5. Frank Shamrock v Jeremy Horn
Back in 1998, the UFC was still growing into the entity that we think of today. Frank Shamrock was the UFC’s first Light-Heavyweight Champion back then and physically looked the part – at least compared to his eventual opponent Jeremy Horn. They fought at UFC 17, with Horn taking the fight on 2 months notice.
Shamrock was expected to run through Horn, but the underdog surprised everyone by taking Shamrock down in the first round. This fight was the perfect blend of old-school and new MMA, with fence grabs and strikes to the back of the head all visible. Shamrock would win by kneebar, but Horn won respect.
