Best Sports Brawls Part II

What makes sports brawls so great?  It’s because they are so unexpected, and are very explosive when they go down.  They put fans at home and at the event right on the edge of their seat as they cheer and beg for more blood like the Romans watching Gladiators duke it out in The Coliseum.  My colleague, Mr. Daylan Green, created a list on Sunday which was fairly decent, however I feel that MY list is much more superior simply because he left out some CLASSIC knuckle exchanges.  (Sorry dog!!)  These brawls are ones I can say that I had the pleasure to either watch first-hand, or remember them being played on Sportscenter over, and over.  Only thing which would have made these fights even better would have been if a lion was added to maul everyone on the scene….Now that’s entertainment!

5.  Zab Juda’s Low Blow Floyd Mayweather Causes Ring Riot…(2006)

This brawl was all started because of one event:  A low blow.  A blatant low blow from the fist of Zab Juda.  Zab and Floyd already had bad blood before this 2006 matchup, but it became a powder keg within minutes.  After Floyd was hit WELL below the belt, his uncle Rodger Mayweather, had a true “ethnic moment”.  He climbs into the ring to confront Zab and at the same time Zab’s father also decided to climb in to aid his son.  That’s when the true fun starts.  Then everyone decides to become part of the chaos.  Watch for the random brotha from the Mayweather camp who just trips and falls while trying to rush one of Zab’s guys!

4.  Colorado Avalanche/Detroit Red Wings Classic Hockey Brawl…(1997)

Like most Americans who live south of Minnesota, I only watch hockey for the fights.  However, there is a very common misconception that hockey fights happen often and that most of the game centers around these events.  That is very far from the truth.  On the flip-side, when fights do occur, the go down hardcore.  This brawl is a great example.  During the 1996 season, Colorado and Detroit brewed up some bad blood after Red Wings’ player Kris Draper took a cheap shot from Colorado’s Claude Lemieux, which left him with a broken jaw and concussion.  So when the two teams met again during the 1997 season, Lemieux was on the radar and was quickly socked in the mouth.  Soon, one of hockey’s greatest brawls ensued.  My favorite part is when Colorado Avalanche goalie, Patrick Roy, comes out of the net to  the aid of one his teammates, and ends up sqabbing with the other goalie.  Good ole violence!

3.  Canada vs. U.S.S.R. in the World Junior Hockey Championship…(1987)

Hockey players know how to get after it….So hockey makes its second appearance on this list because this brawl was a real classic.  The funny thing is that this event is not even as large as some of the other sporting events on this list, but to the players involved…. this is their Superbowl.  Canada’s junior hockey players had a rep for being douche bags and playing really rough.  So during this match up, the Russian players had enough and were not going to be Canada’s bitch.  So a HUGE fight breaks out.  Every single player on both teams took their gloves off to knuckle up and duke it out.  The games’ officials didn’t know how to contain or stop the fighting, so they decided to turn the lights off in the arena, but that still didn’t stop either team!  Good ole fighting!!

2.  University of Miami/Florida International University Footbrawl…(2006)

Football fights never made much sense to me…The reason being that you are already wearing protective head-gear, and players continue to throw head shots…When a bunch of brothas from South Florida get together, they will mix it up a little bit.  After a Miami extra point was kicked, a couple of lineman got into a shoving match which turned into a boxing match really quickly.  Next thing you know, brothas are fighting all over the field.  What makes this my #2 is the pure violence which goes on during this brawl.  Dudes are not only rolling around on the turf fighting, they take their helmets off, and start using them as weapons!  Then a few brothas are caught stomping on opponents who are on the ground.  It got ugly really fast.  Then ignorance kicks in.  Former U player, Lamar Thomas has an “ethnic moment” and starts to yell about how you can’t come into the Orange Bowl and talk s*** to Miami players or you’ll “get your butt kicked”.  The problem with that is he was the announcer for the game!  Like an idiot, he was fired the next day…..

1.  Indiana Pacers/Detroit Pistons….”Malice in the Palace”  (2004)

“Where were you?” moments…Our parent’s generation had the moon landing, and the assignations of JFK and Dr. King….Our generation had 9/11 and this one,”The Malice in the Palace”.  This fight is an all-time classic because it contained everything you could think of:  solid face punches, thrown cups and chairs, fan “interactions”, knockout blows, a coaches plea, beer dumping, and a gang of fines and suspensions.  It all started after Metta Crazy N**** (Ron Artest) commits a hard foul on Big Ben Wallace.  Wallace charges him, pushes him, and next thing you know both benches clear and the Sports Fight of the Century starts.  This fight alone changed the game of basketball on so many different levels.  From the ways fouls are called, to security between fans and the athletes.  Just do yourself a favor and watch this entire clip….

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