8 Greatest Hail Mary Victories In MMA History

Chael Sonnen vs. Anderson Silva at UFC 117 is one of the greatest fights in the history of mixed martial arts.

Sonnen had emerged from relative obscurity to become one of the most feared contenders in the 185lbs weight class thanks to his relentless, wrestling-based offence and impressive cardio, earning the right to face the then-untouchable Spider with UFC gold on the line.

The trash-talking prior to the bout had set expectations for the fight to an almost unrealistic standard, but the action inside the Octagon still managed to leave fans worldwide in shock. Sonnen was true to his word and put a beating on the champion, never letting him get comfortable unleashing his feared striking arsenal.

Sonnen had earned a comfortable lead on the judges' scorecards going into the fifth round, and seemed en route to clinching the middleweight title in one of the biggest upsets in the history of MMA.

Silva wasn't done yet though, and with just minutes remaining, threw up a triangle choke from his guard that captured the challenger and forced him to submit with just minutes remaining in the final frame.