Prior to getting the Mjolnir tattoo on his chest, “Marreta” was a 2-2 fighter in the UFC, welcoming Bosse to the Octagon for the first time. The French Canadian had played semi-pro hockey in Quebec’s LNAH and was 10-1 with one draw in his first twelve MMA appearances, earning nine finishes, but that night it was he who finished.
Watching him now, you can see the knockout blow coming, as Santos starts the fight with a low inside kick from his traditional southpaw stance, then follows with a swinging left leg to the body, which Bosse takes on the arms. Literally two seconds later, with “The Boss” stepping forward, Santos goes high and turns off the lights.
Watch Santos defeat Bosse at UFC Fight Night 70
Santos doesn’t even care about follow-up shots, running away before the referee even reaches Bosse, who is stiff on the canvas. It took a little longer before Santos became the truly dangerous finisher we knew him as, but that’s when that designation really started to take hold.
Also, shout out to Jon Anik for a fantastic call on this one.
Nate Diaz won. Michael Johnson (UFC on FOX 17)
Even with all that talent I mentioned in the intro competing on this card in Orlando, Diaz is the one making this list, and it’s honestly not because of his performance against Johnson.
Yes, the former Ultimate Fighter winner picked up a surprisingly dominant decision victory, beating Johnson to the punch more times than anything while adding a few bare-handed slaps, a few playful points after connecting the flush and generally making things from Diaz Brothers. But the reason it was a truly historic moment is what happened after the fight was over.