10 Most Memorable Championship Shockers: Part 1

WEC Bantamweight Championship
Brian Bowles def. Miguel Torres -- KO (Punches) 3:57 R1
WEC 42 “Torres vs. Bowles,” Aug. 9, 2009

The Setting: While the WEC worked overtime to prove smaller guys could produce good fights, Torres soldiered on with Urijah Faber, dispatching challengers with clinical ruthlessness. With a gaudy 37-1 record, Torres seemed a perfect fit for the role -- a little man equipped with the killer instinct of a heavyweight slugger, dazzling submission skills and capable stand-up. Bowles, meanwhile, was the diametrical opposite. With a 7-0 mark, the Georgia product with a wrestling base had four wins in the WEC and a bright future ahead. However, he seemed woefully inexperienced entering the WEC 42 main event.

The Swing Moment: After taking turns hurting one another, Bowles retreated along the cage after getting drilled, looking every bit like a typical Torres victim-to-be. Instead, the challenger exploited his opportunity and caught Torres coming in with a massive right hand that turned the tables instantly. Toppled, Torres covered up while Bowles pounced, delivering a series of punches until the champion was unconscious. Shock knockouts happen all the time in MMA, but that does not change how stunning they are to witness when they happen to fighters of Torres’ caliber.

The Aftermath: The new champion basked in a performance that earned as much street cred as any upset on this list. Torres, meanwhile, awaits a rematch in what figures to be an eminently watchable fight. Given how much they buzzed one another in their first encounter, which lasted a mere 3:57, who would not want to see these two go deep into a five-round war?