Sherdog’s Top 10: Brutal Beatdowns

---

9. Yves Edwards vs. Aaron Riley
July 14, 2001
The recently retired Edwards is a true pioneer of mixed martial arts. He was one of the very first fighters to truly be comfortable everywhere, with a slick striking game, quick sprawl and venomous work on the ground. Riley is one of the toughest guys to ever compete in a sport full of tough guys. The first time the two men met, Edwards took a hard-fought decision; in their rematch at HOOKnSHOOT “Showdown,” a nearly unstoppable offensive force met a nearly immovable object in the form of Riley’s ridiculous chin.

Edwards tagged Riley over and over and over with every strike under the sun. He hit multiple series of knees directly to the dome from the double-collar tie, round kicks to the body, side kicks, leg kicks and flush head kicks. He hammered Riley with vicious combinations, including one 12-shot sequence in the second round in which every punch landed.

The amazing thing: Despite the epic thrashing Riley took, it was still a reasonably competitive fight. In the aftermath, however, the durable Riley needed tens of thousands of dollars of dental work to repair the damage Edwards had done, which is just one sign of the true magnitude of the beatdown.

Number 8 » Weidman vs. Munoz