jones was 19-0. Gustafsson was 16-1.

Oh really, Jones was 19-0? Could've sworn he lost to Matt Hamill earlier...

Spoiler

 

[Elvis.]

Penn Vs Gsp 2

 

[CerebralKnievel]

Junie Browning vs Ryan Bader, live, from the pool.

 

[jackleeb]

conor vs khabib

 

[Prologue]

 

[Mammothman]

Rockhold vs Weidman
Lawler vs Condit

 

[RemyR]

At their respective times Fedor vs Cro Cop or GSP vs Penn 2

 

[MrJPayne]

Silva vs Trt Vitor

Underrated one is Benson vs Pettis 2 in the UFC, that one def had the feel of a fight for the undisputed LW #1 at the time