Each time the UFC is hosted at Madison Sq. Backyard, it all the time produces one of the anticipated occasions of the 12 months.
Time after time, we’ve seen a few of the largest matchups in UFC historical past happen within the iconic area.
Each fundamental occasion that has taken place at MSG has arguably delivered, though some battles have ended with disappointment.
Earlier than the super-fight between Jack Della Maddalena and Islam Makhachev takes place within the headliner of UFC 322, listed below are all earlier fundamental occasions ranked from worst to greatest.
UFC 230: Daniel Cormier vs Derrick Lewis
We return to 2018 when Cormier was a simultaneous two-division champion, holding the heavyweight and light-weight heavyweight titles.
‘DC’ gained the 265lbs belt when he knocked out Stipe Miocic at UFC 226 and was set for his first defence in MSG.
Lewis fought in the identical occasion in opposition to Francis Ngannou, which was ready to be an thrilling battle, however ended as a ‘borefest’, though he did win by unanimous resolution.
Earlier than his title combat, ‘The Black Beast’ fought Alexander Volkov and earned a comeback knockout win in spherical three at UFC 229.
It was a battle that got here collectively rapidly, as Lewis had lower than a month to arrange for his title shot, not offering an enormous build-up for followers.
As no shock, Cormier was heading into the title conflict as a heavy favorite, hoping to safe his third win of the 12 months.
The heavyweight champion claimed a snug win, submitting Lewis with a Rear-Bare Choke in spherical two.
Surprisingly, this could be Cormier’s final victory earlier than retiring from blended martial arts.
UFC 309: Jon Jones vs Stipe Miocic
In 2023, Jones vs Miocic was booked because the headliner of UFC 295, with followers calling it the largest heavyweight title combat in historical past.
Nevertheless, as a result of harm, Jones needed to pull out, and the principle occasion was scrapped and rescheduled a 12 months later.
By the point it got here to UFC 309, Jones had not fought in 20 months, and Miocic had not been energetic since March 2021.
To not be forgotten, Tom Aspinall grew to become the interim champion and defended the title earlier than this matchup was scheduled.
It appeared apparent to lots of the MMA neighborhood that ‘Bones’ would clearly win since Miocic had not been victorious since August 2020.
This led many followers to invest that the scheduled five-round heavyweight title combat wouldn’t final lengthy.
Ultimately, Jones gained by third-round knockout after a brutal spinning again kick to the physique, making it his first profitable title defence at 265lbs.
Whereas it was no shock that the two-division champion gained, followers had been extra centered on who Jones’ subsequent opponent may very well be, till his retirement was confirmed in June this 12 months.
UFC 295: Jiri Prochazka vs Alex Pereira
Initially set because the co-main occasion, Prochazka vs Pereira was moved to the headliner for the vacant gentle heavyweight belt.
The Czech fighter had not competed since his title triumph in opposition to Glover Teixeira at UFC 275.
Pereira earned his shot for the sunshine heavyweight title after edging a cut up resolution over former champion Jan Blachowicz at UFC 291.
The brand new headliner for UFC 295 grew to become extra thrilling since each males had been spectacular knockout artists.
In his seventh UFC bout, ‘Poatan’ was aiming to change into a two-division champion after beforehand successful the middleweight title in opposition to Israel Adesanya.
Prochazka had not been overwhelmed since December 2015, making this championship contest so laborious to foretell.
Pereira gained by second-round TKO; nonetheless, a few of the MMA neighborhood believed it was a nasty stoppage as Prochazka rapidly rose to his ft when the bout was stopped.
Regardless of the untimely ending, each fighters would face off once more in a rematch at UFC 303, with Pereira successful once more by second-round TKO.
UFC 244: Jorge Masvidal vs Nate Diaz
The inaugural BMF title was up for grabs in MSG as two of essentially the most beloved UFC fighters would attempt to win the distinguished prize.
Masvidal surprised everybody in his earlier combat when he knocked out Ben Askren in 5 seconds at UFC 239.
Diaz defeated Anthony Pettis in his return to MMA and known as out ‘Gamebred’ to battle for the BMF title after his beautiful efficiency.
A assured enjoyable combat would change into the headliner for UFC 244, seeing who could be the ‘baddest motherf***er’ of the UFC.
The welterweight contest offered fireworks with each males buying and selling strikes in an eye catching battle.
Masvidal inflicted harm on Diaz, pulling down the Californian twice inside three rounds out of 5.
Simply because the fourth spherical was prepared to start, the physician checked the lower above the attention of Diaz and compelled the bout to be stopped, leaving everybody in frustration and disappointment.
The Miami-born fighter grew to become the BMF Champion, successful by TKO (Physician’s Stoppage), actually not how he would have preferred the combat to finish.
UFC 268: Kamaru Usman vs Colby Covington 2
UFC 268 has been considered one of many best MMA occasions because of the numerous entertaining battles and unbelievable knockouts.
Nevertheless, the headliner couldn’t have capped it off any higher in a satisfying rematch between Usman and Covington.
Their first matchup befell at UFC 245 with the ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ successful by fifth-round TKO and incomes his first title defence.
Covington had the chance to assert revenge after he redeemed himself with a TKO win in opposition to Tyron Woodley.
The five-round contest was actually a crowd-pleaser as each males landed a mixed complete of 277 strikes.
Usman had the higher hand within the battle, touchdown two knockdowns as he got here near ending the combat.
By the tip of the championship conflict, spectators had been standing and applauding the 2 fighters for his or her warriorship.
The welterweight champion retained his title however would give loads of respect to Covington after a gruelling battle.
UFC 281: Israel Adesanya vs Alex Pereira
One explicit attribute which makes a rivalry so good is historical past, and that’s precisely what the headliner had at UFC 281.
Adesanya had confronted Pereira twice in Kickboxing at Glory of Heroes (GOH), with the Brazilian successful the primary bout by unanimous resolution and the second by third-round knockout.
Since then, ‘The Final Stylebender’ has positioned himself as one of many best in UFC middleweight historical past.
In the meantime, Pereira paced his strategy to a title shot inside a 12 months after victories over Andreas Michailidis, Bruno Silva and Sean Strickland.
The championship combat nearly went the space, though it practically ended within the first spherical when Adesanya rocked Pereira proper on the finish of spherical one.
The champion was getting the higher of the challenger by way of strikes and grappling, as he was forward on the scorecards.
Throughout spherical 5, Pereira surprised Adesanya with a vicious left hook earlier than firing an arsenal of strikes to cease the bout and full the comeback.
Identical to that, Pereira grew to become the brand new UFC Middleweight Champion and have become the primary to defeat Adesanya at 185lbs in MMA.
UFC 217: Michael Bisping vs Georges St-Pierre
It’s not usually you see three title fights in a single UFC occasion, particularly three new champions in a single night time, which occurred at UFC 217.
‘GSP’ made his return to MMA after 4 years away from the Octagon since his cut up resolution win in opposition to Johnny Hendricks.
Bisping avenged one in all his iconic losses in opposition to Dan Henderson in his earlier combat, successful by unanimous resolution to defend the belt.
Whereas the build-up and a spotlight centered on the return of St-Pierre, ‘The Depend’ actually boosted viewership together with his pre-fight trash speak.
Questions arose about whether or not the Canadian nonetheless had what it takes to be a champion after his four-year layoff.
And so they had been answered as St Pierre made the group go wild in spherical three when he knocked down the Briton.
Finally, after taking the again of Bisping, GSP submitted Bisping unconscious with a Rear-Bare Choke to change into the brand new middleweight champion.
This made St-Pierre a two-division champion and cemented him as the best to attain this feat in MMA.
UFC 205: Eddie Alvarez vs Conor McGregor
The primary-ever MSG occasion in UFC historical past offered one of the iconic moments within the sport.
Alvarez made his first title defence after successful the belt from an emphatic first-round TKO win over Rafael dos Anjos.
McGregor was trying to find success, which nobody had ever achieved earlier than, because the featherweight champion hoped so as to add a second title to his assortment.
In fact, at the moment in November 2016, ‘The Infamous’ had an enormous fan base behind him, which assured an enchanting build-up.
McGregor displayed nothing however dominance in his first UFC light-weight conflict, inflicting a number of issues for Alvarez.
The Irishman knocked down the champion twice in spherical one, coming very near ending the combat.
With two minutes left of spherical two, the featherweight champion landed his third knockdown and secured a second-round TKO title triumph.
It was the first time a fighter had ever change into a simultaneous two-division champion as McGregor pulled off one of many best moments in UFC historical past.
