The 14 Greatest MMA Photos of 2009

Let’s just hope nothing amazing happens in the next two weeks. Major props to AllElbows, Sherdog, and The Las Vegas Sun.

#14. Frank Shamrock and Nick Diaz display their vastly different personal styles at a Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Diaz press conference.

#13: The final resting place of BJJ godfather Helio Gracie.

#12: “Stop trying to hit me and hit me!” Anderson Silva stays juuuuust out of reach against Forrest Griffin at UFC 101.



#11. Lyoto Machida and his father Yoshizo prove that the rumors are true.

#10: Brock Lesnar invites the battered Frank Mir to talk some more shit after their fight at UFC 100.

#9: Edgar Garcia gives Brad Blackburn the second-most-epic punch-face of the year at the TUF 9 Finale.

#8: The high-flying Eddie Alvarez celebrates his sweep of Bellator’s first lightweight torunament.

#7. The aftermath of Diego Sanchez‘s tragically failed run at a lightweight title at UFC 107.

#6: Anderson Silva pretends to be an MMA journalist before UFC 101, quickly learns that it’s not as fun as it looks.

#5: BJ Penn searches for a way out during his UFC 94 beating at the hands of Georges St. Pierre.

#4: Fedor Emelianenko calmly strolls away from another victim at Affliction: Day of Reckoning.

#3: Gina Carano drops jaws at the Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg weigh-ins.

#2. Dan Henderson loads up one last bomb to shut Michael Bisping up a little bit at UFC 100.

#1. Sorry, Rashad. You’ll never live this one down.