March 19, 2011: Jon Jones defeats Mauricio Rua at UFC 128
It was clear from the moment Jon Jones arrived in the UFC that he was destined for something special, but “Bones” wasted no time in looking to fulfill that potential. A little more than two years after his arrival into the promotion, Jones devastated MMA legend Mauricio “Shogun” Rua to become the youngest champion in UFC history. While that, alone, would be enough to make it a significant evening, it was just the foundation for what was to come.
Jones would go on to notch an astounding 16-0 record for the decade. It likely would have been more, had he not often ended up being his own worst enemy at times. But inside the octagon, his greatness is undeniable, and it began the night he etched his name in the record books.
April 30, 2011: Georges St-Pierre defeats Jake Shields in front of 55,000 fans
Former UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre remains one of the biggest stars in the history of the sport, but his popularity in his native Canada once led UFC president Dana White to declare it a “mecca” of MMA. Never was that more apparent than UFC 129, when St-Pierre defended his belt with a decision win over Jake Shields at Toronto’s Rogers Centre in front of 55,724 fans.
The UFC has visited other stadiums since. In fact, they’ve had two different events in Australia that surpassed the attendance of UFC 129. But to bring the octagon into such a massive venue for the first time was a truly historical moment. In fairness, the main event wasn’t exactly a barnburner, but it didn’t matter. The card delivered as a whole, and the country’s hero kept his belt in front of a scene the likes had never been built before.
Aug. 18, 2011: UFC announces TV deal with FOX
What once seemed impossible was now a reality: Joe Rogan was wearing a suit. Oh, and the UFC – an organization that once was banned from pay-per-view – was now going to be broadcast on network television.
The financial terms of the deal were beneficial to the UFC, but that wasn’t the real win. The type of acceptance that comes along with being on network TV was massive in continuing to bring MMA into the mainstream.
Feb. 23, 2013: Ronda Rousey makes her UFC debut
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UFC president Dana White once infamously claimed that women would never fight in the UFC. He’s certainly happy that he changed his stance on that issue, with women’s MMA now just as popular as the men’s game. It all started with one woman, Ronda Rousey, who was a belated addition to the UFC roster following the Strikeforce purchase.
Rousey, with her brash personality and quick-finish capabilities, rapidly became the biggest star in the sport, and she brought a new demographic – women – along with her, raising the UFC’s profile and again garnering increased mainstream attention.
Dec. 28, 2013: Anderson Silva’s leg snaps at UFC 168
Anderson Silva spent more than seven years as UFC middleweight champion – an astounding 2,457 days, the longest title reign in UFC history. It was an incredible run that ended in wild fashion at UFC 162, when “The Spider” taunted challenger Chris Weidman, who landed a devastating left hand that flattened Silva and ended his time as champion. Five months later, they would meet again at UFC 168, and much of the world believed a refocused Silva would easily reclaim his title. It didn’t play out like that.
In one of the most shocking scenes in UFC history, Silva threw a low kick with his left leg, then pulled it back to reset and crumpled to the canvas, clutching his limb. The leg was broken, and the fight was done. So, too, was Silva’s time as an elite fighter. Fourteen months later, he’d test positive for two banned substances, and he went 1-4 in five appearances the rest of the decade following the gruesome injury, which produced some of the most graphic images ever seen in the octagon.