Sherdog's Top 10: Greatest UFC Debuts

8. David Abbott

“Tank,” one of the most unique characters in MMA history, makes his first Sherdog list. Both he and the 400-plus-pound “Hawaiian bone-breaker” John Matua were making their pro debuts when they faced off at UFC 6. There were no odds back then, and it's hard to tell who was the favorite. However, when it comes to star-making performances, Tank's performance was almost perfect. It took him just 20 seconds to knock Matua out cold with punches. It might not seem so incredible now, but one must consider the context. Virtually all UFC fights were decided on the ground back then, and even those that featured stand-up rarely featured decisive strikes, let alone punches. Having one fighter knock another out in 20 seconds with his fists was new and astonishing. Equally importantly, as Matua lay on the canvas convulsing, Abbott mocked him by shaking his arms in imitation. While it would get him condemned nowadays, back in 1995 it made him a beloved badass. It's also important to note that “Tank” wasn't done that night. In his next fight he took just under two minutes to knock out 6-foot-8, 350-pound goliath Paul Varelans. Lastly, in the finals Abbott faced Russian sambo specialist Oleg Taktarov. Abbott dominated early, badly hurting Taktarov, but in a portent of many of his future defeats, his cardio failed him and Taktarov tapped Abbott after nearly 18 straight minutes of fighting. Still, given that this was Abbott's third fight of the night and it was at significant elevation in Denver, most fans discounted this as a product of circumstances, not a persistent weakness. While Taktarov won the tournament, it was “Tank” who established himself as arguably the biggest star of the early UFC based on his iconic debut.

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