The UFC returns to Perth on September 27, hoping to create even more incredible memories in the octagon.
Australia has always been a hotbed of fandom for the UFC, producing some of the most iconic events in the promotion’s history.
Ahead of UFC Perth, we’ve chosen the five most memorable moments to take place Down Under, including the end of one of the UFC’s most dominant reigns in front of a record crowd in Melbourne, plus many more.
Months before he took on Brock Lesnar at UFC 200, Mark Hunt coolly ended another former UFC Heavyweight champion with just one punch in Australia.
Hunt flattened Frank Mir on March 20, 2016, when they faced off in Brisbane, with the bout barely lasting three minutes from the opening bell.
7 years ago today, Mark Hunt knocked out Frank Mir
— MMA Mania (@mmamania) March 20, 2023
https://t.co/hZmb42oFy4
The Kiwi fighter managed to block all of Mir’s attempted takedowns before knocking him out with one punch in the first round.
As soon as Mir began to fall, Hunt nonchalantly walked back to his corner, hitting one of the most impressive walk-off knockouts in UFC history.
The UFC Fight Night 55 event had a fantastic card, but nobody expected just how spectacular the fights would be up and down the show.
The 11-fight card, which included 4 main card bouts, didn’t see a single decision made by the judges.
Every single fight, from Marcus Brimage’s opening first-round KO against Zhumabek Tursyn to Luke Rockhold’s submission win over Michael Bisping, ended with a finish that got the crowd on their feet.
This still holds the record, as no other event has had as many finishes at UFC Fight Night 55 managed in Sydney.
The UFC ended its first show in Australia with a fantastic bout between two absolute legends of the fighting game.
UFC 110 marked their first trip down under, and fans were treated to a clash between Cain Velasquez and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.
14 years ago today, Cain Velasquez knocked out Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
— MMA Mania (@mmamania) February 21, 2024
pic.twitter.com/Qj5Cx1Zjq9
Velasquez had one eye on a fight with Lesnar when he took the fight, although he remained focused on the job at hand.
That was clear when he knocked out Nogueira with a one-two punch combination just two minutes into the fight, setting up the fight with the former WWE Champion.
In the UFC’s debut in Brisbane back in 2013, Hunt went to war over five rounds against a six-foot-four monster in Antonio Silva in a fantastic brawl.
It was a battle between two giants of the Heavyweight division, which somehow lived up to the lofty expectations of hungry fight fans.
“The Super Samoan” Mark Hunt(9-8)(@markhunt1974) vs Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva(18-5)
— Underrated Tribal Chief (@CombatUTC) February 28, 2024
UFC Fight Night Brisbane: Hunt vs Bigfoot
December 6th 2013
One of the best Heavyweight fights of all time
Requested by @WARCRIME69 pic.twitter.com/xMhJpx6SSo
It ended in a rare majority draw decision, but the fans ended up winning. The heavy slugfest went all five rounds, both men taking huge hits and carrying on in a brutal war.
It is remembered as one of the great UFC fights, even if nobody walked out the winner that night.
Australia has played host to many incredible fights in the past, but none come close to the absolute shock that was Ronda Rousey’s clash with Holly Holm at UFC 193.
More than 56,000 people packed into the Docklands Stadium in Melbourne on November 14, 2015, to witness the end of an era.
Never forget when @HollyHolm shocked the WORLD against Ronda Rousey
— UFC (@ufc) March 21, 2023
Holm is back in action Saturday in our #UFCSanAntonio co-main event! pic.twitter.com/24hQBRYD9H
Rousey had never tasted defeat in her career, and the UFC Women’s Bantamweight looked full of confidence in the build-up to this clash.
However, what followed was arguably the biggest upset in UFC history when Holm stunned Rousey with a right hand before knocking her out cold with a head kick, ending her legendary title reign as the Australian crowd exploded, knowing that they had just witnessed history.
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