50 MMA Fights You Must Watch Before You Die
40. Anderson Silva Vs. Chael Sonnen - UFC 117
Prior to his bout with Chael Sonnen, Anderson Silva was one of the UFC's more polarizing champions. There were spectacular victories over the likes of Forrest Griffin, but there were also lacklustre performances against fighters such as Demian Maia.
What the champion needed was a arch-nemesis and he found one in Chael Sonnen. Leading up to the fight, Sonnen showed Silva respect, taunting the champion at any opportunity he could. His incessant trash-talk helped convince fans that was he the man to beat Silva.
Surprisingly, for the vast majority of the match, Sonnen backed up every word that he had said leading up to the title fight. The American utilised his wrestling to take Silva down at will and beat him on the ground. It was shocking because no-one had ever seen Silva in this situation before.
Despite losing the first four rounds decisively, Silva managed to lock up a last ditch triangle choke from the bottom, surprising his opponent and everyone watching the fight. Despite briefly struggling to escape, Sonnen eventually tapped out, giving Silva one of his most dramatic victories.