Sherdog's Top 10: Greatest UFC Debuts

Welcome again folks, this time to Sherdog’s list of the ten greatest debut appearances in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Personally though, the appeal of any such list isn't the exact order or who was included or excluded, but the actual discussion of each entry. Anyone can come up with a list with no further commentary and it's no more “right” than another. However, the best such lists have entertaining and informative explanations, which is the goal I hope to accomplish.

The criteria here were open-ended and voters clearly used different ones. Mine was to compare prior expectations versus the actual performance within the cage. Thus, huge upsets were prioritized, although credit was given to smaller upsets if they were achieved in a spectacular or dominant manner. Other voters used different criteria, likely a mix of how impressive and memorable the debut was, regardless of expectations. Most voters, myself included, also included the entirety of one-night tournaments within a “debut,” even though they were more than a single fight. With that in mind, let us begin.

Continue Reading » Number 9a

9. (Tie) Royce Gracie

The great pioneer and grandfather of modern MMA graces another list. As with everything else linked to Gracie, it's impossible to objectively evaluate his placing, as he was the first ever, setting the initial standard. I personally had him eighth on my list but can understand having him higher or lower. What were the expectations for the 6-foot-1, 175-pound Brazilian when he fought at UFC 1 in November 1993? For his brother Rorion, who co-owned the UFC and wanted it to be an infomercial for Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, complete with a ceremony for family patriarch Helio in between fights, the hope was that Royce would smash through all his foes. Indeed, that's why Rorion was very careful not to allow any wrestlers into the inaugural tournament. And from a modern perspective, it's not too shocking that Royce triumphed, as he was at least a BJJ purple belt, and facing opponents whose submission grappling game ranged from very limited and primitive, such as Ken Shamrock, to nonexistent (Art Jimmerson, Gerard Gordeau). However, from the perspective of the 1993 viewing audience, what Gracie did was incredible and unprecedented, never to be matched again in MMA history. He made Jimmerson and his one boxing glove look silly and useless in taking him to the ground, where a confused Jimmerson tapped without even being submitted. Then, against the muscular and much larger 225-pound Shamrock, who actually had several no-holds-barred matches in Pancrase by the time of UFC 1, Gracie demonstrated how much better BJJ was than the early submission grappling style in Japan, needing just under a minute to tap Shamrock with a rear-naked choke. Lastly, he choked out 6-foot-5, 220-pound striker Gordeau, despite the dirty Dutchman—who would later gouge out Yuki Nakai's eye—biting Gracie's ear until it bled. (That is why Gracie refused to give up the choke at first and was visibly furious even as his hand was raised in victory.) It was a spectacular trio of victories that not only established the UFC, but MMA as a whole, and as such is a deserving inclusion.

Continue Reading » Number 9b

9. (Tie) Joe Lauzon

Lauzon's outstanding debut against Jens Pulver allows him to crack a Sherdog top 10 for the first time. Personally, I had him even higher, at sixth. Pulver was the first and lineal UFC lightweight champion then, having never lost his title before the UFC had initially shuttered the 155-pound weight class. In the interim, Pulver had lost some fights, especially in Japan against top talent like Takanori Gomi and Hayato Sakurai in Pride Fighting Championships, but was still considered a top 10 lightweight. He was also a monster -400 favorite against the largely unheralded New England kid Lauzon, then just 22 years old. The commentators and even Lauzon himself believed his only path to victory was via submission, yet it took just 48 seconds for Lauzon to knock Pulver out. Neither was it a lucky punch; it was a complete evisceration. Lauzon easily took Pulver down, despite how much Joe Rogan was talking up his takedown defense, and landed some brain-rattling ground-and-pound. When Pulver regained his feet, it wasn't long before Lauzon hurt him with a knee and then starched him with a follow-up left hook that perfectly kissed his chin. Complete domination. It was utterly shocking, as Pulver had defeated top pound-for-pound talent B.J. Penn in a majority decision over 25 minutes, and even the best lightweight in 2006, Takanori Gomi, had required nearly seven minutes to knock out “Lil’ Evil.” Yet here was Lauzon doing so in under a minute in a one-sided beating. While part of this was attributed to Pulver's decline, it was a stunning, incredible debut. And indeed, Lauzon would go on to have a long, successful career in the promotion, winning his last fight in 2019 to finish 15-12. When it comes to huge upsets against big names achieved in scintillating fashion, this debut is one of the very best.

Continue Reading » Number 8

8. David Abbott

“Tank,” one of the most unique characters in MMA history, makes his first Sherdog list. Both he and the 400-plus-pound “Hawaiian bone-breaker” John Matua were making their pro debuts when they faced off at UFC 6. There were no odds back then, and it's hard to tell who was the favorite. However, when it comes to star-making performances, Tank's performance was almost perfect. It took him just 20 seconds to knock Matua out cold with punches. It might not seem so incredible now, but one must consider the context. Virtually all UFC fights were decided on the ground back then, and even those that featured stand-up rarely featured decisive strikes, let alone punches. Having one fighter knock another out in 20 seconds with his fists was new and astonishing. Equally importantly, as Matua lay on the canvas convulsing, Abbott mocked him by shaking his arms in imitation. While it would get him condemned nowadays, back in 1995 it made him a beloved badass. It's also important to note that “Tank” wasn't done that night. In his next fight he took just under two minutes to knock out 6-foot-8, 350-pound goliath Paul Varelans. Lastly, in the finals Abbott faced Russian sambo specialist Oleg Taktarov. Abbott dominated early, badly hurting Taktarov, but in a portent of many of his future defeats, his cardio failed him and Taktarov tapped Abbott after nearly 18 straight minutes of fighting. Still, given that this was Abbott's third fight of the night and it was at significant elevation in Denver, most fans discounted this as a product of circumstances, not a persistent weakness. While Taktarov won the tournament, it was “Tank” who established himself as arguably the biggest star of the early UFC based on his iconic debut.

Continue Reading » Number 6a

6. (Tie) Vitor Belfort

Incredibly, this is the first Sherdog list I can recall that Belfort has made, though he has certainly received votes on many of them. While only 19 years old for his UFC debut, there was already considerable buzz around him. Initially billed as “Victor Gracie,” he was announced as a BJJ black belt under the legendary Carlson Gracie, with Belfort being seen as the latest in a long line of terrific Brazilian grapplers. And he wasn't making his MMA debut at UFC 12 either, having dismantled 6-foot-7, 290-pound UFC veteran Jon Hess in just 12 seconds with punches at Superbrawl 2. (Incidentally, I encourage everyone to read this amazing 2005 Sherdog interview with Hess in which, despite not having fought since that loss to Belfort in 1996, he vowed to destroy all the modern-day UFC fighters.) Despite those expectations, it's safe to say that Belfort smashed them in winning the one-night tournament at UFC 12. In the opening round, he faced Lion's Den boxer Tra Telligman, a man who would later go on to have a degree of success in MMA, including defeating Igor Vovchanchyn in Pride in 2001 and even facing then-recent (and future) UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia in the UFC in 2005. However, Telligman was no match for Belfort in 1997, with the Brazilian ripping him apart with an endless barrage of punches as the hapless American could do little more than desperately cover up. John McCarthy saved him from Belfort after just 67 seconds. Then, in the finals Belfort faced Scott Ferrozzo, a 320-pound behemoth who had clearly beaten previous inductee “Tank” Abbott by decision one event earlier, at UFC 11. Many thought Ferrozzo would be too big for Belfort, but they were quickly disabused of this notion when Belfort almost immediately knocked Ferrozzo down and then smashed him with punches on the ground—including ones to the back of the head, which were perfectly legal then. The whole affair lasted 43 seconds before it was stopped, though Ferrozzo, an incredibly dirty fighter, used the ref stoppage to finally mount his first offense against Belfort before order was restored. In a combined 110 seconds, less than two minutes, Belfort had established himself as a huge star in the world of MMA and its best striker.

Continue Reading » Number 6b

6. (Tie) Jiri Prochazka

It was a lot harder to establish oneself as an instant star by 2020 than it was in the 90s or 00s, which account for eight entries on this list, or even 2010, the most recent debut aside from Prochazka's. There are a lot more fighters to defeat to make it to the top nowadays and there are far more fights, and in turn, far more impressive debuts to be excited by. Even more amazing is to do something in 2020 that MMA fans have never seen before, yet Prochazka accomplished both, finishing second on my list. While Prochazka was a longtime Rizin champion before joining the UFC, he found himself a moderate +165 underdog against Volkan Oezdemir, then a top 10 light heavyweight and recent UFC title challenger. There were a lot of question marks about Prochazka, with many dismissing the Czech samurai as a pure hype-job, having feasted on a slew of washed-up and weaker foes in Japan. Meanwhile, Oezdemir had proven himself in the UFC knocking out other top contenders in “no time” at all, befitting his nickname. Sure, Oezdemir had a grappling weakness, but the striker Prochazka wasn't likely to take advantage. And what's more, Oezdemir had a chin of pure titanium, having never been knocked out on the feet or even seemingly hurt, despite facing a number of feared knockout artists. Certainly, this was a hell of a challenge. Would Prochazka be up to it? In true anime fashion, Prochazka thought it was far too easy! No, he had to inject another degree of difficulty. So Prochazka spent the entire fight...with his hands down. Yes, against one of the most feared strikers in the world, who had slept a striker as good as Jimi Manuwa in just 42 seconds, Prochazka refused to even put his hands up. This was beyond insanity; I had never seen anything like it in 25 years of watching MMA, and I haven't seen the like in the three years since. Did Prochazka get knocked out for his efforts, as even the great Anderson Silva did when showboating against Chris Weidman? No. Instead, he became the first man to ever knock out the iron chinned Oezdemir, leaving him snoring on the canvas less than a minute into Round 2. Personally, I was awestruck by this debut. This was an approach to fighting the MMA world had never seen before. This was a style of striking and incredible punching power we had never seen before. In terms of surpassing expectations and achieving the unfathomably spectacular, Prochazka-Oezdemir was a diamond of unparalleled excellence.

Continue Reading » Number 5

5. Junior dos Santos

Junior dos Santos' fight at UFC 90 against Fabricio Werdum is the quintessential example of a great debut. While he would go on to become the UFC heavyweight champion and finished as Sherdog's seventh-greatest heavyweight, Dos Santos was a complete nobody prior to his meeting with Werdum. He had gone 6-1 fighting in smaller Brazilian promotions, showing excellent boxing skills but little else, having been tapped in 73 seconds by Joaquim Ferreira less than a year before he joined the UFC. Werdum, meanwhile, was already considered one of the best heavyweights in the world. In addition to being a multiple-time BJJ world champion, he had attained considerable success in Pride, including submissions of Alistair Overeem and Aleksander Emelianenko, then a top 10 heavyweight, and close decision losses to Sergei Kharitonov, then a top 5 heavyweight, and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, who was arguably the second best heavyweight in the world after Fedor Emelianenk. While Werdum had lost by decision in his first UFC fight to then recent ex-champion Andrei Arlovski, he had recovered with dominant stoppages of Gabriel Gonzaga and Brandon Vera, who were serious contenders in the promotion at the time. Not surprisingly, Werdum was an enormous -650 favorite against the unheralded Dos Santos. Early on, both Brazilians were patient. Werdum scored a few leg kicks, but the one Dos Santos landed was much harder. Werdum clinched, and Dos Santos easily defended. Then, out of nowhere, Dos Santos timed his foe with an absolute beauty of a right uppercut, laying Werdum out cold. Some critics dismissed it as a lucky punch, but it was simply the beginning of a great career for one of the best strikers heavyweight has ever seen. Moreover, it turned a complete unknown into a major heavyweight contender overnight. If that's not an amazing debut, I don't know what is.

Continue Reading » Number 4

4. Frank Shamrock

In a list filled with outstanding debuts from the 1990s, it's little surprise that Shamrock, Sherdog's greatest fighter of that decade, appears near the top. I wrote my longest op-ed ever about how Shamrock altered his destiny, going from a failure advised by adoptive brother Ken to retire and manage his gyms to the greatest fighter ever in under two years. A major milestone was of course his promotional debut at Ultimate Japan on December 21, 1997. There was hype around the younger Shamrock, but it was unclear whether he would be able to handle Kevin Jackson for the inaugural light heavyweight championship. Wrestlers dominated MMA at that point, with a clear advantage over all other styles. Furthermore, Jackson the best pure wrestler MMA had seen at that point and perhaps even to this very day, a Hall-of-Famer who had won Olympic gold as well as two world championships. Moreover, Jackson had proven his skills in MMA, being a perfect 3-0 at that point. That included a submission over John Lober, the same man who had won a war of attrition against Shamrock in January 1997 at Superbrawl 3, less than a year prior. Jackson had also easily won the UFC 14 tournament, needing just 44 seconds to submit Tony Fryklund in the finals, a foe who ended up having a solid career in MMA. Yet, what happened was utterly shocking. Jackson immediately got the takedown and Frank immediately threw up an armbar. Having no idea how to defend, Jackson pulled his arm back immediately, straightening the limb. He then had no chance but to tap. In just 16 seconds, Frank Shamrock had become the first UFC light heavyweight champion, established himself as one of the best fighters in the world, and shown that the era of pure wrestlers dominating was over. In terms of efficiency, that's a mark which may never be surpassed!

Continue Reading » Number 3

3. Maurice Smith

Smith's heavyweight title-winning debut against Mark Coleman takes the bronze medal finish here. Personally, I disagree completely. Not only did I have it at No. 1 but think it's so far ahead of every other debut that No. 2 is likely closer to No. 20 than it is to Smith's debut. In fact, we may have never had a previous top 10 where I considered the disparity between first place and the rest to be so great. Smith defeating Coleman isn't just the biggest upset in UFC championship history, it's the biggest upset in UFC and MMA history the likes of which will never, ever be equaled. There weren't odds back then, but Coleman may well have been a -10000 favorite for the contest. It's not just that there was no way for Smith to win, but that the manner in which he could hypothetically do so was inconceivable, as a striker had never defeated a good wrestler at that point in MMA history. Never mind that Smith had a losing record of 5-8, or that Coleman was a golden god with a record of 6-0 who appeared to be completely unstoppable, including decimating other top wrestlers in Don Frye and Dan Severn. What unfolded at UFC 14 was pure magic, because MMA fans had never seen or imagined anything like it. Smith not only introduced a number of brand-new techniques and proved that a striker could beat a good grappler, but he emphatically defeated the very best grappler MMA had ever seen. Did I mention that he also won the UFC heavyweight crown and cemented himself as the best fighter in the world? All for a guy who had come into the UFC with a losing record and had been thoroughly dominated in the Pancrase organization. A Hollywood screenwriter couldn't conjure up anything as uncanny, miraculous, and perfect as Maurice Smith's debut. And given how much more we know about MMA now, with far fewer discoveries to be made, it's one that will never be matched.

Continue Reading » Number 2

2. Alistair Overeem

The devastating Dutch striker cracks yet another top 10 list, this time in his highest placing yet, the runner-up spot. There were certainly lofty expectations for Overeem when he debuted in the UFC on December 30, 2010, the second latest debut of anyone on this list. He had some terrific highs and disappointing lows in Pride but had utterly transformed his career and body alike since moving up to heavyweight full-time, going a perfect 10-0 after leaving Pride, winning the Strikeforce heavyweight championship and becoming a menacing 260-pound muscular marvel dubbed “Ubereem.” During that time, he recorded a vicious beatdown of former UFC title challenger Paul Buentello, a 71-second submission of Mark Hunt, a 75-second scary knee knockout of iron chinned Kazuyuki Fujita, a 19-second obliteration of Todd Duffee and a unanimous decision over Fabricio Werdum, who was fresh off becoming the first man to legitimately defeat Fedor Emelianenko. And yet, Overeem found himself at even odds against the equally intimidating physical specimen and former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar. Lesnar had lost his crown to Cain Velasquez in his last outing, but even then, had given the new champion several scares early in the stanza. He would have far less success against Overeem, who crushed Lesnar in less than half a round. Overeem began cautiously, in a low crouch, allowing Lesnar to throw some wild, ineffectual strikes. Lesnar soon shot a single-leg, but to his shock, Overeem had little trouble stuffing it. Soon after, Overeem defied expectations and walked forward to clinch with the American, blasting him with a couple of huge knees to the breadbasket. Lesnar pushed him off, but it was a brief respite. For the rest of the contest, Overeem continued to hammer Lesnar with knees to the body, causing him to wince in pain, and adding punches to the head and a few devastating body kicks for good measure. Overeem treated the fearsome monster Lesnar as if he was little more than a tomato can. No one had ever done this to Lesnar, nor did such a feat even seem possible. Overeem earned a reputation as one of the most feared fighters in UFC history on the strength of that immaculate debut alone.

Continue Reading » Number 1

1. Anderson Silva

Silva tops an unprecedented fourth Sherdog top 10, adding to his titles as greatest middleweight, greatest Brazilian fighter, and greatest striker ever. There were certainly high expectations for his promotional debut at UFC Fight Night 5 against “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 1 veteran Chris Leben. Silva had already attained a degree of fame and success in Pride and looked even better in Cage Rage, including devastating knockouts of UFC veterans in Curtis Stout, Jorge Rivera, and Tony Fryklund, the latter an elbow that is among the greatest knockouts I've ever seen, as well as a one-sided decision against Lee Murray. In fact, the Brazilian was a -200 favorite against Chris Leben, who was then a perfect 5-0 in the UFC. Still, Silva surpassed even those lofty expectations, leaving an indelible impression on all UFC fans. Effortlessly dancing around his opponent, Silva landed at will with his jab, while Leben's blows weren't even close. Even an attempt by Leben to rush at Silva ended with the Brazilian easily throwing the American to the canvas as he would a clumsy child. Soon after, Silva was all over Leben with punches and landed a huge head kick for good measure. As Leben fell to the canvas, badly hurt, Silva assumed John McCarthy would stop it, but when he didn't, Silva proceeded to pick apart his wounded prey with ground-and-pound, standing punches, and finally, a devastating knee that ended the fight. One of the most dominant ass-kickings the UFC has seen from 2000 onwards took just 49 seconds. Silva had ushered in a new standard of striking in the UFC in an awe-inspiring debut.