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5. Brian Bowles vs. Miguel Torres
WEC 42
Aug. 9, 2009 | Las Vegas

Torres rode into his WEC bantamweight title defense on a 17-fight winning streak, a ridiculous 37-1 career record in tow. He was widely regarded as one of the sport’s pound-for-pound best, so dominant that many experts believed he was a lock to go down as one of the top lighter-weight fighters ever to compete in MMA. Bowles, of course, had other plans.

Bowles floored Torres with an overhand right a minute into the match and then settled right into the Carlson Gracie protégé’s guard. Torres could not keep the West Virginia native at bay and failed to lock down a submission from the bottom. Eventually, Bowles backed out and allowed the defending champion to stand. Torres connected with a nice right hand but charged the challenger with an ill-advised flurry and ran right into a perfect counter right hook. Torres fell to his back and tried to claim guard, but Bowles was all over him.

A series of ground-and-pound right hands hit their target -- Torres’ head -- and rendered him unconscious. Just like that, the WEC bantamweight championship changed hands. Torres never again recaptured the magic that was once his.

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