Igor Vovchanchyn was an elite heavyweight in his day. | Photo: Masa Fukui/Sherdog.com
2. Igor Vovchanchyn vs Enson Inoue
Pride Fighting Championships 10 “Return of the Warriors”
Aug. 27, 2000 | Saitama, Japan
The entire fight between Vovchanchyn and Inoue was terrifying. It is hard to imagine a fighter in 2014 ever taking the amount of abuse Inoue absorbed before a referee intervened.
After a wild exchange to open the fight, Vovchanchyn went to work from dominant position, dropping bombs to the body and head of Inoue. The first warning signs of the bout getting out of hand came when the grappling exchange reached the ropes and two referees were forced to literally pull Inoue to the center, as he was unable to move under his own power. When the fight restarted, so did the beating, as Vovchanchyn continued to pummel his opponent. Inoue rolled to his side and was visibly unable to protect himself, and Vovchanchyn let up so the referee could intervene. He did not. The beating did not end until the round had drawn to a close. Inoue was unable to stand and only made it back to his corner with the help of his trainer. He collapsed on the floor in the corner, at which doctors began examining him. It was later learned that Inoue suffered brain swelling, a broken jaw, a burst eardrum and a concussion.
Number 1 » Ricardo Arona vs. Kazushi Sakuraba