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8. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Mirko Filipovic
Pride “Final Conflict 2005”
Aug. 28, 2005 | Saitama, Japan

When Emelianenko finally put his Pride heavyweight title on the line against “Cro Cop,” the fight the MMA world wanted to see most became a reality. The two best heavyweights on the planet, both in their primes, duked it out on the sport’s biggest stage. It was a can’t-miss classic that largely lived up to the impossible expectations that preceded it.

“Cro Cop” stayed busy early, landing several wicked kicks to Emelianenko’s body and hard punches to the face. The Russian was rocked a few times, but he was never in real danger of becoming another victim on the Filipovic highlight reel. Emelianenko continued to weather the strikes and eventually turned the tide with effective punches of his own. After being tagged by a vicious left hand to the face, he took down “Cro Cop” and unfurled his patented ground-and-pound. As the fight wore on, Emelianenko landed the better punches on the feet and executed more takedowns. He eventually took a unanimous decision to retain his title in one of Pride’s most significant fights.

Number 7 » Frye vs. Takayama