Conor McGregor yells out to the crowd at the UFC 246 weigh ins. Photo Credit: Reuters
Where Are The Biggest MMA Fights Held?
A proper MMA showdown deserves a proper venue. As it turns out, some locations are more suitable for fights and this has been proved time and again. Experience aside, though, fans have also grown accustomed to frequenting the same spots over the years, even though to some – it has been an arduous trek to get to the place, find tickets and accommodation.
Yet MMA comes with its inexorable pull that quickly attracts even the biggest recluse. Today, though, we will talk about the biggest fights in the history of MMA and which are still talked about long after one of the opponents had been defeated with very possibly a bang.
1. Conor McGregor vs Eddie Alvarez
Conor McGregor is certainly one of the most recognizable names in MMA. Any ticket his name is on is a huge ticket. The Irishman has a fiery character that properly captures the stereotype Irishman have about them – short fuse and a huge explosion that follows if you rub them the wrong way.
But McGregor is extra volatile and you really must watch your way with the man. His fight with Eddie Alvarez in 2016 was one of the largest tickets the crowd had seen. Even to date, McGregor makes headlines easily. The preview for the fight drew in 2.4 million viewers, which is the largest any fight preview has ever got.
As to UFC president Dana White, he called it “the biggest fight card” in the company’s history and he’s pretty much spot on.
The fight was held at one of the premier venues when it comes to MMA fights, to name the Madison Square Garden (MSG) in New York City, New York.
2. Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen
The Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen fight was one of the biggest in 2012 and very possibly the history of the sport. Not surprisingly, an event of this scale also necessitated a venue to reflect its importance.
Not by chance, the promoters have opted for the MGM Grand Garden Arena in mid-summer with a global crowd of MMA afficionados trickling in to behold the fight of the year in person.
The MGM Area located in one of the biggest and best casinos in Las Vegas (to see other great Vegas casinos visit https://5bestcasinos.com/what-are-the-10-best-casinos-in-vegas/) often attracts the most existing sporting events. Many casino goers who like to gamble also coincidentally like to buy fight night tickets! I guess the connection between sports and casinos is one event makers see as a money maker.
The fight took on a whole new level when Sonnen started throwing slurs and incendiary remarks in public space and including during the fight in the hopes to get under Silva’s skin, but he was taught a quick lesson that prodding the bull wouldn’t really go down well.
3. Jose Aldo vs. Conor McGregor
Conor McGregor fought Jose Aldo in 2015 in what turned out to be another massive fight once again held at the MGM Grand Arena. This was one of the quickest fights in McGregor’s career for sure.
Shortly after the fight had started, the Irishman quickly positioned himself in the middle of the octagon cornering Aldo who nevertheless tried to get back and fight Conor close-range. Therein lied his first and final mistake in this fight. McGregor quickly knocked him unconscious landing a series of punches before the referee had had the time to step in and break the fight.
4. Stipe Miocic vs Daniel Cormier
Fought at the T-Mobile Arena, this is an event that definitely had fans excited back in 2018. True, Miocic and Cormier aren’t the biggest names in this sport, but they both had a fairly sterling track record and definitely had a great flair for showmanship.
Now, the fight took a while to settle, but Miocic defeated Cormier much to the disbelief of fans. With his stellar record, Cormier was supposed to eat through the arguably less experienced Miocic, but not quite at all.
