UFC Fighters Gave Their Expert Analysis Of Some Classic Hockey Fights

UFC 304 is happening on Saturday in Manchester, England but that didn't stop the folks at Canada's Sportsnet from asking some of the fighters on the bill to give their expert takes on some classic hockey bouts.

Of course, they agreed because when someone says, "Do you want to watch some hockey fights?" the answer is always an automatic yes.

Fighters Paddy Pimblett, Molly McCann, Belal Muhammad, Leon Edwards, and Tom Aspinall gave their takes on some notorious bouts that we've seen in the National Hockey League, and the first was one that as a Flyers fan, I remember all too well: Anaheim's Kevin Bieksa putting then-Flyer (now-Duck, ironically) Radko Gudas on his keister with a brutal Superman punch.

"Who's that? What's his name?" Pimblett asked after watching Bieksa clobber Gudas. "Bieksa? Need to meet him; he's a belter."

Bieksa was a belter indeed. That "proper GSP flying Superman punch" as McCann put it, was Bieksa's signature move and he did it a few times, but none were more memorable than when he planted Gudas; a guy who is an extremely tough customer in his own right.

Kevin Bieksa buries Radko Gudas with one of his signature Superman punches. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

I always wondered why after that anyone who fought Bieksa didn't immediately try to get in close and grab him by the jersey, because if you took the time to square up to him, he would do that to you.

Anyway, classic.

The next bout was then-Atlanta Thrasher (how's that for a throwback?) Evander Kane completely dummying Penguins agitator Matt Cooke.

"Oh, he's really gone," Aspinall said. "Excuse the pun, but he's ice cold."

No, kidding. Kane was a youngster at the time, while Cooke was known to be one of the league's biggest pests. 

Fortunately, Cooke was alright after that fight and spent another few years in the NHL before retiring.

Lastly — but certainly not least-ly — we got the UFC fighters' takes on one of the most lop-sided fights in recent memory: Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin rag-dolling poor Hurricanes star Andrei Svechnikov.

He doesn't have to do it much, but when the need arises, Ovechkin can throw some absolute haymakers. As for Svechnikov, as talented as he is, throwing some knuckle sandwiches is not part of his game, and even less so earlier in his career.

"Crazy them, though," Pimblett said. "Punching each other with helmets on. It's gonna hurt your hand."

"They've got some better technique than some of us in the UFC I think," McCann added.

I think they were impressed by some of the fighting they saw. Whoever picked out those clips deserves a nice pat on the back because those were three absolute modern classics.