One of the most famous places in the world for casinos and gambling is Las Vegas – home to some of the biggest, best and most opulent casinos in the world. Although there are plenty of advantages to grabbing yourself a great bonus for online sportsbooks and casinos at sites such as goodluckmate.com, there’s nothing that quite beats the experience of being right there in the heart of the action.
Not only is it a special place for casinos – but also for sports. Not only sports betting but sporting events, especially fighting. Sin City is the boxing capital of the world and it has played host to some iconic fights between legends of the sport. However, times have moved on – and boxing isn’t the only big combat sport that’s popular now. Indeed, the MMA and UFC are growing increasingly popular with fans and sports bettors and are seen by some as even more entertaining.
With that being said, here are the three biggest and best MMA fights to have ever been held in Las Vegas…
3: Conor McGregor vs Nate Diaz II: Tate Arena
The first bout was when Nate Diaz put the brakes on the Conor McGregor success train. It was on UFC Fight Night 196 that Diaz managed to finish McGregor off in the second round with a rear-naked choke on. Fans from around the world were shocked, but Diaz wasn’t. McGregor was shaken by the loss and he became obsessed with revenge – and this led to the rematch at UFC 202.
McGregor was buzzing right from the start and he showed off his boxing skills, complemented by perfectly timed kicks in round one. However, he started to run out of energy in the later stages of the bout, which was when Diaz upped the ante. However, McGregor managed to pick him apart with sharp punches and strikes – and although Diaz won in terms of volume, McGregor had more accuracy and managed to edge the scorecard with a couple of knockdowns.
The game was certainly back and forth between the two – but the hug at the end between them showed true sportsmanship and class. This won’t be forgotten in a hurry for sure.
2: Robbie Lawler vs Rory McDonald: MGM Grand Arena
The Robbie Lawler vs Rory McDonald rematch flew under the radar in the pre-fight build-up to UFC 189, with McGregor grabbing all the headlines as he was due to face off with Chad Mendes for the Interim Featherweight title.
However, these two fighters ended up stealing the show. They didn’t simply come to win, they came for a proper battle and what a battle it really was. The two men stood face to face and threw grenades at each other. Lawler more than lived up to his Ruthless champion name and threw out combinations and shots from all angles. However, Rory fought back with aplomb.
Arguably, the staredown they had at the end of round four is still one of the most badass MMA moments ever. Although Lawler won in round 5, McDonald certainly gave a good account of himself.
1: Stephan Bonnar vs Forrest Griffin: The Ultimate Fighter 1 Finale
In first place, we have what is often considered to be the most important fight ever in the history of MMA. The UFC may well not be what it is today if it wasn’t for these two fighters bringing down the house way back in 2005.
The UFC had been given the ultimatum that if it didn’t produce something extraordinary, then it would lose its TV deals. Step up Bonnar and Griffin who more than rose to the occasion. They produced a fight that was the benchmark for UFC fights for many years afterwards.
The two light heavyweight fighters left it all out there for a huge UFC contract – and by round three, fans were up on their feet with delight. Although it was Griffin that ended up winning by a unanimous decision, Bonnar’s efforts didn’t go unrewarded and he was still given a big UFC deal. Even to this day, the fight is still regarded by many as one of the best in the history of the UFC and has a place in the UFC Hall of Fame – and top of our list!