There are a lot of these, but I'll just post one to start off:
Kenny Monday over John Lewis, Extreme fighting 4, 1997.
First time an elite wrestler completely crushed a good Jiu-Jitsu guy on TV.

All Royce's fights at UFC 1-4

For obvious reasons. The sport might well still be one off vale-tudo events between guys who really do only train one or two arts otherwise.


Frank Shamrock/Tito Ortiz

Showed the importance of gameplan more than any other fight before.

Pat Smith vs Scott Morris

First serious GnP captured on TV. Initially, used as evidence that the sport was as brutal as the promoters said it was, later, used as evidence that the sport was as brutal as John McCain said it was.

Forrest Griffin vs Stephan Bonner 1

is usually brought up by Dana White as a big deal and it was a good fight.

Randy Couture vs Chuck Lidell 1
vs Tim Sylvia

Both fights seemed to breath life back into the weight divisions they took place in. Especially the Sylvia for me. I really really wanted Monson to get rid of Timmeh but instead the world got five rounds of crushing boredom and the light just seemed to go off for that division. When Randy won what might happen next became an interesting question again. The chuck fight had a similar effect but in fairness chuck did not induce nearly as much nausea.

Igor Vovchanchyn vs. Adilson Lima (both times)

First famous example of a striker beating a BJJ specialist, even more so because it was GJJ. Igor's second professional MMA fight, if fightfinder is to be believed.

Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Royler Gracie

One of the very first (if not the first) examples of a Gracie being defeated by a submission in MMA. No tapout given, but still a submission.

2000 Pride OWGP

Best collection of talent ever assembled to that point, possibly ever considering the reputation at the time of the fighters involved. Also notable for the famous Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Royce Gracie bout, Royce's first true loss in MMA.

Cung le vs. Frank Shamrock! for me though I was going for Cung, I didn't think he had the experience at the time to deal with Frank. I think it also made all the tap out wearing mma newbs. think a little also.

Oh! and definately Gonzaga's high kick ko over Cro Cop! I was sure Mirko was going to be the next UFC. champ :(

Maurice Smith vs Conan


First time a Americans got to see a kickboxer take a BJJ player out of their game on and beat him soundly.

Chuck Liddell vs Kevin Randleman

Breakthrough fight for Liddell as a contender.

i don't know much about mma to be an expert but i think the last three fights of george st pierre were notable. i mean he didnt just take back the title after loosing it he more of destroyed everyone that got in his way.

he tapped out Matt Hughes someone who is regarded to have a bjj black belt level of skill, he has infact subbed black belt bjj guys before (royce, even though he didnt tap).

he murdered Matt Sera.

he went through, imo, five of the best rounds of 2008, to defend his title, something which has been said before, you're not a true champ until you defend your title.

maybe not anyone one of those fights 'shook up the sport' but all three together i think account for one of the best comebacks the sport has ever seen.

now to bj penn...

Kimbo Slice vs. Seth Petruzelli.

All Royce's fights at UFC 1-4

For obvious reasons. The sport might well still be one off vale-tudo events between guys who really do only train one or two arts otherwise.


Frank Shamrock/Tito Ortiz

Showed the importance of gameplan more than any other fight before.

+1. Truth.

I think the whole Pat Smith vs: the ninjer, Johnny Rhodes, Gracie, saga leading up to, and including his defeat by Royce at UFC 2. He said something like. "Last time I didn't know about leglocks, I've been working on my ground game, not like I should, he's gonna go for.....(I forget).... an I'm gonna pound him"

How about the fedor/hong man choi fight? He looked like a toy out there, compared to the big Korean. He's beat up big guys before, but they were mostly rotund...seeing those two armbars, warmed my heart. Size really doesn't matter, All of fedor's fights show that.

Shamrock vs Dan Severn....the worst, most boring fight evah! showed how bad two legends could suck it up.

Shamrock vs Royce II Royce looked messed up after that 'draw'. 30 mins of shamrock sitting inside Royce's guard, not even trying to escape, just punishing him. Turning point in teh anti grappl3.

GSP vs Huges II..for obvious reasons, WTF pwned.

Rob Kaman vs Changpuak Kietsongrit (WTF spelling>?). White Dutch dude, busts up a thai legend, with left hooks, and low kicks. Not famous, but it made me go WTF? so I mentioned it.



How about when Tank Abbot folded that dude's head over? I think a lot of people woke up, after that, perhaps the brawling style could be refined to avoid that.

and my fav. Cung Le vs Frank Shamrock. He broke the friggin dude's arm with shin kicks...that's the epic win. Validated, to a large degree, San Shou/san da techniques and training methods, and their applications in mma, as well as wtfpwned a living legend.

and I want to mention Frank Shamrock vs Baroni, as the wtfpwn with sauce, of recent memory. He beat that man silly, laughing the whole time. Talk about love of fighting.

Big Nog v Mir showed that you can't count on anything in the sport of MMA.

There are a lot of these, but I'll just post one to start off:
Kenny Monday over John Lewis, Extreme fighting 4, 1997.
First time an elite wrestler completely crushed a good Jiu-Jitsu guy on TV.


Similarly, although not an elite wrestler, Don Frye's defeat of Amaury Bitetti in UFC IX on 17th May 1996 (http://slideyfoot.blogspot.com/1982/06/history-of-brazilian-jiu-jitsu-bjj.html#theturningpoint). Bitetti was the Mundial champion at the time, but couldn't deal with Frye's well-rounded combination of wrestling and boxing.

Since no one else has mentioned it, Rickson vs. Takada, the birth of PRIDE.

Fedor vs Tim Sylvia

Introduced this Fedor guy to american audiences. Showed that while all those Pride guys where performing not-so-good in the UFC, Fedor was as good as the hype with the utter destruction of a top level UFC contender in 30-some seconds.