The Greatest UFC Fight of All Time?

[Abaddon]

Originally Posted by Abaddon

I remember being in my early teens when I first heard about the UFC. There was already a political storm rising against it.

'60 Minutes' did an expose on the phenomenon, and who did they get to talk to? Good ole Tank. He must have single handedly pushed the UFC movement back at least 5 years thanks to his obnoxious, condescending banter. Through and through, there was nothing to respect or admire about the man; his physique, his language, his inability to construct a sentence that was not bigoted or self-serving. He was also too stupid to realise that he was doing exactly what the conservative media and the political pundits (chiefly John McCain) wanted him to do: he became their ideal thug, and poster boy for everything good xian america should abhor.
Clap, Tank.

Somebody thought it would be a good idea to take Tank from his bar stool and sit him in the commentary box, where he continued to be a vocal thorn in the side of the UFC.

Weight divisions were introduced. Tank opened his mouth and shot it down, along with everybody who did not have his size and strength. "I'm a real fighter" he'd say "not one of these little kiddie fighters - I fight real men". Douche.

On one occasion Blatnick mentioned in passing that Kimo (another douche, but the first guy to really damage Royce and force him to bow out of a successive bout, in the old rule system) was now "living and training out of Huntington beach". Tank's retort: "Yeah, so he says..." which is Tankspeak for "well he doesn't train at my gym (or should that be bar?), so he might as well not even exist". Douche.

Then, Tank gets all bent out of shape coz Tito starts promoting himself as 'The Huntington Beach Bad Boy'... a title that clearly he deserves more than Tito, right? Coz Tank should be the only fighter to ever be associated with Huntington Beach, apparently. That was all it took to end their friendship. And we have Tank to thank - at least in part - for Tito's own ego and douche baggery in his early years; the student came eventually to out-douche the teacher in that regard.

Lastly, the only (I spose) good thing Tank was responsible for was a closer scrutiny of the rules, and the removal of some really hazardous attacks - which Tank used to win bout after bout.
Things like downward strikes (hammer fists/elbows) to the hypothalamus which can kill or paralyse with enough force, and using the cage as leverage over your opponent when raining blows from above. Fighters now are less at risk of serious, lifelong injury because these moves were banned.

I have no respect for the guy.

/rant.

So, after reading all that, is there anyone who wants to talk about the Ultimate Ultimate fights??
It's something of a slap in the face to me.

UFC 7.5 Ultimate Ultimate 95:
'The Beast' Dan Severn vs Tank Abbot was such a wake up call to me; I used to have such a one-sided opinion of Tank!!
The Ultimate Truth is that Severn - the Beast, and one of my earliest role models in UFC, was one of the dirtiest fighters there ever was!!!
At the time, strikes to the back of the head were not outlawed, and it was Severn who used them - dozens of them!!! against the back of Tank's skull... and yet he kept himself awake, angry, and trying to get up!!!
I cannot and should not single out or directly blame Tank Abbot for what I have posted previously.

[Trevor Ross]

I'm surprised no one mentioned Griffin vs Bonnar I.