UFC 6: Clash of the Titans

Russian fighter Oleg Taktarov may have come out on top in the UFC 6 tournament, but it was Ken Shamrock who emerged as the UFC’s new biggest superstar when he defeated Dan Severn for the first-ever UFC Superfight Championship in this classic from July of 1995. Heading into the fight, Shamrock and Severn were two of the most aggressive and powerful fighters in the world, having built solid reputations with their performances inside the Octagon.

The Superfight Championship, which was first introduced at UFC 5 in a bout between Shamrock and Royce Gracie, was created in order to crown an undisputed UFC champion that tournament winners, such as Taktarov, could face in subsequent events. UFC 6 marked the first event in which referees—in this case, “Big” John McCarthy—were granted the power to stand fighters up if no progress was being made on the ground.