5 Best UFC Fights Of 2016

UFC 206 was yet another show marred by injury as original main event headliner Daniel Cormier had to pull out of defending his light heavyweight championship against Anthony "Rumble" Johnson, leaving the pay-per-view in disarray. The card was reshuffled and, despite the lack of any marquee names to pull in big buyrates, wound up being one of the most exciting shows in the sport's history.

One of the fights largely responsible for that distinction was the featherweight showdown between MMA veteran Cub Swanson and up-and-coming phenom Doo Ho Choi. Prior to standing across the cage from Cub, Choi was an incredible 14-1, with his only loss being a split decision. The most impressive stat regarding his record was that 11 of his 14 wins were via KO/TKO, with 9 of them taking place in the opening round. The hype behind "The Korean Superboy" was in full-effect, and many expected him to put his heavy hands on Swanson and end his night early, or at the most engage in a back-and-forth fracas that would usher in Choi as the star many envisioned him becoming.

Fortunately for everyone who didn't let the lack of a big name dissuade them from purchasing the pay-per-view, we did not see either man's night end prematurely; instead we witnessed one of the most amazing brawls to ever take place.

It's not possible to accurately describe what took place in this fight. Both guys put on a display of heart, skill and iron-chinned warrior spirit that is a rarity in MMA. After a hellacious battle that ended with Cub getting the nod via split decision, both men came out of this fight looking even better than before, and despite the loss The Korean Superboy's star shined even brighter and Cub, the grizzled vet who'd been toying with the idea of hanging up his gloves, is now in even bigger demand than he's ever been.

In any other year, this would have easily been the top fight. That tells you how incredible the action was in 2016.