UFC 141: 10 Memorable Moments from the UFC 141 Fight Card

The UFC closed out 2011 on a high note. 

UFC 141 was an entertaining fight card that saw Nate Diaz batter Donald Cerrone in a 15-minute brawl and Alistair Overeem beat Brock Lesnar into retirement in only 2.5 minutes.

There were other great moments from the card that should burn brightly in our memories forever, but were overshadowed by the main event. 

What were the most memorable moments from the card? Read and find out!

Jacob Volkmann Survives a Tight Choke from Efrain Escudero

Jacob Volkmann smothered Efrain Escudero with great top-control, but nearly got submitted in the final moments of the third round. 

Escudero adjusted the choke multiple times, but Volkmann always managed to somehow stay conscious and eventually earned the decision victory.

Dong Hyun Kim Lands Machida-Like Crane Kick Against Sean Pierson

Korean grappling ace Dong Hyun Kim decided to strike with Canadian Sean Pierson in their UFC 141 bout. 

The highlight of the fight (and one of the best moments on the card) was when Kim—after attempting it multiple times—landed a crane kick on Pierson and nearly knocked him out with it. 

Anthony Njokuani and Danny Castillo Showcase Mixed Martial Arts

Nate Diaz vs. Donald Cerrone may have gotten "Fight of the Night" honors, but Anthony Njokuani vs. Danny Castillo was a close second.

The two men put on a great MMA bout, meaning they displayed all aspects of fighting; it wasn't just a glorified kickboxing match. 

We got to see brutal knees from the Muay Thai clinch, great takedowns and groundwork from both competitors. 

The Rise of the Next Big Thing at Featherweight

Jim Hettes gave out the most one-sided beatdown of 2011 against Nam Phan; two judges scored the fight 30-25!

Hettes dominated Phan with slick, forceful grappling for the entire 15 minutes in a fight that made Hettes an instant "next big thing" in the featherweight division. 

Sweden's Finest Scores a Devastating KO

Alexander Gustafsson made short work of veteran fighter Vladimir Matyushenko, and he did so in epic fashion. 

He hit the Bulgarian with a jab that instantly sent him to the canvas and forced him to turtle up. The fight was stopped shortly after. 

Johnny Hendricks Destroys Jon Fitch in 12 Seconds

The people who hate Jon Fitch because he puts on "boring" fights didn't need to worry at UFC 141—he was only in the cage for 12 seconds.

That's how long it took for fellow wrestler Johnny Hendricks to knock out the unpopular Fitch, no doubt sending him far down the rankings due to Fitch's inability to draw any reaction from (blood-thirsty) fans other than disappointment.

The Fight of the Night: Diaz vs. Cerrone

There was a lot of anticipation for Nate Diaz vs. Donald Cerrone due to the fact that the men had a pre-fight scuffle in which Diaz pushed "Cowboy" and threw off his cowboy hat, much to the dismay of MMA fans everywhere. 

Cerrone responded by flipping off Diaz when the fight started. Unfortunately for Cerrone, that was the high point for him. He was beaten to the punch throughout the night as Diaz put on an incredible boxing clinic. 

But Cerrone never quit and tried his hardest to rally hard counter shots (including some great leg sweeps to which Diaz had no answer).

Diaz and "Cowboy" Shake Hands

People might think Nate Diaz (and his brother Nick) is a punk, but he showed after the fight that he isn't as bad as he seems. 

He shook Cerrone's hand and the two briefly embraced, showing that Nate may act questionable sometimes, but he can still be respectful. 

Overeem Crumples Lesnar with a Liver Kick

Alistair Overeem vs. Brock Lesnar was being hyped up as an epic clash of the titans. 

But the only thing epic was the beatdown. 

Lesnar didn't come close to taking down Overeem (although he did cut the former K-1 with a jab early in the fight) and was timid after being hit. 

Eventually, Overeem stalked down Lesnar and blasted him with a liver kick ala Bas Rutten. 

The former NCAA Division I wrestler crumbled to the mat, turtled up and the fight was stopped moments later after some ground and pound.

As memorable as this was, something more memorable happened afterwards.

Brock Lesnar's Retirement

After suffering a terrible defeat at the hands of Overeem, Lesnar retired in the Octagon during his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan.

Love him or hate him, Lesnar's stint in the UFC will always be remembered, as will his in-cage farewell.

There is some debate as to what Lesnar's retirement means for the UFC, but for the purposes of this slideshow, let's just say that retirement was the right choice for Lesnar. 

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