Mixed martial arts has been able to capture worldwide attention in the last decade. The sport continues to grow its following by building up entertaining fighters, putting together anticipated matches, and featuring some of the most unique personalities in sports history.
One of the most important aspects of mixed martial arts and its success has been the number of notable rivalries. These rivalries have often led to combatants facing two to three times throughout their careers. There have been instances where a rivalry warrants a trilogy match to settle the score, but it has not come to fruition. UFC's weight-class restrictions can sometimes come into play, preventing a trilogy from taking place in the Octagon.
10 Michael Bisping vs. Luke Rockhold 3
The rivalry between Michael Bisping and Luke Rockhold is one of the most entertaining rivalries to date. The two would consistently jab at one another, utilizing extremely personal attacks and witty comebacks. The two former middleweight champions would face each other twice between 2014 to 2016. Rockhold finished Bisping via submission in the first meeting and Bisping knocked out Rockhold in the second.
Their lust for competition and undeniable chemistry as competitors would have made a third bout incredibly entertaining. Unfortunately, the two did not face each other again but are considered two of the best middleweights to ever make the walk.
9 Michael Chandler vs. Eddie Alvarez 3
Michael Chandler and Eddie Alvarez are known for two things: entertainment and violence. The top-ranked lightweights faced each other twice during their time in Bellator and are widely considered two of the best lightweights in Bellator history. Chandler finished Alvarez by submission in their meeting while Alvarez defeated Chandler via split decision in the second.
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Both eventually moved on from the Bellator roster and became successful UFC lightweights but at different times. A third fight under the UFC banner would have surely been must-watch TV.
8 Lyoto Machida vs. Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua 3
The two-fight series between Lyoto Machida and 'Shogun' Rua was inarguably the most entertaining aspect of light heavyweight mixed martial arts between 2009 and 2010. Their first bout was a technical striking duel that resulted in Machida narrowly edging out Rua on the judge's scorecards. The pair were immediately scheduled for a rematch which resulted in Rua knocking out Machida in the first round.
What made their fights so entertaining was the contrast of unique styles. Machida would utilize Karate-based offense while Rua would use a traditional Muay Thai offense, making their bouts some of the most high-level striking in MMA history.
7 Robert Whittaker vs. Yoel Romero 3
No one could have imagined that the second fight between Whittaker and Romero would be even more entertaining than the first. After compiling an eight-fight win-streak, Romero received a title shot against Whittaker at UFC 213. The bout was a back-and-forth affair that resulted in Romero dominating the first half of the fight and Whittaker rebounding to win the second half of the bout. Whittaker claimed the title by unanimous decision but this would not be the end of their story.
Romero quickly rebounded and re-claimed the #1 contender spot by knocking out Luke Rockhold several months later. Whittaker and Romero would rematch in a title bout at UFC 225 that delivered one of the best fights in UFC middleweight history. Romero continuously marched forward, blasting Whittaker with his powerful shots as the champion fired off multiple thunderous head kicks to the challenger's skull. The two would continue to trade in this fashion for five straight rounds and earn the "fight of the night" honors for their performance.
6 Robbie Lawler vs. Rory MacDonald 3
Many MMA fans still consider Lawler vs MacDonald 2 to be the greatest fight in UFC history. The two first met at UFC 167 to determine the next UFC welterweight title contender. After a back-and-forth brawl, Lawler would steal a closely contested split decision victory which was aided by a third-round knockdown on MacDonald.
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The pair met for a second time at UFC 189 and put on a fight that would come straight out of a Rocky movie. Both combatants were badly hurt throughout the bout and faced many instances of adversity. After getting rocked by MacDonald several times in rounds three and four, Lawler swiftly recovered to deliver a jaw-dropping fifth-round KO that resulted in the champion shattering MacDonald's nose with a powerful straight punch. Although Lawler won both meetings, a third bout would have surely delivered another memorable fight for the history books.
5 Mirko Cro Cop versus Wanderlei Silva 3
At the time, a fight between the much bigger Cro Cop and much smaller Silva was nothing out of the ordinary. Pride was notorious for putting bouts between fighters who were not necessarily in the same weight class. This led to two very entertaining bouts between the former Pride stars.
The first bout ended in a draw at Pride 20. In the rematch, Cro Cop scored a brutal first-round head kick that stiffed Silva before hitting the canvas. It remains one of the more memorable knockouts in Pride history. The two Pride legends eventually joined the UFC but fought in different weight classes which made a trilogy bout extremely unlikely.
4 Demetrious Johnson vs. Henry Cejudo 3
During the title reign of Demetrious Johnson, the UFC flyweight division was non-competitive and ignored by most UFC fans. Johnson was simply too dominant despite utilizing creativity and athleticism to defeat his opponents in incredible ways.
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The first meeting between Johnson and Cejudo was a typical "Mighty Mouse" performance that resulted in the champion knocking out the challenger in round one. In the second meeting, Cejudo quickly reverted to his outstanding wrestling skills to control Johnson's movement with a close yet decisive split decision victory over the long-time champion. It would have been interesting to see Johnson come back and try to reclaim his championship after being dominant for so long but the pair would not meet for the third time.
3 Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua 3
The two-fight series between Dan Henderson and 'Shogun' Rua was the closest thing to real-life Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots. Their first meeting is considered one of the best fights in UFC history that resulted in a unanimous decision for the American despite an extremely competitive five rounds.
Rua came out strong in the rematch and hurt Henderson multiple times in round one. It seemed like only a matter of time before Rua would put together a finishing sequence that would end the bout. Instead, Henderson threw a thunderous right hook that instantly dropped 'Shogun' and resulted in a TKO victory. After putting on two of the most memorable fights of the decade, a third meeting would have only added to the legend of these two MMA pioneers.
2 Anderson Silva vs. Chris Weidman 3
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It took a special type of fighter to defeat the greatest UFC middleweight champion of all time. Anderson Silva dominated the middleweight division for over six years and defended his title twice before being defeated by Chris Weidman. Silva's carelessness in the first bout would result in a second-round TKO for the challenger and bring an end to one of the best title runs in MMA history.
Their second meeting was one of the most anticipated rematches in UFC history but ended in tragedy after Silva brutally broke his left fibula and tibia on a leg kick attempt. Weidman successfully retained the belt and Silva never returned to his former self after suffering such a serious injury.
1 Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier 3
The Jones-Cormier rivalry is quite possibly the most intense, competitive, and notable MMA rivalry of all time. The two former champions truly dislike one another and would often engage in personal trash talk and even physical confrontations. Their rivalry had everything an MMA fan would want, including talent, entertainment, drama, and great fights.
The first bout resulted in a convincing unanimous decision for Jones but the bad blood would not stop there. The two would meet again at UFC 214 to settle the score once and for all. Jones landed a flush head kick on the champion and ended the bout with vicious ground and pound to reclaim the light heavyweight throne. Unfortunately for Jones, he would be stripped of the belt yet again after testing positive for Turinabol. Despite a heated rivalry, the two would not meet for the third time and Cormier retired from MMA in 2020, effectively closing the door on a trilogy for good.
