UFC 136: The 5 Most Pivotal Rematches in UFC History

Considering how many talented and eye-catching lightweight contenders there are in the UFC, the highly-anticipated third fight between lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and proven No. 1 contender Gray Maynard couldn't come soon enough.

Edgar and Maynard fought to a draw in one of the best fights of the year, ironically on the first day of the year. Since then, the lightweight division has been gridlocked. For the top-10 at 155-pounds, the division is about to change; a new challenger will be needed.

Whether Edgar and Maynard meet for a fourth time or not, it will not be any time in the near future. The UFC needs some fresh new matchups at lightweight, and there will be no shortage of those.

But, with such a meaningful rematch approaching that will change the look of the division for the foreseeable future, I find myself reflecting on previous rematches that had a similar effect. Fights that represented a fork in the road and created a new era.

If Edgar wins, he will have defended his title three time against the hardest competition after winning it in one of the biggest upsets of all time.

If Maynard takes it, the UFC will have a new champion and one that made his UFC debut on the reality show The Ultimate Fighter.

It should be a fight to remember and could easily be included in this list some time down the road. But for now, here are the five most pivotal rematches in UFC history, prior to Saturday night.

5. Andrei Arlovski vs. Tim Sylvia 2

Though his status and resume has certainly been tainted by a recent four-fight losing streak, there was a time when Andrei Arlovski was one of the best heavyweights in the world. Between 2002 and 2008, Arlovski only lost to one man, Tim Sylvia.

In 2002, Arlovski met Sylvia—a former UFC champion—for the first time with an interim UFC heavyweight championship on the line—the champion, Frank Mir, had been seriously injured in a motorcycle accident and would have to watch from the sidelines while his title was eventually stripped away.

In the first round, Arlovski impressed all when he dropped the taller Sylvia with a right hand and quickly dropped down to submit him with an Achilles lock. It took all of 43 seconds to become the top UFC heavyweight.

After easily defending the title twice with two first-round knockouts against Justin Eilers and Paul Buentello, and his title being upgraded to the legitimate UFC champion, Arlovski was given Sylvia for a second time at UFC 59.

The champion Arlovski was a large favorite heading into the third defense of his title against an opponent he had easily dispatched of just a year before. And early in the round, it looked like it would be quick work again, as Arlovski dropped Sylvia with another right hand and tried to finish him with strikes on the ground.

But, Silvia showed his resiliency and climbed back to his feet to quickly catch Arlovski with his own right hand, dropping him to the ground and finishing him with a few extra punches. It was one of the most shocking endings in UFC history.

The UFC put together a rematch between the two less than three months later, with Sylvia winning a close and uneventful five-round decision.

After one more disappointing unanimous decision defense of his title against Jeff Monson, Sylvia was dominated by Randy Couture and would never reach his previous highs in the sport.

But there are many that debate if Arlovski would not have gotten careless in his second fight with Sylvia, that he would have remained champion for much more time to come.

4. Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir 2

When Brock Lesnar and Frank Mir met for the second time at UFC 100, there were two titles on the line and the entire MMA world was watching. Arguably, it was the biggest UFC heavyweight title fight of all time.

Frank Mir had become the UFC heavyweight champion in 2004 after snapping Tim Sylvia's arm in the first round. However, before he ever got the chance to defend his title, Mir was involved in a motorcycle accident, breaking his femur and tearing all the ligaments in his knee.

It would be over three years, during which Mir racked up an unimpressive 2-2 record, before he was given a serious opportunity to rejuvenate his career on a big stage. MMA newcomer and WWE superstar Brock Lesnar was set to make his UFC debut, and Mir was offered the shot at UFC 81.

Despite it being only his second MMA bout, Lesnar was the favorite over the seemingly shot Mir. But after surviving Lesnar's early onslaught, and some would argue with a little help from the ref, Mir was able to latch on a kneebar and force Lesnar to tap.

Following that bout, Lesnar would get back on track by thrashing veteran Heath Herring and then taking advantage of a title shot against Randy Couture by knocking him out in the second round at UFC 91. Though Lesnar had lost to Mir, he was now the legitimate champion just two fights later.

Just one month after Lesnar became the champion, Mir put on a career best performance against interim champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 92 and also won by a second-round knockout.

Both fighters pulled the upset to win their titles, and the stage was set for either Mir to prove his win had been no fluke, or for Lesnar to avenge his only loss. And what better event to settle it than UFC 100?

When they met in July of 2009, it was clear both fighters were better versions of themselves than the first time they had met. Lesnar had become more experienced and Mir was in the best shape of his career.

But it was Lesnar who was destined to become the undisputed champion, as he brutally punished Mir on the ground before stopping him in the second round with some of the most devastating ground-and-pound the sport had ever seen.

Lesnar celebrated his villain role with post-fight taunting, bringing in a new era of fresh faces to the UFC heavyweight title picture. For so long, the division had needed a shot in the arm and it now had it.

Names like Couture, Sylvia and Arlovski were no longer contending. The UFC now has Cain Velasquez, Shane Carwin and Junior Dos Santos, and it all started with Brock Lesnar taking the title.

3. Chuck Liddell vs. Quinton Jackson 2

2007 was a special year for combat sports.

For boxing, it was arguably the best year in recent memory in terms of elite fighters meeting each other in the ring. Not to mention, the all-time pay-per-view record was set when Oscar De La Hoya met Floyd Mayweather Jr., seen in 2.4 million households with above $120 million in generated revenue.

For MMA, 2007 was when the sport was on the brink of mainstream success.

The UFC had bought out its major rival in Pride Fighting Championships, and America was beginning to take notice of a burgeoning business. Never was it more evident than when reigning light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell defended his title against former nemesis and recent UFC acquisition Quinton "Rampage" Jackson at UFC 71.

Liddell had been champion since 2005—though UFC lore would have you believe it to be much longer than that—and the fearless champ had avenged every one of his career losses other than the 2003 loss to Jackson in Pride Fighting Championships.

Liddell was clearly on the verge of mainstream stardom, along with the UFC, and this figured to be his highest selling appearance to date. ESPN began extensive coverage of the UFC on this event, even broadcasting the weigh-ins on ESPNEWS.

Jackson was a marketable foe, but one that was expected to become Liddell's latest victim, launching the champ to a new level of relevance.

That didn't happen.

Jackson knocked Liddell out in the first round and ended the rise of Liddell that Zuffa had been planning since buying the organization. There was a new attraction at 205 pounds. But Jackson's recognizability was far pale in comparison to what Liddell's would have been if he could have managed a win in this fight.

But as it were, Chuck was on the downfall in the twilight of his career.

Somewhat ironic when you consider how he had been the face of the UFC for years while other fighters such as Wanderlei Silva and Quinton Jackson had been the face of Pride. And, as the UFC crushed its foe by purchasing the Japanese organization, it was one of Pride's fighters that same year that ended the rise of the most marketable MMA fighter in the U.S.

Since Jackson took the title from Liddell, the title has been won by five different fighters in just four years.

2. Matt Hughes vs. Georges St. Pierre 2

After knocking out then-champion Carlos Newton at UFC 34 with a memorable slam, Matt Hughes became the UFC welterweight champion.

He would go on to set a record for five defenses of the title before losing to lightweight star B.J. Penn, who came up in weight to challenge Hughes.

Penn subsequently left the promotion without defending the title, and Hughes was matched with rising prospect Georges St. Pierre with the vacant title on the line.

After an even first round, Hughes caught St. Pierre in an armbar in the closing seconds of the round, forcing him to submit.

Hughes was champion again.

He would defend the title three more times, most notably a third-round TKO win over Penn in the rematch. In a massive event for the promotion, he would also dominate and stop early UFC legend Royce Gracie in the first round in a non-title match.

During this time, St. Pierre racked up five impressive victories over such contenders as Jason Miller, Sean Sherk and B.J. Penn, setting up his second chance at winning UFC gold.

At UFC 65, St. Pierre controlled Hughes for the duration of the bout, repeatedly hurting him with strikes before stopping him with a head-kick and flurry on the ground in round two.

Hughes had amassed eight defenses of the welterweight title over a span of five years, but his time now appeared over.

The two would meet in a rematch at UFC 79, with St. Pierre once again controlling Hughes, but this time winning by armbar in the second round. It was a fitting end to the trilogy since Hughes had won the first fight with the same move.

1. Randy Couture vs. Chuck Liddell 2

It would be hard to imagine the UFC in 2006 without Chuck Liddell as the light heavyweight champion and the face of the organization. But if "The Iceman" hadn't taken advantage of his rematch and second title shot against Randy Couture, it is likely that he never would have reached his goal.

In 2003, after losing two straight matches and his title at heavyweight, the undersized Couture was offered a shot at an interim title at light heavyweight against longtime No. 1 contender Liddell. Tito Ortiz was the legitimate champion, but while in negotiations with the UFC, he refused to fight Liddell.

Liddell was heavily favored leading into the match at UFC 43, but Couture surprised everyone by dominating Liddell in every aspect of the fight, even out-striking the heavy-handed kickboxer and finishing him by TKO in the third round.

Couture went on to win the legitimate championship off of Ortiz just a few months later.

Over the next year, Liddell went 1-1 in Pride—knocking out Alistair Overeem and losing by TKO to Quinton Jackson—before coming back to the UFC with two sensational knockouts over Ortiz and Vernon White. It was clear the UFC had a star in Liddell.

With Couture coming off a second win over Vitor Belfort, Liddell was given his rematch nearly two years after his loss to Couture. It would be very doubtful for him to ever get another title shot if he lost to Couture for a second time, especially when you consider that Liddell was likely the only contender that could have knocked Couture off of his pedestal at that time.

But it was Liddell's time, and he came prepared to become champion in style. Couture went right at his challenger throwing caution to the wind and was hit with a counter right hand that knocked him out cold. Liddell and the UFC had their wish. He was now champion.

Liddell would defend the title four times, including a second knockout of Couture, achieving more mainstream success than any other fighter in the sport.