2007 was definitely a year to remember in mma. With many ups and downs, it will definitely be a year to remember.

Who can forget that “The Croation Sensation” got a dose of its own medicine with a kick to the head from Gabriel Gonzaga that would send most people into a state of permanent sleep? Or how about werewolf Quinton Jackson dethroning one of the greatest punchers in mixed martial arts with a ferocious right hook to the head. There were many defining moments in mma in 2007, but for me one thing came to mind when I thought of the best way to describe this year in mma. It was the year of the upsets.

2007 had some of the biggest upsets in mixed martial arts history. It is often said that “anything can happen” in mma. But Forrest Griffin’s introduction to Shogun Rua was nothing. It was more than nothing. Randy “The Natural” Couture defeating the 6’8″ giant was more than anything. These fights were everything to the winners and made them overnight superstars in the crazy world of mma.

I wanted to end the year by talking about some of the biggest surprises of all time. Things that most MMA fans never thought would happen. These fights were proof that anyone can win if he believes in himself and has the perseverance and willingness to succeed in life. In the world of mixed martial arts truly “anything can and will happen”.

Annoyed #1 Nick Diaz def. Takanori gomi – I have never been more excited at the end of a fight than after Nick Diaz submitted Takanori Gomi with a Gogo Silver at Pride 33 Second Coming. Not only is it one of the biggest upsets of 2007, but it’s my personal favorite fight of all time. Speaking of exciting, I was jumping up and down by the end of this one.

This fight was a total knockdown, a protracted war. At one point, Nick Diaz was bouncing Gomi’s head off the ropes with his punches like a punching bag. Diaz was rocked at first, but he weathered the storm and turned it into a signature Nick Diaz fight that eventually took out Gomi with a Gogo Plata early in the second round. Diaz won the fight but you couldn’t tell by looking at him. His face was a bloody mess, an indication of how hard Gomi hits, considering he took so much more than he gave.

This was truly a fight for the ages and one I will never forget. Unfortunately, Diaz’s win was overturned and the fight was deemed a no contest.

Annoyed #2 Randy Couture def. tim silvia – Anything is possible when you think of the name Randy Couture. He is one of the best mma fighters of all time and is already a legend of the sport. Everyone thought he was finished. He had hung up the gloves after his second loss to “The Iceman” and many thought that was it.

But that wasn’t the end of Couture. He was still a commentator and still hungry for more. Couture was unimpressed with the heavyweight competition and felt that he could still compete at the highest level.

So he did the impossible and the 43-year-old fought Tim Sylvia for the heavyweight belt at UFC 68. It was one of the biggest upsets of all time. The fighter pummeled the striker in a 5-round all-out war of attrition that left viewers in complete awe. Randy completely took Sylvia out of his world and dominated stand up for 25 minutes. He even dropped the giant a few seconds into the first round with a crouching right hand that stunned and surprised “The Maniac”.

This fight was a battle royale and is considered, in my book, one of the biggest upsets of 2007.

Upset #3 Quinton Jackson right. Chuck Liddell – Many thought Chuck was unstoppable. Many thought it couldn’t be done. I was wondering myself, is anyone going to be this damn guy? He was so confident with wins over the highest level of competition including Tito, Jeremy Horn, Sobral, Belfort, Mezger, Randleman and Couture twice.

It seemed like no one could break “The Ice” or even last a round with it. His counterattack with the power to end fights along with his superior defense against his takedowns allowed her to take down her opponents with the precision of a sniper. Who could stop the unstoppable? Was someone willing to do the job?

In May 2007 we found out. It wasn’t the first time Liddell and Rampage had entered the cage. In his first fight, Rampage stopped Liddell in dominant fashion and finished the fight with a technical knockout. Now was Chuck’s time to redeem himself. Would his loss to Quinton play a role in his second fight? Well, either way, Rampage was on that night. He came out swinging and with better hitting skills. All it took was one small mistake and it was over. Rampage caught Chuck on the chin with a quick right hook that dropped Liddell. He then he went for the kill, the fight was over. Chuck quickly sat up glassy-eyed trying to figure out where he was. He can happen to anyone and tonight he happened to “The Iceman.”

This was truly one of the biggest surprises of 2007.

Upset #4 Forrest Griffin def. Mauricio Rua – Obviously I saved the best for last. This malaise takes the cake by a mile. I got to see Diaz on Gomi and Rampage on Liddell but Griffin on Shogun. Give me a break. I didn’t think in a zillion years that Forrest Griffin could beat Mauricio “Shogun” Rua de Pride. That fight completely shocked me.

On the other hand, he was nothing like the Shogun I know and have seen so many times in all the old Pride FC events. He was not aggressive at all and looked like a fish out of water. Something definitely happens when a Pride fighter comes to fight in the UFC. I can’t pinpoint exactly what it is, but it’s not the level of competition. I think it has to do with the pressure to succeed in the US and of course the rules and the octagon.

On the other hand, I took nothing from Forrest Griffin as he fought his heart out and hands down defeated the former Chutes Box star. Shogun was considered the best in the world by many at the time of this fight, making it one of the biggest upsets of all time. To top it off, Forrest choked Mauricio with a rear naked choke in dominant fashion. Forrest finally believed that he had what it took to fight the best of the best. That is what gave him the ability to win this fight and continue as one of the best light heavyweight fighters in the world.

I rank this as the biggest upset of the year for sure. This fight was really amazing.

2007 was a crazy year in mma and it’s not even over yet. With two of the best cards of the year yet to come, 2007 is shaping up to be one of the best years in sports history.