Sherdog’s Top 10: MMA Rivalries

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2. Quinton Jackson-Wanderlei Silva

The Rundown: During one dominant stretch from 2000 to 2004, “The Axe Murderer” was a force of nature who went unbeaten in 18 straight fights and finished the majority of his foes in a breathtakingly violent fury.

Jackson fell victim to Silva twice during this remarkable run, but he was one of the few opponents who would stand toe-to-toe with the Brazilian and not blink. Their two encounters in Pride Fighting Championships epitomized violence at its highest level. Jackson’s refusal to cower in the presence of Silva during those days only seemed to fuel the rivalry.

Their first meeting came at Pride’s Final Conflict in 2003, and Jackson appeared to be controlling the fight on the ground in the early going. A controversial referee standup gave Silva all the opportunity he needed, however, and he used a muay Thai clinch to brutalize Jackson with approximately 20 knees to the head to earn a TKO win.

Their rematch came at Pride 28, with Silva’s middleweight title on the line. Again, Rampage started strong, flooring Silva with right hand and attempting to finish the fight with strikes on the ground. In round two, the lethal striking of The Axe Murderer again prevailed, as a right hook followed by another series of knees from the clinch signaled Jackson’s demise. The lasting image of the bout remains that of an unconscious Jackson, face down and bloodied in the ropes of the Pride ring.

Four years later, the two met for a final time at UFC 92, with plenty of pre-fight animosity coming from The Axe Murderer. It was Silva who was rendered unconscious in the conclusion of their trilogy, as Jackson countered the Brazilian with a left hook to the jaw to end the fight at 3:21 of the first round.

“Rampage is back. I ain’t going nowhere,” Jackson proclaimed after the victory. Neither is the memory of the Jackson-Silva trilogy.

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