10 Times UFC Fighters Won In Defeat
7. Chael Sonnen (Vs, Anderson Silva, UFC 117)
Chael Sonnen isn't what you'd call an instantly likeable character. Or at least he wasn't during his time as a fighter in the UFC.
He was known for talking ludicrous amounts of trash and being an all-round a*sehole towards anyone who was unfortunate enough to be paired up with him for a bout.
However, underneath all of this theatrical arrogance was a legitimate competitor and UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva found this out when the pair came to blows at UFC 117.
Sonnen put his NCAA Division I wrestling prowess to good use throughout the bout and routinely dumped Silva on his back, before unleashing devastating doses of ground-and-pound upon the vulnerable 'Spider'.
After catching Silva with a whole host of big shots throughout the fight and dominating the majority of the ground exchanges between the two, it was looking as though Sonnen had probably done enough to be crowned the new Champion.
That was until he got caught in Silva's leg triangle late in the fifth round and was forced to tap out with less than two minutes remaining.
Silva had escaped with his reign intact, but it was clear to all who had just witnessed the war that Sonnen was seconds away from usurping the king of the Middleweights.
Sonnen didn't win the big one, but he definitely won a ton of respect and credibility thanks to a near-perfect performance against one of the all time greats.