Denzel Washington & the Top ‘Equalizer’ Moments in Combat Sports, Part II

In part I of this series, we flipped back the pages to arguably the greatest comeback in boxing history: when Muhammad Ali fought the undefeated George Foreman at The Rumble in the Jungle, in 1974. If you haven’t read the piece, check it out.

In honor of Denzel Washington’s new movie, The Equalizer, which opens nationwide this week, we revisit the greatest comeback in MMA history: when at UFC 117, champion Anderson Silva fought Chael Sonnen… and come the fifth and final round, fans and commentators were certain that Silva was minutes away from losing his Middleweight belt.

In The Equalizer, Denzel also finds himself flat on his back, facing certain defeat. But Robert McCall, is not your typical action hero—he’s a literate counter-clerk at a big-box hardware store, and it’s only his friendship with Teri (played by Chloë Grace Moretz, from Kick-Ass) that forces him to shirk off the facade and embrace his mysterious past. But while fighting the Russian gangstersthat pimp out Teri, he meets his greatest adversary, and as the tension builds, McCall, like Silva, is forced to reach into his bag of tricks in order to stave off impending ruin.

As stated in Part I of this series, these ‘all is lost’ moments transcend film, sports, and even ancient myths—they are woven into our DNA, and make possible the thrilling comebacks that we tell and re-tell around campfires, water-coolers, and at the gym.

It was 2010, at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California. Sold out show. Fans screaming for the champion, who was on a twelve fight win streak and lording over the Middleweight division for nearly four years, to silence the loud-mouthed upstart, Chael Sonnen. Sonnen could care less. He embraced the role of heel, calling Silva a ‘coward’ and a ‘fraud,’ telling the press of his ‘moral obligation to beat [Silva].’

As you see above, Sonnen is a master self-promoter, stirring the pot until it froths over. By the time he stepped into the Octagon at the Oracle Arena, they screamed for blood.

Bruce Buffer announced the fighters. The referee, Josh Rosenthal, signaled start of the bout, and within the first sixty seconds Chael threw a left that connected and buckled Silva’s knees. Which set the tone for the next five rounds: Chael throwing bombs, taking Silva down, raining fists from the champ’s guard. The most unexpected upset in MMA history unfolding before our eyes. The Vegas oddsmakers, who had Silva as a nearly 5 to 1 favorite, must’ve been yelling at their screens.

Come the fifth and final round, Sonnen once had Silva on his back, dodging blows. Weary. Hurt. The clocking ticking down the final minutes of his storied title run. Nine straight wins since he decimated Rich Franklin and captured the belt. Six years since his last loss (no one counts the questionable disqualification for an illegal up-kick versus Yushin Okami).

This was it. Might as well leave the arena early and avoid the traffic. At this point Mike Goldberg, calling the fight from ringside, lamented: 'Anderson Silva, elevenfight win streak, could very well be coming to an end. A record setting win streak—’

But just as he utters the 'streak,' Silva stuffed Chael’s right arm to his waist, kicked his left leg over and set a triangle choke.

To with Joe Rogan shouted as if jumping from his seat: 'Triangle! Watch out, triangle! This is trouble! THIS IS TROUBLE!’

The entire arena rose to their feet. Anderson locked his legs, and pulled Chael’s head to constrict the blood flow. Chael fell back, tried to wriggle free, but it was no use. Silva equalized an entire twenty-three minutes of absolute domination in seconds. Chael tapped. Rosenthal jumped in. The champ pulled of the most mind-blowing comeback in MMA history.

The entire scene was not unlike McCall’s come-from-behind moment in The Equalizer. Facing indomitable brawn, sometimes a hero only has his wits. Luckily, sometimes, that’s enough.