Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com.
This past Friday Night during the Fuel TV portion of UFC On FX 1, longtime MMA veteran Jorge “El Conquistador†Rivera announced his retirement from MMA competition. Jorge Rivera has competed all over the MMA universe, competing in organizations like the UFC, Cage Rage and World Fighting League. In this column, I will be giving me list of my top five MMA fights featuring the middleweight known as “El Conquistador.â€
#5: vs. Edwin Dewees (UFC Ultimate Fighter 4 Finale – 11/11/2006)
In the lone season of the UFC Ultimate Fighter to feature a house full of former UFC fighters, Jorge Rivera was given one more shot to make it to the promotion. Although he came up short on the reality show, he was given a fight on the televised card after a Michael Bisping fight was cancelled. Jorge Rivera came out on fire and finished Edwin Dewees off in the first round, which knocked Edwin Dewees out of the UFC and put Jorge Rivera back in. This fight is important to because that fight is what gave Jorge Rivera his final run in the UFC, which lasted over five years.
#4: vs. David Louiseau (UFC 44 – 9/26/2003)
Everybody had to start somewhere in the UFC and this fight was the official debut for Jorge Rivera in the world’s biggest MMA organization. This fight was a long battle as the fight went a full fifteen minutes and to a decision, a decision that Jorge Rivera won unanimously. Interestingly enough, this victory would be more important later on as David Louiseau would one day challenge for the UFC Middleweight Title. Jorge Rivera would win eight fights in his multiple UFC runs and this fight at UFC 44 would be the first of those eight.
#3: vs. Michael Bisping (UFC 127 – 28/27/2011)
Most people checking this list out right now must be wondering why I would put on a fight in which Jorge Rivera lost on the list. However, there was one moment in that fight that proved just how tough Jorge Rivera has been in MMA competition. Midway through the fights opening round, fighter Michael Bisping clobbered Jorge Rivera with an obviously illegal knee strike to the head. In a fight that should have been stopped, Jorge Rivera willed himself to not only continue, but continue fighting until the second round.
#2: vs. Eric Schafer (UFC On FX 1 – 1/20/2012)
Not everybody can retire in victorious fashion, but that is exactly what Jorge Rivera accomplished at UFC On FX 1. After being thoroughly dominated for the fights opening round, Jorge Rivera countered an Eric Schafer takedown attempt with some strikes. Those countering strikes eventually led to Eric Schafer going down until the referee had to jump in and end the fight. While Jorge Rivera may not have been in any UFC main events or held any UFC gold, to end his MMA career in that style was definitely an awesome moment.
#1: vs. Nate Quarry (UFC Ultimate Fight Night 21 – 3/31/2010)
Tragedy is something that every person, fighter or not, must face many times during their lives and Jorge Rivera is no different. On August 5th, 2008…Jorge Rivera’s daughter, Janessa Marie, passed away due to complications from her medication. It took more than a year for Jorge Rivera to return to UFC action and he did so by knocking out Nate Quarry in 2010. Jorge Rivera not only came back strong after going through such a tragedy, but it was the start of a career resurgence for the middleweight star.
Follow me on Twitter @DaveTeesMMA
Contact me at bigteesps3@yahoo.com
