This is the last best of the month top 10 list before the new year, however it won’t best the last about 2014. Enough about that let us delve in:
10) The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America – Leonardo Morales vs. Gabriel Benidez
Overall The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America was a fierce competition and was a good way to introduce the UFC into the Latin American market. The show was clearly dominated by Team Mexico under Cain Velasquez, which is why the final match between Team Mexico’s Gabriel Benitez and Team Latin America’s Leonardo Morales was so important. Morales was the last hope for Team Latin America to be represented in the finals and the whole team was behind him. It was a hard fought match but Morales ultimately made it to the finale after winning a unanimous decision in the semifinals. The featherweight finale went as well it made it later on this month’s list.
9) The Ultimate Fighter: A Champion Will Be Crowned – Tecia Torres vs. Bec Rawlings
Leading up to this match, there was a lot of drama taking place in the house. Tecia Torres was given a second chance in the competition due to Justine Kish‘s injury which members of Team Pettis believed was unfair. In addition, Team Melendez basically labeled Torres as a traitor and a split formed within Team Melendez. As a result Bec Rawlings wanted to go in and deal Torres her second loss of the competition and gain a second win for Team Melendez. Torres ultimately won against Rawlings and to boos from her former teammates.
8) UFC 180: Werdum vs. Hunt – Kelvin Gastelum vs. Jake Ellenberger
The historic UFC 180 was the first UFC event held in Mexico and certainly delivered with a night of exciting fights. In the co-main event, Mexican descendant Kelvin Gastelum walked in and continued his rise in the welterweight division against veteran Jake Ellenberger. Gastelum went in and dominated the whole fight which consisted of almost one round. He kept the pressure on Ellenberger and ultimately found his neck for a rear naked choke. Gastelum was cheered by the Mexico City crowd and got a Performance of the Night.
7) UFC 180: Werdum vs. Hunt – Jessica Eye vs. Leslie Smith
Women ALWAYS throw down in the UFC and this was another example of it. Up and comers Jessica Eye and Leslie Smith went into UFC 180 both of Mexican descent and desired to perform for the local crowd. However, neither one thought that the fight would end by a doctors stoppage. In the first round, Eye succeeded in literally blowing out Smith’s cauliflower ear and she continued dealing damage to the ear for the rest of the fight. John McCarthy called in the doctor who called off the fight in the second round before Smith essentially lost her ear.
6) Bellator 131 – Will Brooks vs. Michael Chandler
This match was meant to settle a score once and for all which it certainly did. Will Brooks and Michael Chandler met the first time around at Bellator 120 in May for the Interim Lightweight Championship. The fight was close and in a somewhat controversial decision, went the direction of Brooks. With Eddie Alvarez leaving for the UFC, the two were given a rematch for the undisputed lightweight title. While Chandler had the initial lead, Brooks was able to get in some good strikes and was able to finish the fight in the fourth round.
5) UFC 180: Werdum vs. Hunt – Fabricio Werdum vs. Mark Hunt – Comeback of the Month
It had been a long time coming for Pride veterans Fabricio Werdum and Mark Hunt to fight for the UFC Heavyweight Championship. Werdum had finished coaching The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America but when his original opponent Cain Velasquez dropped out, Hunt stepped up for the title shot. In the first round Hunt was able to clip Werdum and even took him to the ground and pull some ground and pound. However, in the second round Werdum threw a knee which dropped Hunt and Werdum followed up with ground and pound to finish the fight and become the UFC Interim Heavyweight Championship. He was also awarded a Performance of the Night bonus.
4) The Ultimate Fighter: A Champion Will Be Crowned – Randa Markos vs. Felice Herrig – Upset of the Month
With Team Pettis winning seven of the eight preliminary fights in the season, it was obvious that teammate would have to face each other. However, with Felice Herrig‘s personality being the way it is, the situation quickly digressed from simple to tense. Both Herrig and Carla Esparza had issues with Randa Markos wanting to get in training during “their time” in the gym and head coach Anthony Pettis refused to take any action on the issue. Herrig further egged on Markos at the weigh-ins when she blew bubble gum in Markos’ face during the face off. The victory ultimately went to Markos when she pulled a modified arm bar on Herrig and won a Performance of the Season bonus as well.
3) UFC 180: Werdum vs. Hunt – Hector Urbina vs. Edgar Garcia – Submission of the Month
The only members of The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America cast to appear on the actual pay-per-view, Hector Urbina and Edgar Garcia went into their first actual UFC match ready to fight. The match was quick and went back and forth a bit. During one of the scrambles Urbina was able to find Garcia’s neck for the guillotine. Garcia submitted and Urbina was declared the winner. It was a quick well executed submission but was overshadowed by Kelvin Gastelum‘s submission which earned a Performance of the Night bonus.
2) Bellator 131 – Joe Schilling vs. Melvin Manhoef – Knockout of the Month
This was a match between kick boxers that was going to end in a knockout either way. Joe Schilling was signed by Bellator shortly after the announcement of Bellator 131 and Melvin Manhoef was already on contract with the promotion. Both were kick boxers who had dabbled in MMA with various promotions. Bellator was able to match both of them up for this smash fest. They were able to make it out of the first round which saw both men drop the other but the round mainly went for Manhoef, before Schilling was able to find Manhoef’s chin in the second.
1) UFC 180: Werdum vs. Hunt – Yair Rodriguez vs. Leonardo Morales – Fight of the Month
To say this fight went under the radar is an understatement. Fighting for the featherweight finale for The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America, Yair Rodriguez and Leonardo Morales went in and fought their hearts out. The match was really close as both men took rounds here and there. Ultimately Rodriguez took a close decision for the win. For that he also got our Fight of the Month.