Top Ten MMA Rivalries- Part One

With the news that Nick Diaz and Joe Riggs will go at it again, it seems like as good a time as any to talk about some of the greatest rivalries in MMA history.  For those that didn’t know, the last time Diaz and Riggs fought at UFC 57, the fight didn’t end when the judges rendered a decision in Riggs’ favor.  Instead, the two came to blows again at the hospital after the fight.  Who knows, maybe their next fight will put them among the likes of the following great MMA rivalries.  Here’s our version of the top ten rivalries we’ve seen in mixed martial arts.  This is part one, which will have numbers 10 through 6, with the top five being rounded out in part two of our countdown.

10. Jeremy Horn vs. Josh Burkman

At an XFC event in 2005, Horn beat Burkman in just over a minute with a guillotine choke.  As seen in the video (which can easily be found on the web), Horn holds the choke for a few extra seconds as the referee attempts to stop the fight, rendering Burkman unconscious, then stands up and spits on him for good measure.  What the hell?!?

Turns out that Burkman did something to piss Horn off prior to the fight.  What did he do?  That depends on who you ask.  Some say that Burkman spit on Horn’s girlfriend, some say he poured a drink on her, some say Burkman shoved her, though the “he spit on his girlfriend” story is most prevalent.  Horn issued a statement saying that there was a “history” between the two, but didn’t elaborate on the root of the bad blood.  Burkman, for his part, said he never spit on anyone and didn’t give a reason why Horn would have been so mad.  Still, the nature of the post-fight antics and the obvious bad blood warrants a spot on this list.

9. Rich Clementi vs. Melvin Guillard

Clementi and Guillard are both from Louisiana, and when Guillard became successful in the UFC, he was rubbed the wrong way by what he perceived to be jealousy on Clementi’s part.  This led to fisticuffs outside of the UFC- Guillard claimed he beat up Clementi, Clementi said he was sucker punched- and eventually a fight at UFC 79.

Their fight was the rare grudge match with an actual grudge, and it showed.  Clementi submitted Guillard with a rear naked choke, then pushed Guillard downward as he tried to stand up and “put his nuts on the back of my head”, as Guillard put it.  Guillard tried to get at Clementi, but was held back and the hostility continues to this day, with Guillard saying he would “beat his ass everytime I see him.”  Unfortunately, we’ll be unlikely to see another UFC installment of this rivalry, as Clementi is no longer fighting in the organization.

8. Chute Boxe vs. Brazilian Top Team

The top two Brazilian MMA camps always had a rivalry, with Chute Boxe representing aggressive Muay Thai, and Brazilian Top Team representing a more jiu-jitsu based style.  The rivalry reached its greatest heights when BTT’s Ricardo Arona beat Chute Boxe’s Wanderlei Silva in Pride’s 2005 Grand Prix.  Later that night, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua exacted revenge for Silva (and his younger brother, Murilo “Ninja” Rua, who lost to Arona three years earlier) in brutal fashion, stopping Arona inside of three minutes with a swarming offensive attack.

There were fights after that, including another one to even the score between Silva and Arona, but the rivalry lost some steam when Pride closed its doors for good.  Since then, the rivalry has cooled off, especially as the mass exodus of fighters leaving Chute Boxe (including Silva and Rua) occurred.  Now, Wanderlei Silva himself has even invited Arona to come train with him!

7. Georges St. Pierre vs. Matt Hughes

It’s hard to have a great rivalry between two fighters who are unlikely to talk trash (though Hughes tends to rub opponents the wrong way), but these two managed.  After their first fight, which Hughes won by arm bar, GSP admitted he had idolized Hughes and wasn’t mentally ready for their matchup.  At the time, though, Hughes gave GSP credit as an up-and-coming fighter with a lot of potential, and GSP was still very reverent and respectful towards Hughes.

The second time, it wasn’t the same.  There was Hughes busting GSP’s chops on “The Ultimate Fighter” about learning “arm bar defense”, and there was GSP’s infamous comment in the octagon when he told Hughes he was “not impressed by his performance” after Hughes beat BJ Penn.  Hughes made similar comments after GSP beat Jon Fitch years later, but GSP holds a two to one advantage in this one, with both his wins coming very decisively.  Have we seen the last of their feud in the octagon, though?  Who knows?  Hughes has said that he’d like another crack at GSP before he’s done for good.

6. Dana White vs. Just About Everyone

There aren’t many people in the fight business that are as volatile as UFC president Dana White.  White has feuded with everyone from his own fighters and rival promoters to MMA writers and agents.  Some of his best feuds include his long-standing one with Tito Ortiz and the many rivalries he’s had with other promoters, such as Affliction’s Tom Atencio (who wants Dana to step in the cage and fight) and EliteXC’s Gary Shaw, who White mocked every time he had a chance.  The Ortiz feud almost led to an exhibition boxing match, but Ortiz didn’t bother to show up at the arranged time and place.  Ortiz said that he didn’t like that White was trying to sell the fight on pay-per-view without giving him a cut.

Some of the feuds, such as White’s now-infamous tirade against Sherdog.com’s Loretta Hunt (or a number of other media types that didn’t see things his way) are not so great, though.  White has been less than complimentary towards many members of the MMA media in recent years, and doesn’t always have a lot of respect for the agents that he negotiates fighter’s contracts with, either.

That’s the first five of our top ten feuds in MMA history.  Be sure to check back later tonight for the top five!

by Jon Hartley for Fightmania.com

Tags: Dana White, Georges St. Pierre, Jon Fitch, Matt Hughes, Melvin Guillard, Nick Diaz, Tito Ortiz, UFC, Wanderlei Silva