Freaks. Everyone loves them.
While MMA has worked hard over the last two decades to shed its image as a carnival sideshow, the reality is that the sport`s history is deeply rooted in spectacle. At heart, all promoters are modern-day P.T. Barnums, and nothing sparks the imagination quite like witnessing something truly bizarre and wondrous—especially when a fistfight is involved.
Recently, MMA added another memorable `freakshow` bout to its history books when former World`s Strongest Man Eddie Hall dominated fellow strongman Mariusz Pudzianowski in just 30 seconds at KSW 105. This was just the latest in a long line of cartoonish matchups, prompting us to consider: What are the greatest `freakshow` fights in MMA history?
Much like Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart`s famous definition of obscenity—”I know it when I see it”—defining a `freakshow` fight isn`t rigid; it`s more of a feeling, a vibe. Given this, there`s a vast pool to draw from when discussing the greatest examples, so we established a few guidelines.
Entertaining promotions like Fight Circus and Dogfight Wild were excluded, as were most smaller promotions whose fights felt more exploitative than spectacular. And since this is about MMA, no celebrity or influencer boxing was considered. We focused solely on real MMA fights featuring one or more truly outlandish characters.
Following extensive discussion and debate, we narrowed the list down to 10. Here they are (along with a couple of honorable mentions).
Fedor Emelianenko vs. Zuluzinho
One of the great things about Pride FC was that it wasn`t always about pitting the absolute best against each other. Sometimes, it was simply fun for fighters to stay busy with entertaining squash matches (PFL, take note!). Fedor Emelianenko had a few of these in Pride, but this particular fight holds a special place in my heart because, back in the day, it was the fight I used to show people to illustrate why MMA was so exciting.
“Look, that small, slightly pudgy guy is about to fight that colossal human. Just watch what happens!!!” I`m certain this fight did more to enhance Fedor`s legendary status than another routine win over a standard opponent would have.
Mirko Cro Cop vs. Dos Caras Jr.
You can`t help but feel a bit sorry for Dos Caras Jr. (later famous as Alberto Del Rio in WWE) in this situation. A skilled amateur wrestler and a pro wrestling star, he had a decent side career going for a while with a few MMA victories under his belt. His recognition led to him being matched against the highly legitimate fighter and kickboxer Mirko Cro Cop—an opportunity he was clearly unprepared for.
Due to Mexican wrestling tradition, Del Rio was forbidden from appearing in public without his mask, and his luchador gear likely didn`t help him spot those incoming Cro Cop head kicks. Seeing him slumped in the corner after taking one of Mirko`s kicks is just a genuinely sad sight.
Muhammad Ali vs. Antonio Inoki
Lee: This fight holds a perfect spot here because, historically, it`s crucial not just to the history of sideshow spectacles but to the very foundation of MMA itself. Aesthetically speaking… not so much.
It was 1976. Ali was in the final years of his championship reign, and Inoki was building the foundation of New Japan Pro Wrestling with his strong style. Both were national icons, and it`s no exaggeration to say this exhibition match between them was a global event.
Unfortunately, the outcome was a dreadfully boring contest where Inoki spent FIFTEEN rounds lying on his back, kicking Ali`s legs, while Ali was unwilling (or unable, depending on who you ask) to engage Inoki on the ground. The highly anticipated match was fought under special rules that severely limited both legends, and both spoke negatively about the event afterward.
However, the fight`s impact is undeniable. It reportedly drew 54 million viewers in Japan, two million U.S. pay-per-view buys, $20 million from closed-circuit theater screenings in the U.S., and a staggering 1.4 billion viewers worldwide.
Oh, and it might also have been the first major cross-pollination of martial arts styles, so you can realistically trace a line from this fight directly to the birth of the UFC (and, strangely, to the number one fight on our list).
Tim Sylvia vs. Ray Mercer
Meshew: When this fight was announced in 2009, it was widely criticized as the wrong kind of `freakshow`. Tim Sylvia was a former UFC heavyweight champion, and although he was on a two-fight losing streak, those losses were to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Fedor Emelianenko, two of the world`s best. Mercer, meanwhile, was a former heavyweight boxing champion who had never competed in MMA and was 48 years old. On paper, this looked like transparent, grim fighter exploitation. Then they fought.
Sylvia came into the fight looking charitably “heavier than usual” and was immediately knocked out by the very first punch Mercer threw—a clean right hand that sent Sylvia crashing to the canvas. Suddenly, what was expected to be a quick victory for Sylvia turned into a career low point for a former UFC champion.
Gabi Garcia vs. Yumika Hotta
Lee: Despite her significant accomplishments in jiu-jitsu, Gabi Garcia seemed destined for MMA. A towering figure weighing over 200 pounds, the real challenge was that there was never going to be a truly suitable opponent for her once she transitioned to mixed martial arts.
RIZIN matchmakers did their best, finding fighters with minimal experience to face Garcia. They eventually landed on joshi pro wrestling legend Yumika Hotta for Garcia`s fourth fight. The 49-year-old Hotta (a replacement for the 52-year-old wrestling legend Shinobu Kandori!) didn`t last long, quickly being taken down and pounded out in a farcical 49 seconds. Garcia did fight again, but this bout pretty much encapsulates the nature of this strange experiment.
Mariusz Pudzianowski vs. Bob Sapp
Meshew: A major shout-out to Mariusz Pudzianowski, who, when he switched to MMA, could have easily remained solely a `freakshow` fighter, and no one would have batted an eye. But instead, the five-time World`s Strongest Man winner took MMA seriously and became more than just a sideshow attraction. That said, “Pudz” was still one of the biggest spectacles in the sport for 15 years, and he fully embraced that role when he defeated Bob Sapp at KSW 19 in 2012.
While Sapp had been a legitimate fighter at one point, by this time, he had fully committed to the `freakshow` persona and was on a six-fight losing streak (which eventually extended to 14). This fight unfolded exactly as expected, with Pudzianowski overwhelming Sapp (in a remarkably similar fashion to how Eddie Hall recently ran over Pudzianowski) and officially passing the “Goliath” torch to the World`s Strongest Man legend.
Randy Couture vs. James Toney
Lee: Perhaps the most straightforward fight ever, Randy Couture made his intentions clear against former boxing champion James Toney: he was going to shoot for a takedown, get him to the ground, and demonstrate why Toney`s venture into UFC fighting was a huge mistake.
This was an amusing and mostly harmless spectacle that co-headlined UFC 118 in 2010. It was so openly predictable that Dana White put even less effort than usual into promoting it, essentially telling everyone Couture would win. Still, the classic MMA vs. boxing angle marketed itself, even though the result ultimately proved nothing definitive about which combat sport is superior.
Daiju Takase vs. Emmanuel Yarbrough
Meshew: Some things in life are self-explanatory, and this is one of them. Daiju Takase, a kickboxer making his MMA debut at Pride 3, faced former sumo wrestler Emmanuel Yarbrough. Takase weighed 169 pounds; Yarbrough weighed over 600 pounds. We can`t say for certain, but this is likely the largest weight difference ever seen in an MMA fight.
And the fight itself is utterly absurd. Takase correctly realizes Yarbrough isn`t fast enough to catch him, so he simply circles the ring, darting in for a punch or kick before retreating to avoid the giant—the ultimate “stick and move” strategy. Before long, Yarbrough is exhausted just from moving around, and it seems this might be the silliest fight ever.
Or perhaps he was playing possum! Takase sees Yarbrough tiring and gets overconfident, shooting for a takedown. Yarbrough sprawls, and suddenly he`s on top with his massive weight advantage. Things look dangerous, but Yarbrough is simply too gassed. Takase manages to slip out from under him and then quickly finishes Yarbrough, as much from the giant`s exhaustion as from the punches.
Minowaman vs. Giant Silva / Butterbean
Lee: This entire list could have been composed solely of Minowaman fights, and not a single person would have complained.
Ikuhisa Minowa, with his toned 5-foot-9 frame stuffed into red trunks, was a sight to behold, but the real spectacle began whenever he was paired against an opponent at least a foot taller or 300 pounds heavier (or both!). With true pro wrestling flair, Minowaman consistently attacked his larger foes, whether with a perfectly timed takedown or a completely over-the-top dropkick. Anything for the fans.
We`ve highlighted the Giant Silva and Butterbean fights here, but this doesn`t even include his Super Hulk Grand Prix run in 2009 where he finished Bob Sapp, Hong Man Choi, and Sokoudjou. A true legend.
Genki Sudo vs. Butterbean
Meshew: Butterbean might be known as the “King of the Four Rounders” in boxing, but he also had a surprisingly active MMA career, and it all started right here.
Unlike Minowaman, Genki Sudo didn`t engage in many `freakshow` fights, but he more than made up for it in this one. He darted around the ring, landing quick strikes and showboating against the powerful puncher. At one point, Sudo even ran off the ropes before launching a flying sidekick at Butterbean, who caught him and landed on top. This proved to be a bad decision for Butterbean, as Sudo immediately rolled for a heel hook and tapped him out, proving once again that David can conquer Goliath.
Fedor Emelianenko vs. Hong Man Choi
Lee: Arguably the greatest fighter of all time, Fedor Emelianenko, also gifted us some of the best `freak` fights ever. Stipe Miocic could never.
As enjoyable as his lightning-fast destruction of Zuluzinho was, it`s hard to top the truly bizarre encounter he had with the 7-foot-2 Choi. This marked a strange phase in “The Last Emperor`s” career; he was past his legendary rivalries with Mirko Cro Cop and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and transitioning towards his era of defeating UFC champions. So, what better way to spend time than slaying giants?
Emelianenko vs. Choi produced one of the most enduring images of his career, which is full of memorable moments. Fedor, the world`s best heavyweight, looked like a child hanging off Choi`s arm at one point. It belongs in The Louvre.
Kimbo Slice vs. Dada 5000
Meshew: I`ve stated before that this is one of my five favorite fights of all time, making it an easy choice for the greatest `freakshow` bout ever. While Kimbo Slice was undoubtedly a real mixed martial artist, Dada was absolutely not, and that was essentially the point. These two “street fighting legends” were showmen first, and fighters second, and their legendary press conference remains one of the most absurd and incredible pieces of theatre the sport has ever produced.
Then there was Dada`s infamous media day workout, where Harris clearly demonstrated he was woefully unprepared for a sanctioned fight, yet he dismissed it as a strategic 3D chess move to hide his skills.
Of course, when the first round began, it became clear Dada wasn`t feigning; it just didn`t matter because both men gassed out almost instantly. What followed was perhaps the most ludicrous and entertaining 11 minutes of fighting you will ever witness. To their credit, both men continued to fight with all their might, but that `might` was virtually nonexistent once their cardio failed. The fight ultimately ended when Slice landed about 15 unanswered punches with the power of a butterfly`s wings flapping, and Dada simply staggered away and collapsed from exhaustion.
Later, we learned that Dada actually “died” during the fight, meaning we were all witnesses to what could have been one of the most macabre and awful scenes in MMA history. But “close” only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades, and since that worst-case scenario didn`t happen, we can look back fondly on the most outrageous spectacle MMA has ever delivered.
“YOU FOOL!” There could be no other choice for No. 1.
Lee: When I used to work at TheScore office in Toronto, we would occasionally put fights up on a big screen. Only two fights ever prompted everyone working to get out of their seats and gather around to watch: Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz 1 and, yes, Kimbo vs. Dada.
The collective reaction was definitely more along the lines of “My god, what is happening? Is this even legal?” rather than “Wow, what a spectacular display of skill and athleticism I`m witnessing.” But the effect was the same. Imaginations were captured. And every single person knew that after witnessing this clash of titans, they would be forever changed.
When I think of words like “fun,” “silly,” “absurd,” “magical,” “uncomfortable”—all the things that MMA is supposed to be—this fight is and will always be the first one that comes to mind.