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7. Carlos Condit vs. Hiromitsu Miura
WEC 35 | Aug. 3, 2008

Fan favorite Condit made his name during his five-fight run in the WEC. Already an experienced competitor with more than 20 bouts under his belt, Condit had finished all of his wins, and the streak continued, as he took out Kyle Jensen, John Alessio, Brock Larson and Carlo Prater. In his final fight before the promotion dissolved its heavier divisions and absorbed them into the UFC, the Albuquerque, N.M., native took on Miura, a Japanese fighter with slick judo skills and quick hands who was more than willing to bang it out with the exciting Condit.

The first round was fantastic and went back and forth, with Miura throwing Condit on several occasions and the American storming back with a vicious right hand that dropped his adversary to the mat. The champion seemed to take over in the second and third rounds, securing full mount, attempting armbars and taking Miura’s back. The Japanese fighter mounted a comeback at the beginning of the fourth, however, dropping bombs on the granite-chinned Condit and tossing him effortlessly to the mat. Miura ended up on top after a few scrambles and blasted Condit repeatedly from top position. When Condit returned to his feet with 35 seconds left in the round, he secured a single-collar tie and fired a knee that put Miura on the canvas. A few unanswered blows later, referee Josh Rosenthal called a stop to the bout.

Condit would go on to win an interim UFC welterweight title, challenge Georges St. Pierre and put on a near-“Fight of the Year” performance with Johny Hendricks. The Miura fight marked the moment when the “Natural Born Killer” cemented himself as one of the most exciting fighters of his generation.

Number 6 » Alfonso vs. Polakowski