MMA might just be the toughest sport in the world; stepping in the cage means agreeing to be knocked out or submitted at any moment. The damage sustained by MMA fighters is usually tremendous. Add blood loss (and its devastating effects on the body) into the equation and we could argue that MMA fighters are the toughest athletes on the planet.

Let’s have a look at five times where UFC fights turned into literal bloodbaths, and remind ourselves once again why albeit being beautiful, MMA is also amazingly brutal.

5) Chris Lytle vs Josh Koscheck

Former UFC fighter Josh Koscheck is known for his world-class ground and pound skills. Lytle has made a name for himself through his never quit attitude.

So, what happens when you pit those two remarkable fighters in the cage?

The answer came in 2008 as the fight started to unfold in Koscheck’s favor. His strikes opened up a horrific gash on Lytle, tough he did not want to quit. The sight of crazy amounts of blood spilling on the canvas got people watching to cringe. Koscheck went on to win the fight by decision, but Lytle earned a moral victory in that he kept going despite having tons of blood leaking away from his body.

4) Jim Miller vs Joe Lauzon

UFC Lightweight fighters Jim Miller and Joe Lauzon are tough dudes. Case in point: their amazing battle at UFC 155 in 2012.

Miller opened up a cut on Lauzon’s face at the beginning of the hard-fought bout. Lauzon returned the favor in the form of heavy strikes to his foe’s head. Both men bravely fought until the very end, leaving the mat totally painted in red, in what was one of 2012’s best fights.

3) Cain Velasquez vs Antonio Silva

Getting pitted against Cain Velasquez in the Octagon is tough; it’s even tougher when the man is angry.

Velasquez had just lost the UFC Heavyweight title against Junior dos Santos before stepping in the cage against Silva at UFC 146. He was angry, and on a mission to get back what once was his.

Velasquez was pressuring from the start, taking down Silva and delivering vicious ground and pound action. Silva started to bleed pretty badly, so badly that the doctor had to inspect the damage inflicted on the Brazilian decide and if he could continue. The doctor said Silva could continue, and Velasquez continued to pound the blood-soaked Brazilian en route to a TKO victory in the very first round.

2) BJ Penn vs Joe Stevenson

You guys, the fight at UFC 80 between UFC legend BJ Penn and Joe Stevenson was a very nasty one.

Penn unleashed a vicious attack that left Stevenson’s forehead cut badly. Copious amounts of blood was spilling on the canvas. Things got nastier in the second round when Penn locked in a rear-naked-choke causing Stevenson’s blood to pour from the wound from the pressure. Yep, that was as horrific as it sounds.

Penn then submitted Stevenson with the choke and proceeded to lick off the latter’s blood off his gloves afterwards. So there’s that, too.

1) Renato Sobral vs David Heath

The fight between Renato ‘Babalu’ Sobral and David Heath at UFC 74 is considered by many observers to be the nastiest bloodbath that ever took place in the Octagon, and it was filled with controversy.

Sobral found himself in legal trouble and got arrested before the fight, and Heath thought it was fun to mock the Brazilian’s arrest. Needless to say, Sobral was eager to punish Heath for his comments.

Sobral dominated the bout but it’s in the second round that things really took a turn for the worse for Heath. In fact, Sobral opened up a nasty cut on Heath’s forehead. The Brazilian kept pounding on Heath’s bloodied face until he managed to secure an anaconda choke. The sight of Heath being strangled in a blood-soaked choke was particularly graphic.

Thing is, Sobral purposely held on to the choke so long that the referee had to forcefully make him release the submission. The un-sportsman move was too much for the UFC brass who fired ‘Babalu’ Sobral shortly after.