Sherdog’s Top 10: UFC Light Heavyweight Title Fights

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3. Frank Shamrock vs. Tito Ortiz
UFC 22
Sept. 24, 1999 | Lake Charles, Louisiana
Shamrock made certain his final appearance in the Ultimate Fighting Championship was memorable. He entered his showdown with Ortiz with a perfect 4-0 record inside the Octagon but did so as an underdog. Shamrock was the smaller man -- he gave up four inches in height, two inches in reach and a significant amount of weight -- and those perceived disadvantages were thought to be too much for him to overcome. Nevertheless, he retained his light heavyweight championship by striking Ortiz into submission in the fourth round of their main event at the Lake Charles Civic Center. Exhausted by his efforts to dispose of Shamrock, “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” ran out of gas late. Ortiz shot for a desperate takedown in the waning moments of Round 4, only to be met with an attempted guillotine from the bloodied but alert champion. Shamrock then rolled into top position, stood up and unleashed elbows and hammerfists with a spent Ortiz clinging to his leg. The end came 4:42 into the fourth round, the challenger beckoning referee John McCarthy to intervene.

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