Sherdog’s Top 10: UFC Lightweight Title Fights

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9. B.J. Penn vs. Joe Stevenson
UFC 80
Jan. 19, 2008 | Newcastle, England
While blood almost always helps to satiate the appetite of a violence-craving audience, it can also serve a different purpose: submission accelerant. Such was the case when Penn claimed the lightweight crown for the first time against Stevenson in the UFC 80 main event at Metro Radio Arena. “The Prodigy” was in peak form throughout, blending striking, grappling and agility to demonstrate why he was hailed as perhaps the most gifted 155-pound talent the sport has ever seen. After controlling the majority of Round 1 on the ground, Penn connected with a glancing elbow with less than a minute remaining. The gash in the center of Stevenson’s forehead began to gush almost instantly. UFC analyst Joe Rogan compared it to a “broken fire hydrant.” Meanwhile, Stevenson was visibly distressed because he was aware of the potential consequences, most notably impaired vision or a doctor’s stoppage. Fortunately for “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 2 winner, the cut was perfectly placed -- relatively speaking -- so that the blood drained directly between his eyes. Despite this stroke of good luck, Stevenson had no answer for the Hawaiian’s fearsome submission game. Penn took Stevenson’s back in the second round and, likely aided by the considerable amount of fluid in which the two were bathed, slid his arm under his chin to elicit the tapout at the 4:02 mark.

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