Rivalries: Randy Couture

“It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog.” Ultimate Fighting Championship icon Randy Couture knows a thing or two about that axiom and being the king of the hill. While not the most physically imposing specimen, Couture exuded an unyielding grit that saw him become a three-time UFC heavyweight champion and a two-time UFC light heavyweight champion. “The Natural” built his reputation as an all-time great through his storied career. A former United States Army sergeant, he was renowned as a bearer of destruction who terrorized two weight classes for years.

As Couture’s exploits continue to fade further and further into the past, a look at some of the rivalries that helped shape his remarkable career:

Vitor Belfort

Couture and Belfort engaged in one of the most compelling rivalries in UFC history. In their first encounter, a heavyweight title eliminator at UFC 15, “The Natural” outlasted Belfort as the Brazilian’s power reserve failed him. Prior to that, “The Phenom” was on a four-fight winning streak with an average finishing time of just under a minute. Belfort’s endurance tapped out to Couture’s constant pressure and wrestling, as the American walked away with the technical knockout at the 8:16 mark of the contest. Their paths crossed again, this time at UFC 46 for Couture’s light heavyweight strap. In the first round, Couture tried to close the distance to engage in the clinch while Belfort tried to counter the offense with a left hook. However, the Brazilian’s glove grazed his opponent’s right eye and opened a cut. Belfort was declared the winner when the cageside doctor advised that the fight to be stopped. The third fight was booked immediately as the next assignment for both the men at UFC 49. This time, Couture exercised caution and systematically dismantled his opponent on his way to a third-round technical knockout, reclaiming the 205-pound throne in the process.

Chuck Liddell

Another significant rivalr in Couture’s career, Liddell was on a blistering 10-fight winning streak with six finishes before he crossed paths with “The Natural” at UFC 43. Meanwhile, Couture was descending to a lower weight class, having succumbed to back-to-back losses against bigger, stronger opponents in the heavyweight division. After two rounds of Couture testing the Liddell’s resistance in the grappling department and “The Iceman” returning fire sporadically, the pair waged a swinging contest in the third round. Couture got the better of Liddell with a looping right hand and continued to pour on the pressure, eventually taking his rival down and pounding out the finish at the 2:39 mark of the third round. They met again at UFC 52, where Couture’s freshly acquired 205-pound title was on the line. It took Liddell a little over two minutes to crush Couture, handing him the first knockout loss of his career. With that, the stage was set for the final chapter of their rivalry at UFC 57.. Liddell cracked Couture multiple times on the feet before the decorated Greco-Roman wrestler took the fight to the ground and managed to survive the opening frame. However, in the second round, Liddell snared Couture while inching closer into rage and landed a devastating counter right hand and a few thundering shots on his fallen foe before the referee could intervene and call an end to the fight at the 1:28 mark.

Tito Ortiz

Ortiz had defended his light heavyweight throne five times before Couture stepped up to the challenge. The fight was billed as “Champion vs. Champion” and saw Couture bucking the ravages of age, as he put together one of his finest performances against Ortiz at UFC 44. Couture harnessed his superior wrestling skills to outclass his opponent. Ortiz simply had no answer for his Couture’s pressure, surrendering to a lopsided unanimous decision loss that saw “The Natural” crowned as the undisputed 205-pound king.

Brock Lesnar

Couture simply could not keep up with Lesnar’s ferocity and vibrant zeal. The World Wrestling Entertainment superstar looked invincible at their UFC 91 clash. In the opening round, they engaged in rough-and-tumble wrestling sequences, with Lesnar emerging as the clear winner in the exchanges. However, in the second, the former NCAA Division I national champion landed a brutal punch that knocked Couture down. Lesnar pounced on him and continued pounding away until the referee had no choice but to wave off the fight. In only his fourth professional MMA outing, Lesnar was crowned the UFC heavyweight champion. Couture, on the other hand, went on to compile a 3-2 run after that loss and announced he was “finally done fighting” after a knockout loss to Lyoto Machida at the age of 47.