50 MMA Fights You Must Watch Before You Die
7. Fedor Emelianenko Vs. Mirko Cro Cop - Pride Final Conflict 2005
Former Pride heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko has had a career that is full of highlight reel performances. Despite his impressive back catalogue of wins, the one that stands out the most is his title defense against Croatian kickboxer, Mirko Cro Cop.
This heavily anticipated heavyweight bout was supposed to happen a long time before it actually did, but injuries to Fedor and Cro Cop losing key fights made sure the fight was more a fantasy than a reality. However, when it finally happened it certainly didn't disappoint.
The fight was a war of attrition, with both men starting out strong and fast and trying to implement their gameplans on their opponent as effectively as possible. Despite Cro-Cop landing several crushing kicks, Fedor stayed the course and eventually his relentless pressure during the striking exchanges began to wear on Cro Cop.
As Cro Cop's cardio started to wane, Emelianenko seemed to get stronger and stronger. Not only was he able to hurt Cro Cop by mixing up his strikes, he was able to completely disable his plan in the most masterful of ways.