Extreme MMA Fights That Brought the Pain

Part three of a series saluting outrageous, WTF moments in MMA and pop culture.

From foul-mouthed vampires to Hitler as the worst cellmate in Hell, the outrageous AMC series Preacher is brimming with extreme, push-the-envelope moments. Of course, the MMA world is no stranger to extreme fights, particularly of the blood-spurting and bone-crunching variety.

To kick off the third season premiere of Preacher on June 24^th at 10/9c on AMC, we’ve rounded up some of the most brutally extreme moments in MMA history. Check them out below, along with a sneak peek of the craziness that ensues when Jesse Custer goes home to Angelville in the new season of Preacher.

Strikeforce Brawl

The insane melee that erupted at Strikeforce: Nashville happened on CBS, the home of wholesome dad shows like Hawaii Five-0. After Jake Shields triumphed over Dan Henderson, Jason “Mayhem” Miller burst into the cage and interrupted Shields’ post-fight interview by asking when he would get a title rematch. Shields wasn’t happy with the interruption, and started pushing Miller with the help of teammate Gilbert Melendez. Nick Diaz, also one of Shields’ teammates, jumped in and punched Miller which prompted his brother Nate and the rest of Team Gracie to join the fray. The result was a memorably epic brawl that caused the commentators to remind everyone that they were on national television.

Mark Hominick Takes a Lump

Hominick fought valiantly against Jose Aldo at UFC 129, but lost in a unanimous decision. And he took home a souvenir from the fight – a massive, softball-shaped hematoma on his head that looked like a giant horn. Despite the gnarly knot on his noggin, Hominick earned the respect of the crowd. Hopefully he went home and took a Tylenol afterwards.

Cheick Kongo Vs Pat Barry

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JebJ6RduIBQ

Kongo and Barry’s fight at UFC on Versus 4 took a surprising turn no one saw coming. Barry unleashed a furry of jabs on poor Kongo to the point where commentator Joe Rogan was surprised the ref kept the fight going. Suddenly, Kongo takes out Barry with two quick right punches before falling on top of him for the win. Don’t call it a comeback. Kongo’s been here for years.

Anderson Silva breaks his leg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOn7WxHjbXI

The rematch between Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman at UFC 168 ended painfully for Silva. Weidman checked Silva’s kick, causing Silva to shatter his left fibula and tibia. After that, Silva’s fighting career was never the same.

B.J. Penn and Joe Stevenson’s bloody bout

https://youtu.be/xqZx0JvIkbo?t=2m16s

The match between B.J. Penn and Joe Stevenson at UFC 80 ended in a literal bloodbath when a cut on Stevenson’s forehead started gushing. That didn’t stop Penn from going ham on his opponent with a series of vicious jabs and a final rear-naked chokehold submission. Penn came out the victor, and Stevenson went home needing a medic and a bath.

Think that’s an extreme fight? Watch how Herr Starr eliminates the competition on Preacher…

Edson Barboza Kicks Terry Etim

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PQH65dx4iE

Sometimes one move can be all that separates a fighter from getting a face full of mat. And that’s exactly what happened when Edson Barboza threw an insanely fast spinning wheel-kick to Terry Etim’s head at UFC 142. Etim went nighty-night, and the result was one of the best kicks in UFC history.

Demetrious Johnson’s Mighty Wiz-Bar

Johnson lived up to his “Mighty Mouse” nickname with the truly insane move he used to take down Ray Borg at UFC 216. Dubbed “The Mighty Wiz-Bar,” Johnson put Borg into a suplex that turned into an armbar. The result was a stellar move that has been dubbed one of the best submissions of all time.

Stefan Struve vs Denis Stojnic

https://youtu.be/Hg7VGj2J8Tg?t=5m5s

The match between Stefan Struve and Dennis Stojnic at UFC 99 had viewers seeing red – literally! Struve took a nasty cut to the head from Stojnic’s hammerfists, dripping blood in what the commentators compared to a “horror movie.” But that didn’t stop Struve from getting on Stojnic’s back and ending the match with a rear-naked chokehold. Nice work, Struve. Now maybe get a Band-Aid for that cut, buddy.

Things get really extreme when Jesse Custer heads home to Angelville in the new season of Preacher, premiering June 24^th at 10/9c on AMC. To see how crazy life gets for Jesse, Tulip and Cassidy, check out the season three trailer.