The most infamous UFC street fights

So we wanted to take a closer look at some of the most infamous documented UFC street fight stories that have happened over the years. As when we think about the idea of elite-level combat sports athletes going toe to toe with sometimes regular people. We can already tell that it’s not going to end well for certain parties.

With everyone from cage fighter turned bank robber Lee Murray. To a guy who’s instructional videos on how to win street fights, El Guapo Bas Rutten. And heavyweight hitters Mark “The Super Samoan” Hunt and Alistair Overeem. There’s an almost endless list of altercations which took place outside the sport and often somewhere in the vicinity of a nightclub.

In a perfect world, trained fighters would limit their fighting to sanctioned bouts. But when needs must, you can be sure there are no people you would less rather pick a fight with than these trained killers. So without further ado, let’s ado this …

Lee Murray

Lightening Lee Murray is perhaps the most infamous mixed martial artist on the planet. Not necessarily for his accomplishments inside the cage, but rather the part he played in masterminding the biggest bank robbery in British history. But before all that took place, Murray was involved in an incident outside a London nightclub in which he knocked out UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz.

Eyewitnesses which include UFC fighters Matt Hughes and Pat Militech. Said that the incident occurred when at first there was some play-acting amongst some of his fighters. With one jumping on his back and putting him in a rear-naked choke. However, a friend of Lee Murray then seemingly ran in and landed a punch on one of Miletich’s team, sparking a huge brawl in the alley.

Miletich who recounts that the next thing he saw to his left was Tito Ortiz running out ripping open his jacket. And when he looked to his right he saw Lee Murray backing up doing the same. Tito then launched himself at Murray and missed with several punches. To which Lee replied with a five punch combination, landing every blow and sending the light heavyweight champion to the ground.

Murray followed up by kicking Tito a couple of times in the head before Pat stepped in and told him to stop. And so the now infamous alley brawl has become something of a legend. With Ortiz having one version and several onlookers another.

Lee Murray of course was not done in terms of street fighting. As after just one fight in the UFC, he was once again in another altercation outside a London nightclub. Where he was badly stabbed, having to have his nipple reattached. Then just one week later he was involved in yet another fight at the same nightclub.

Suffering a punctured lung, the doctor who treated Murray, performing open-heart surgery. Saying that he died four times on the operating table before being resuscitated. It brought an abrupt end to his UFC career, along with beckoning his record-setting bank heist.

Bas Rutten

If there is one fighter synonymous with street fights, it has to be the how to win a bar fight master Bas Rutten. With his now legendary collection of DVDs on how to take someone out, specifically in a drinking establishment. Bas established himself as one of the most iconic fighters and entertainers in the early years of the sport.

And along with his epic career in MMA and Pankration, his bar fight stories are known throughout the combat sports world. With the most famous being an incident in a Swedish nightclub when he was on holiday. Where Bas recounts how on entering the club he was warned by the security to “stay calm tonight.”

And while already drunk, he none the less thought that something was amiss. Then sometime later he was approached by the bouncers and shepherded off the dancefloor and into a hallway with some stairs.

From here the bouncers told him he was upsetting guests and that he would have to leave. But before he could turn around, one of the security began poking him in the chest, while another stuck a finger in his eye, followed by another. And it was at this point that Bas let go knocking one of the bouncers out cold with one punch.

Next thing you know a brawl broke out with him vs five security, as Bas was laying each guy out one by one. Then passing up the opportunity to grab some nearby broomsticks. He was soon cornered and being hit with the same sticks by the attacking bouncers.

Until of course the police showed up, throwing him into a Swedish prison. Where is was now facing a possible six months. But luckily with neither party pressing charges, Bas was back out on the streets within a few days.