Number 5.
Tito Ortiz Vs Ken Shamrock.
This rivalry was born at UFC 19 when Tito Ortiz beat Guy Mezger (who was a member of Ken's team) and after winning Tito taunted the team and in turn taunted Ken. Tito's brash irreverent personality clashed with a man who was all about respect in Ken Shamrock and the rivalry that was created would be a legendary one. The rivalry was a great one however the fights were not all that competitive with Tito winning all three bouts via TKO.
Number 4.
TJ Dillashaw Vs Cody Garbrandt.
This is one of the newer rivalries in the UFC however it hold a lot of animosity and vitriol. It all started with ex-fighter turned trained Duane Ludwig who was once the head coach at team alpha male. Ludwig and team alpha male (TAM) fell short of many title shots despite the level of the gym and after this lack of success Ludwig split with TAM. Despite the split TJ still kept training with Ludwig and TAM and this started a bit of controversy and doubt towards TJ's loyalty to TAM. This controversy blew up when Conor McGregor directly confronted TJ Uriah Faber and TAM about TJ being a "snake in the grass". Cody was here for this engagement and sprung to the defense of TJ being loyal to his team and pushed Conor, showing how he deeply values loyalty to his team. Shortly after this TJ did actually split with TAM, yet another prediction for 'Mystic Mac', and this act of disloyalty in his eyes greatly angered Garbrandt. TJ would loose his BW belt to Dominick Cruz and Cody would beat Cruz to win the belt for himself and this set up the fight between TJ and Cody. It was in the build up to this fight that we seen the hatred put on show with heated insults and at one point Cody grabbing TJ by the throat. The two would fight two times and TJ came out on top with two TKO victories where he one and then defended the belt.
Number 3.
Chael Sonnen Vs Anderson Silva.
Anderson Silva was at the time the greatest fighter in the UFC's middleweight divisions history and was making his claim for the best ever, however he had gained a bit of criticism for his fight with Damian Maia where he didn't engage much with Maia over the last few rounds and the UFC needed a contender that would light a fire under Silva and make him fight, in step the brash and controversial Chael Sonnen. Chael used his post fight speech in Silvas home country Brazil, to call out Anderson and the fight from there was on, Silva was his usual reserved respectful self at first but Chael's attacks on Silva's career, country, family and himself got too personal for the spider and he started to talk back and the back and forth hatred the two had for one another brewed for weeks and months with Silva promising to knock out Chael's teeth, break his arms and legs and put a beating on him that his parents should have done to teach him some manners (ooft). The two would fight first at UFC 117 and Chael sespite being a big underdog dominated Silva for 5 rounds and was so close to securing the upset and baking up his talk however he slipped up at the end and got caught in a submission (triangle armbar) and Silva retained his belt in one of the greatest comebacks in UFC history. They would fight again at UFC 148 and Anderson won again but this time in much more dominant fashion winning via TKO in the second round.
Number 2.
Jon Jones Vs Daniel Cormier.
This is one of the more high profile rivalries in the UFC two of the greatest UFC fighters of all time Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier (DC). This beef dates back all the way to 2010 when the two first met backstage at a UFC event the story goes that Jon introduced himself to DC and in his interpretation made a lighthearted joke towards DC about being able to easily take him down (DC wrestled at the Olympics) to break the ice but DC took offence to this and so the rivalry was born. Jon seen it as DC being overly sensitive and hostile towards him for a joke and DC seen it as Jon being insulting and disrespectful to someone he doesn't even know. The two would grow this rivalry to very heated levels with constant personal attacks from the two with DC even making claims that Jon has been making subtle attacks on DC mocking him for the tragic murder of his father by constantly saying he his "daddy" . As well as the verbal attacks the two got into a scuffle at a press event where the two where to square off in a shopping mall to promote the fight, the two touched heads and DC shoved Jon by the throat to which Jon retaliated with a punch (that missed) and and a tackle off the stage, no one was hurt in the incident but it did add fuel to the fire and bring national attention to the rivalry. The two would eventually fight at UFC 182 where Jon would retain his LHW belt and hand DC his first loss in the octagon with a sound decision win. Controversy after controversy would follow Jon's career which lead to him being stripped of his belt which DC won in his absence and they fought again on Jon's return at UFC 214 where Jon would win via KO in the third round. However this win would be overturned as yet another controversy struck Jon when he tested positive for trace amounts of PED's and would be suspended giving the belt back to DC which he would defend against Volkov Ozdemir and then win the UFC HW belt against Stipe Miocic and defend it against Derrick Lewis. Jon has since came back and is scheduled to fight Alexander Gustaffson for the LHW belt, if Jon is to win this it is likely that the two will have a third and final fight before DC retires on his 40th birthday in March 2019.
Number 1.
Conor McGregor Vs Everyone!
The notorious one, Conor McGregor has had so many heated and high profile rivalries that it would be too hard to pick just one, so my pick for the biggest rivalry in the UFC is Conor McGregor Vs Everyone! Conor rose to fame for a multitude of reason, his ability, being Irish, fighting style etc... but undoubtedly he would not be where he is today if not for his ability to talk. His ability to hype a fight and get under the skin of his opponents is unrivaled in the history of the UFC and has at times been compared to the great Muhammad Ali (although he has rejected this comparison out of respect). He has attacked an un-ending list of people both in and outside of the UFC, and has every time created a rivalry with his would be opponent. The most notable feuds he has had have been with Chad Mendes, Jose Aldo, Nate Diaz, Eddie Alvarez, Khabib Nurmagomedov and although outside the UFC still a notable fight rivalry, Floyd Mayweather.
Honorable mentions -
Ronda Rousey Vs Meisha Tate
Tito Ortiz Vs Chuck Liddell
Brock Lesnar Vs Frank Mir
Dominick Cruz Vs Uriah Faber/Team Alpha Male
Chael Sonnen Vs Wanderlei Silva
Michael Bisping Vs Luke Rockhold
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