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2. Matt Hughes vs. Carlos Newton
UFC 34
Nov. 2, 2001 | Las Vegas

It was a finish that has been talked about for years. Newton had risen to prominence on the strength of a dangerous submission game and had tapped Hughes’ longtime mentor, Pat Miletich, with a bulldog choke to claim the welterweight championship at UFC 31. Hughes posed a real threat but had not yet established himself as the most dominant 170-pound fighter in the sport. His clash with Newton helped him down that path.

After a competitive opening round, Newton gained control in the second. Hughes found himself mired in the Canadian’s guard and eventually became ensnared in a deep triangle choke. The challenger fought to free himself, but, as the seconds ticked away, it became more and more apparent that Newton’s slick submission skills would prevail and allow him to leave the MGM Grand Garden Arena with his title. No one could have foreseen what happened next. In a desperate maneuver, Hughes scooped up Newton, walked him over to the cage and rested him against the top of the fence. Champion and challenger then crashed to the canvas, the impact knocking out Newton. Hughes also appeared to be out, having temporarily lost consciousness in the choke. However, the slam unraveled Newton’s triangle and set Hughes free. Since Newton was still out cold, referee John McCarthy awarded the victory to Hughes.

To this day, Newton claims Hughes collapsed from the choke, while Hughes remains adamant that he slammed Newton on purpose to avoid going to sleep.

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