Five Best Fights & MMA Moments Of 2017

With the new year quickly approaching, there’s no better time to reflect on the great fights we’ve witnessed this past year. 2017 gave us Mayweather vs McGregor, GSP vs Bisping, and Jones vs Cormier II, failed drug tests, and epic showdowns.

Let’s take a look at the best fights of 2017 in review of a year that broke barriers and records while also alienating fans and making them question of the future of the UFC alike:

5. Georges St-Pierre vs. Michael Bisping

This fight had it all; a title fight with a former champion returning to reclaim his former glory, an expert trash-talking Brit with a chip on his shoulder, and perhaps the greatest MMA fighter of all time.

Fans and pundits didn’t know what to make of St-Pierre’s return, having been in retirement for the past four years. Ring rust is real, but the former longtime welterweight champion looked better than he ever had against Bisping at UFC 217. St. Pierre controlled the entire fight before finishing the middleweight champ with a rear naked choke in the third round.

It was one of those moments in MMA that shine a little brighter than the rest. Even though GSP would ultimately give up the belt he just won, his performance against an always game and gutsy Michael Bisping was nothing short of spectacular.

4. Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor

No one really expected this bout to go down, as both men are prone to trash talking and that doesn’t necessarily make fights happen between two different combat sports.

What was all talk became a seminal moment for boxing and MMA. Two of each respective sport’s biggest stars duking it out for all the world to see. And believe it or not, McGregor held his own for the first few rounds, dropping his hands to taunt Mayweather and even getting in a solid shot or two to keep the boxing legend honest.

Ultimately, Mayweather scored a 10th-round TKO in an otherwise thrilling bout between two of the best to ever step in the ring or cage.

Fight fans will probably never see anything like this again, and most of us knew this while watching it. Purists may dismiss it as a cynical cash grab and the repercussions of debuting such a circus are still being felt by MMA, but it really was a special moment and memory for the short lifespan of mixed martial arts.

3. Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier II

Finally, after ages between their first fight at UFC 182, Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier would do battle once more.

Cormier had defeated Anthony “Rumble” Johnson twice by choke, Gustafsson by a narrow decision, as well as middleweight legend Anderson Silva at UFC 200, where Silva stepped in for Jones due to whatever controversy he was dealing with at that time.

Jones had only fought once since their first go-around, defeating Ovince Saint Preux in a tepid performance for the interim light heavyweight belt.

The two best light heavyweights fighting for the second time; the return of Jon Jones, MMA’s prodigal son.

Jones ended up landing a huge head kick on Cormier midway into the five-round title fight, and DC never recovered. Jones blasted away with punches and elbows, and the fight was mercifully stopped in the third round.

No one has or had done that to Cormier before, meaning Jones was able to do what others couldn’t come close. With Jones’ indiscretions surfacing again after the rematch, the result was overturned to a no contest and Jones was once again stripped of his belt.

Such is the nature of this sport, and especially the nature of Jon Jones. With all of these failed drug tests and legal issues piling up, perhaps UFC 214 was his last fight. Who knows? One thing for sure is he won’t be back for a while.

2. Eddie Alvarez vs. Justin Gaethje

Boy, did this fight deliver.

On paper, Gaethje vs Alvarez was extremely appealing to fight fans’ “Just Bleed’ side. Two men who come forward, winging punches with reckless abandon; two durable lightweights, one a former champion, the other undefeated.

Gaethje and Alvarez came through in a huge way when they finally stepped into the cage. The two battled back-and-forth, momentum shifting frantically between them.

Then, in the third and final round, Eddie Alvarez landed a knee in the clinch that put Gaethje’s lights out – the first time anyone had ever done so.

The fight was unofficially dubbed “The battle for the title of ‘Most Violent Man’”, and with certainty that question was answered. Eddie Alvarez knocked out the wrecking ball of violence known as Justin Gaethje. There’s no way you can’t call Alvarez the UFC’s most violent man.

1. Mirsad Bektic vs. Darren Elkins

This fight may not have the biggest name value, but these two hard-nosed competitors put on what could be fight of the year.

Bektic was undefeated going into the bout with Elkins, and was largely expected to dominate the older veteran. Bektic was well on his way to accomplishing that task, battering Elkins for the first two rounds and leaving his face a bloody mess.

Then, somewhere in the third and final round, Elkins stopped absorbing “The Damage” and started dishing it out instead. Elkins landed a series of shots while Bektic was against the cage before unloading a massive headkick that immediately face-planted his opponent.

What an awesome display of heart and will to win; Elkins took some serious damage before finding his moment to end the fight, keeping his cool under constant assault and scoring an improbable yet incredible knockout in the process.

Certainly one of those fights worth rewatching, and easily one of the best fights of the year.

Honorable Mentions:

While not fights in a conventional sense, here are some other moments worth mentioning as we close out 2017: Bellator announces heavyweight Grand Prix, Fedor Emelianenko vs Matt Mitrione double knockdown, Rose Namajunas’ upset knockout to capture the women’s flyweight title, Werdum’s boomerang assault on Colby Covington, McGregor storms the cage after teammates’ win.