UFC/MMA Best ‘Fights of Year’ 2023 – Top 5 List

Between international promotions, feeder leagues, second-tier power players, and the relentless deluge of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) content, mixed martial arts fans received an embarrassment of action this year. Standing out in such a crowded field demanded something truly special, and luckily for us, some folks were up to the task.

Let’s check out 2023’s “Fights of the Year.”

5. Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Geoff Neal

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

For all his considerable skill, Shavkat Rakhmonov is not what you’d call a defensive wizard. Pitting him against a high-powered headhunter like Geoff Neal was guaranteed to produce something spectacular, whether it be Rakhmonov mowing him down like so many others or Neal sending Rakhmonov’s upright chin to Abu Dhabi.

Despite Neal grievously missing weight at 175 pounds and clearly suffering for it in the stamina department, viewers were treated to a brutal endurance match. Rakhmonov refused to take a backward step and Neal refused to stop punching him extremely hard in the face, culminating in a vicious third round that saw both men shrug off catastrophic blows before Rakhmonov strangled his way to a last-minute victory.

4. Justin Gaethje vs. Rafael Fiziev

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

I say this in the most flattering way possible: this was among the most stressful fights I can remember watching. Gaethje and Fiziev spent three rounds hurling fireballs at each other and all we could do was watch and wait for someone’s head to be knocked clean through the rafters.

Years after announcing his UFC arrival with a cartoonishly violent finish of Michael Johnson (watch it), Justin Gaethje remains perhaps the sport’s most consistent action fighter. Give him a willing dance partner like Rafael Fiziev and there’s no way you’re not getting magic.

3. Irene Aldana vs. Karol Rosa

Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

Sometimes it’s not about rankings or storylines or high-level technique. Sometimes, it’s just about two fighters beating the absolute piss out of each other.

Irene Aldana and Karol Rosa — who’d been painfully tentative in prior efforts — combined to land a flat-out astonishing 349 significant strikes in the span of 15 minutes. From Rosa’s nonstop onslaught of leg kicks to Aldana’s murderous body work to the countless clean punches they bounced off each other’s faces, the pace never even faltered once they hit the second round. It was one for the record books and, by my reckoning, the history books as well.

2. Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski 1

Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images

This was not the most consistently entertaining fight on the list (watch highlights). The two combined for 127 significant strikes in five rounds, a total it’s not too unusual to see in three-rounders.

But, the atmosphere was genuinely special.

Alexander Volkanovski was the protagonist here, the undersized champion looking to topple the man atop arguably the most stacked division in the sport, and his efforts were as absorbing as any cinematic hero. Even if he came up short, his fifth-round rally was among the most breathtaking moments 2023 had to offer, and Islam Makhachev was equally compelling as an antagonist.

Shame the sequel ended the way it did, but what a treasure they gave us.

1. Alexandre Pantoja vs. Brandon Moreno 3

Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images

It’s rare to see a fight tick absolutely every box: a great storyline, consistent action and dramatic momentum swings. It was a genuinely marvelous fight that had my heart pounding like no other this year, pitting Moreno’s razor-sharp boxing against Pantoja’s blend of back-alley slugging and immaculate Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

As terrific as Moreno was, Pantoja was the heart and soul of this fight. Again and again it seemed like Moreno was on the verge of breaking his will, only for “The Cannibal” to come back with another murderous haymaker or perfectly timed takedown. His victory was among the most cathartic I’ve seen in this sport and I’m proud to give his triumph the top spot.

Honorable Mentions

• Rodolfo Bellato vs. Ihor Potieria – Watch Highlights
• CJ Vergara vs. Daniel Lacerda – Watch Highlights
• Manel Kape vs. Felipe dos Santos
• Chris Curtis vs. Kelvin Gastelum

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