3. Matt Hughes vs. Frank Trigg
UFC 52 “Couture vs. Liddell”
April 16, 2005 | Las Vegas
Serious bad blood existed between Hughes and Trigg when they met for a second time in a UFC 52 showcase at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Hughes had submitted “Twinkle Toes” with a rear-naked choke two years earlier, so an undercurrent of revenge was present; and Trigg nearly tapped into it. After a groin strike to Hughes went unseen by the referee, Trigg bludgeoned him with hard punches. Hughes absorbed a volley of unanswered shots, and the possibility of a massive upset seemed more likely with each passing second. Trigg even threatened with a rear-naked choke, but the reigning welterweight champion stayed calm in the midst of significant adversity and soon recovered from the foul. Trigg failed to secure the choke, surrendered position and provided Hughes with an avenue through which to escape. He rose to his feet, scooped up a stunned Trigg and carried him across the Octagon before slamming him to the canvas. A crowd of 14,562 roared with deafening approval. It remains one of the most iconic moments in Ultimate Fighting Championship history. From there, Hughes blasted Trigg with punches and elbows, applied the rear-naked choke and forced the tapout 4:05 into the first round.
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