Sherdog’s Top 10Sherdog’s Top 10: Disastrous Title Shots
No. 4
4. Paul Buentello vs. Andrei Arlovski
UFC 55
Oct. 7, 2005 | Uncasville, Conn.
Buentello had won 10 of 11 bouts entering his lone UFC heavyweight title fight, with all 10 of those wins coming by knockout or submission. He rode a six-fight winning streak into the Mohegan Sun Arena, though he had not beaten any legitimate elite-level opponents along the way. While most expected Arlovski to retain his title, Buentello’s raw punching power and the Belarusian’s sketchy chin made the possibility of an upset seem real.
“The Headhunter” tried to exchange with the taller Arlovski but failed to land any punches before a sizzling laser of a right hand to the chin dropped him face-first on the canvas. Referee John McCarthy intervened 15 seconds into round one, and while the finish was decisive, it was also anti-climactic because few people actually saw the punch land live. Replays were needed to fill in the blanks. Buentello rose on unsteady legs and stumbled backwards while trying to protest the stoppage.
Number 3 » Concussive Device
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