50 MMA Fights You Must Watch Before You Die
6. Dan Henderson Vs. Shogun Rua 1 - UFC 139
Considering Dan Henderson and Shogun Rua were major stars in the Pride FC promotion, it's slightly shocking that this incredible back-and-forth battle didn't take place in their primes.
The first three rounds belonged to Henderson, as the former Pride champ stalked the Brazilian around the cage, repeatedly cocking back his legendary right hand before smashing it into Shogun's face at any opportunity.
Despite absorbing an insane amount of punishment, including a crushing H-Bomb that ended up with Henderson landing a flurry of punches, Rua managed to remain composed and swing the fight in his favour.
Rua knew he'd lost the first three rounds, so threw caution to the wind, bit down on his mouthpiece and struck back at his visibly exhausted opponent. For the final ten minutes, Shogun took mount and rained down an incredible amount of ground and pound, nearly finishing Henderson on numerous times.
Despite Henderson just about earning a victory at the end of the night, this fight become an instant classic due to old school veterans turning back the years and delivering the type of fight that fans didn't know they still had in them still.