For MMA fans, there is nothing that can quite show how a fight will go better than a pre-fight stare down. While some of these can be uneventful depending on who is fighting, these often show two men, in the zone and ready for battle. These can be extremely intense and telling of how crazy a fight will be. Here are the three most intense stare downs in MMA history.
1. Don Frye vs. James Thompson
(source: mmapayground.com)
Don Frye is without a doubt one of the meanest looking guys in MMA history and that was cranked up all the way during his stare down with James Thompson (who actually used to look up to Don Frye). The two stood with foreheads mashing together, looking right into each other’s eyes and talking trash. When you watch the stare down, you almost don’t believe how they kept it together and didn’t fight right then and there. The ref was trying so hard to separate the two that he could barely even list off the rules.
2. Diego Sanchez vs. Clay Guida
(source: cageinspiration.com)
If there is ever an instance of a stare down reflecting what type of fight we are about to get, it’s this one. The two men had to be held back by officials as they gazed intensely at their opponent, ready for war. This intensity translated to the fight as the first minute or so of the fight contained nothing but both men swinging for the fences back at each other. By the end of the fight, it had been one of the best in UFC history and the stare down without a doubt set the tone for that.
3. Mirko Cro Cop vs. Wanderlei Silva
(source: dailymotion.com)
This is far and away the most intense stare down you will ever see in sports. There is no trash talk, no pushing and shoving, just plain old fashioned intensity in the eyes of both men. These two were at the top of their craft and staring directly into each other’s eyes while getting the referee’s instructions. You could cut the tension with a knife and it looked like the two were ready to throw down at any instance. The fight also didn’t disappoint as well, but this one is definitely remembered for the stare down.9
