Most impressive display of toughness/balls?

[cold]

Everyone who stepped in with prime Mark Kerr had giant balls. Enson Inoue had massive balls and didn't tap for anything as far as I know. The small guys from way back when were also pretty nuts. Imagine being Royce Gracie and really believing you can beat people like Kimo and Shamrock who outweigh you by, what, 60+ pounds?

Yuki Nakai may be the most badass out of all, though.

 

[Donutdude]

The Korean Zombie trying to pop his shoulder back into place after dislocating it mid-fight against Jose Aldo was a brilliant display of toughness.

 

[Dirge]

Mark Hominick continued his fight with Aldo even tho Aldo already turned his face into ground beef

Not only continued the fight but came back after getting his ass beat for 3 rounds to win the last 2. No doubt he lost the fight but when he mounted Aldo, we went nuts in the stadium. Aldo was completely gassed out from smashing Homincks face.

 

[Sweater of AV]

Sakuraba

 

[markg171]

 

[G10]

I remember when Bendo took a fight against Brandon Thatch everyone thought he was crazy and he was going to get destroyed.

In the beginning of the fight Thatch was just ragdolling him everywhere and it looked like the beginning of the end but Bendo shot for one takedown and looked like a rabid dog that was completely unwilling to give up. When he finally got the takedown it completely broke Thatch it looked like. One of the most impressive performances that left a lasting impression on me.

That was an amazing fight! Thatch looked like a killer before he fought Bendo. The thing that stood out the most to me was the size difference; Thatch was basically a middleweight cutting down to 170lbs, and he fully looked two weight classes bigger than Bendo. That's one of my favorite performances from 'Smooth'.

 

[stereolab]

Seriously though, Faber when he broke both hands against Brown and still nearly choked him out. If he had working hands he might've ended it, still fought to a decision

 

[Rvd Slmr]

Bisping fighting St Pierre with badly injured ribs and half blind.

The whole story about Bisping winning and defending a UFC world title, while hiding that he could only see with one eye, was crazy.

PVZ won me over as a fan against rose. She could have quit anytime and held on.

Yeah, people like to bash her and say that she isn't a real fighter, but she showed a ton of heart and grit.

 

[DS7]

Not only continued the fight but came back after getting his ass beat for 3 rounds to win the last 2. No doubt he lost the fight but when he mounted Aldo, we went nuts in the stadium. Aldo was completely gassed out from smashing Homincks face.

If Hominick had an actual good, offensive grappling he could have seriously put Aldo in trouble in that 5th round. Aldo was beyond gassed and Hominick just stood in his guard the whole time while doing barely any damage.

 

[G10]

Going to Renzo's comment, I think there's a difference between toughness and stupidity. Toughness is fighting through adversity to win, but when you let your arm get broken because you don't tap because of reasons, that's stupid.

As for great displays of toughness, people have mentioned a lot of great ones here. Diego Sanchez is one of my favorite fighters for this reason, though. Even though he's become a bit of a joke now, prime Diego was a beast who never quit trying to win a fight. His comeback against Kampmann is one of the best ever. A lot of people say it's a robbery, but I think it was really a close fight that Diego won by pushing through a LOT of adversity.

 

[kensei]

Can't remember the name but the Japanese fighter who got his eye gouged out basically.

Yuki Nakai. After he got his eye gouged in a tournament, he had to fight Rickson. That was crazy.

 

[bigconan]

Faber getting shillacked by leg kicks vs Aldo took a lot of toughness to overcome.

I think what beats that, is when faber literally broke or badly injured both hands in his fight with Brown. he was reduced to throwing elbows the entire fight...and still went the distance...people love to give faber shit, but that guy has balls like grapefruits...he always has...you literally have to almost kill him, to end the fight....and also the aldo fight is another example.

 

[bigconan]

Most Chris Leben fights

leban didn't have balls..he was just stupid.

 

[Deleted member 278323]

Faber getting shillacked by leg kicks vs Aldo took a lot of toughness to overcome.

Safferdine vs. Marquadt was the same.

 

[MichaelT]

Can't remember the name but the Japanese fighter who got his eye gouged out basically.

You mean the guy that fought Rickson after?

 

[Mammothman]

Hoyce vs Hugues

 

[BjPenn2017]

Lol at all the hipster responses - especially the one about 115 pound women <Lmaoo><Lmaoo>

For me is probably Fabio vs Glover - dude got beat on hard that entire fight and put glover on roller skates while literally being held up by the fence because he was getting beaten so bad.

 

[Nigol]

Fabio Maldonado fought both Stipe and Glover (and Fedor), that's insane

 

[HatKick]

tbh breaking your arm sucks but it's not such a big deal in my experience. It hurts for a little while, you rest a few months. Broken bones heal very well.

I'm much more impressed by people who take massive prolonged beatings and head trauma like Hooker and Gaethje and keep coming back for more. That shit would be traumatizing for most people.

Shout-out to people who get humiliated in front of the world (Askren, Aldo etc) and keep their head high.

 

[Fight Professor]

Black Beast's balls was hot.