The most memorable moments of the Zuffa era

With UFC 200 just around the corner and Zuffa, LLC reportedly on the verge of selling the world's foremost MMA organization, it's time to look back at the Zuffa era* history.

*includes UFC events dating back to Feb. 23, 2001 (UFC 30) and World Extreme Cagefighting events dating back to Jan. 20, 2007 (WEC 25)

Best of the Zuffa era

• The 10 most stunning knockouts
• The 10 most amazing submissions
• The most memorable moments
• The 10 most furious fights
• The 20 greatest fighters (20-11)
• The 20 greatest fighters (10-1)

Beyond the astonishing mixture of technique and violence inside the cage, the Zuffa era has been defined by its colorful personalities and the stories surrounding their battles.

In no particular order, here are some moments that will never be forgotten:

'The Natural' rides again

Randy Couture's fighting days were over.

"The Natural" retired following a UFC light heavyweight title loss to rival Chuck Liddell in February 2006. It was a fitting end for Couture, a former Olympic wrestling team alternate who became a titleholder in two divisions after starting his MMA career at the age of 33.

In March 2007, a 43-year-year-old Couture ended his brief hiatus by announcing he'd fight UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia.

Couture was a former champion himself, but Sylvia had a massive size advantage and was coming off of three straight title-fight victories. There were serious concerns about what might happen to Couture when he stepped in the cage with the towering striker.

Those concerns were alleviated just seconds into the fight when an overhand right by Couture knocked Sylvia down, blowing the roof off of the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. That set the tone for the rest of the match, which Couture ended up winning 50-45 on all three judges' cards to become the heavyweight champion once more.

Liddell finishes off Ortiz

In the early days of Zuffa occupation, there was no rivalry more important than Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz.

The PPV numbers alone are staggering. Their first meeting in April 2004 - a 2nd-round KO for Liddell - drew well over 300,000 buys, an unheard of number for the UFC at the time.

When they fought again in December 2006, the estimated buyrate was over 1,000,000. This was a new frontier for the UFC.

None of it would've happened if it wasn't for the genuine grudge between Liddell and Ortiz. For years, "The Iceman" had been hunting Ortiz, who was avoiding a confrontation because they had previously trained together.

Unfortunately for Ortiz, everyone wanted to see two of the world's best light heavyweights go at it. Liddell had the perfect mixture of striking and takedown defense to stifle Ortiz, which led to thrilling knockout wins for Liddell on both occasions.

Griffin and Bonnar save the UFC

On April 9, 2007, two no-name regional schmoes named Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar met in the finals of the inaugural season of "The Ultimate Fighter," a reality show designed to create more mainstream exposure for the UFC by showcasing undiscovered talent.

Ratings for the program were solid, but it didn't look like it would be enough to give the organization the boost it needed to become more than a niche product.

Then Griffin and Bonnar spent three rounds beating the living daylights out of each other. Griffin won, but White was so thrilled with the action that he rewarded both men with six-figure contracts.

The fight was an instant sensation that's widely credited with helping to make the UFC a household name.

Pettis breaks out the 'ninja kick'

With one move, Anthony Pettis made everyone believe that anything's possible in MMA.

Pettis and Benson Henderson sent the UFC's sister promotion, World Extreme Cagefighting, out in style on Dec. 16, 2010 in a battle for the lightweight title at WEC 53. The promotion was absorbed by the UFC shortly after.

It was a back-and-forth affair, one of the most exciting in the WEC's nine-year history, and the outcome was in doubt until the final round. With a minute left, Pettis made things easier for the judges when he sprang off of the cage wall to smack Henderson in the face with a flying kick.

Pettis won the decision and the belt. More importantly, he authored a highlight that's still regarded by many as the most spectacular strike ever landed in a professional fight.

Hughes beats the legendary Royce Gracie

Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is magic.

At least that was the accepted wisdom in the pre-Zuffa days, when Royce Gracie ran roughshod over anyone foolish enough to step in the Octagon with him. World champion boxers, hulking street fighters, and kung fu masters alike all fell to the might of Gracie's otherworldly submission skills.

On May 27, 2006, he made his return to the UFC after an 11-year hiatus to challenge welterweight champion Matt Hughes in a catchweight bout at UFC 60.

The matchup was an important bridge between the "outlaw" days of the UFC and its modern descendant. No longer could a fighter excel with a single discipline, which Hughes exhibited himself as he combined his top-shelf wrestling with jiu-jitsu to nearly submit Gracie.

Whether he let go because he didn't want to break Gracie's arm or because he was expending too much energy on a tap-out that was never coming (Hughes has told it both ways), Hughes eventually transitioned to Gracie's back to pound him out instead.

The win was a harsh reminder of how far the sport had come since UFC 1 in 1993.

'The Spider' clowns Griffin

Anderson Silva is one of the greatest martial artists to ever walk this earth, and he was never more majestic than when he absolutely humiliated Griffin.

"The Spider" had cleaned out the middleweight division, so to keep busy he took the occasional bout at 205 pounds. In his second foray into the light heavyweight division, he was matched up with former champion Griffin.

Griffin was expected to have the right combination of size and toughness to make life miserable for the flashy Silva. At the very least, his penchant for enjoyable brawls should've prevented him from getting blown out.

Instead, fans were treated to three and a half minutes of Silva at his most flamboyant, confident, and unbeatable state. He slipped every punch Griffin threw, while his own landed with maximum precision and power.

The finishing blow hardly looked like a blow at all, but it was enough to leave Griffin flat on his back with his hands up in front of him in a silent signal for mercy.