Top 5 fierce rivals in UFC who are now friends
Follow Us
Rivals turned friends
The UFC has consistently been the top MMA promotion in the world which allows elite fighters to compete in its octagon. As the competition between the fighters increases, most of the time it results in a fierce rivalry. However, with time the fighters squash the beef and become friends with each other. Here’s the list of UFC fighters who are currently friends but once upon a time were sworn rivals.
Chael Sonnen and Anderson Silva
Chael Sonnen is unarguably one of the best trash talkers in UFC history who didn’t back out to do so against Anderson Silva. In 2010, the pair squared off for the first time for the UFC middleweight championship fight, and Sonnen mocked Silva throughout the press conference. In the match, Silva took his revenge and dominated the rounds, ultimately submitting Sonnen via triangle armbar.
Both had the opportunity to fight again in two years and Sonnen lost once again via TKO. However, over the years both the legends of the UFC have settled their rivalry and now are on good terms. Recently, during Silva’s boxing fight with Jake Paul, the Brazilian and Sonnen shared a great moment of respect for each other.
Also Read: Chael Sonnen recalls his first defeat to Anderson Silva at UFC 117
Georges St-Pierre and Michael Bisping
Georges St-Pierre came back from retirement after four years to fight Michael Bisping who was the reigning middleweight champion in 2017. During the build-up to the fight, Bisping and GSP participated in a lot of trash-talking and Bisping accused St-Pierre of using steroids too. However, in the fight, Bisping failed to defend his title and GSP won the fight via submission. Since then both the fighters have met each other several times and have shown nothing but respect for each other.
Demetrius Johnson and Henry Cejudo
Demetrius Johnson and Henry Cejudo are legends of the sport and have fought each other twice. The first time they fought in 2016, Johnson got the win via TKO. However, the second time they fought for the flyweight title, Cejudo took his revenge and shocked the world by defeating Johnson via split decision. After their rivalry came to an end, both are now good friends and have also created YouTube videos together.
Michael Bisping and Luke Rockhold
Luke Rockhold and Michael Bisping’s rivalry goes way back to 2014 when the pair fought for the first time. Rockhold was the better fighter and submitted the Englishman which also won him the performance of the night bonus. However, the second time, they fought for the middleweight championship at UFC 199.
The stakes were higher and the verbal exchange between the fighters was nasty. In the end, Bisping KOed Rockhold and won the belt. Recently, the pair dissolved their beef and became good friends.
Nick Diaz and Georges St-Pierre
Nick Diaz and Georges St-Pierre fought each other in 2013 at UFC 158 for the UFC Welterweight Championship. It was a massive event in Montreal as both fighters were well-established superstars of the fight game. Both shared a level of animosity and GSP called Diaz a bad guy who deserved to be punished. Diaz also mocked GSP and the UFC for framing him as the villain in the fight. The contest between the two was extremely entertaining and GSP won that fight via unanimous decision. It’s been years since the bout happened and both the fighters have already forgotten the rivalry. At UFC 266, where Diaz’s made a comeback after five years, GSP and he shook hands with respect.
Also Read: “It’s peace” – Georges St-Pierre detailed his encounter with Nick Diaz at UFC 266
Stay Updated!
Soumya Ranjan
(2167 Articles Published)