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This year produced some of the best in-cage action we have seen in some time. The last time I can remember fights really gripping fan interest in this way was 2009 when UFC had UFC 100 packing Brock Lesnar, Georges St-Pierre and Michael Bisping vs. Dan Henderson all delivering in big ways. This year, we saw fighters on the brink of defeat rally for victories and some of the best precision attackers in the world deliver signature knockout blows.

Here is how we ranked the best fights of 2016 with one massive card still to come.

10. Max Holloway def. Ricardo Lamas via unanimous decision -- UFC 199 (June): Holloway introduced himself to UFC fans around the world in 2016. The young Hawaiian fighter picked up two massive wins this year, including this great decision over Lamas. Holloway came in a favorite, but the two left everything they had in the octagon. In the third and final round, Holloway and Lamas looked at each, gestured their hands to "come on!" and threw everything they had left in the tank for the final 15 seconds of the fight.

9. Dominick Cruz def. T.J. Dilliashaw (c) via unanimous decision -- UFC Fight Night Boston (January): A fight two years in the making finally commenced when long-time rivals Dillashaw and Cruz clashed in the octagon. Cruz held the WEC bantamweight crown while both fighters competed under the promotion. Then when UFC brought the 135-pound division in, Cruz carried the belt for two fights before having to concede because of multiple injuries.

While out, Dillashaw reigned as the bantamweight champ, holding the belt for two defenses. Two of the best 135-pound fighters in the world put on a display to remember when they clashed in Boston. Cruz may have walked away the new bantamweight champ, but many still consider these two to be the best of a loaded weightclass.

8. Michael Bisping (c) def. Dan Henderson via unanimous decision -- UFC 204 (October): The hate between these two cannot be understated. "The Count" coming off a shocking stoppage of Luke Rockhold at UFC 199 to claim the middleweight title got a visit from an old foe for his first title defense. Henderson got the better of Bisping in their first meeting. And by better, I mean he delivered one of the most devastating knockout in UFC history at UFC 100. Henderson's looping hook damn near stopped Bisping's brain that night and you can be sure Bisping had not forgotten.

The two veterans put on a show for the English fans in October. Henderson came close to landing the knockout blow a couple of times on Bisping yet again, but "The Count" would not be denied -- just as he managed to do all year. Bisping outpointed Henderson for the unanimous decision victory, leading Henderson to provide one of the best post fight lines of the year. "I wish they judged these things based on how you looked after the fight," Henderson said with an arm around Bisping.

7. Joanna Jedrzejczyk (c) def. Claudia Gadelha via unanimous decision -- "The Ultimate Fighter 23" finale (July): You may have missed this one in the lead up to UFC 200, but it was the best fight of International Fight Week. The Polish strawweight champion came into her rematch with the Brazilian foe with bad blood aplenty. Jedrzejczyk had yet to be really challenged in the octagon in her pro career with her only split decision victory coming in the first fight with Gadelha.

In the opening rounds, Jedrzejczyk seemed out of sorts, allowing takedowns and taking some decent punishment from Gadelha from the guard. But by the third round, the Polish star showed why she was an undefeated champion, using incredible precision strikes to pass through Gadelha's strike defense and outpoint the Brazilian for a decisive victory.

6. Nate Diaz def. Conor McGregor via submission in two rounds -- UFC 196 (March): Man, it was incredibly tough to keep this one out of the top five. If this was based on build up, this fight would be first by a mile. In just 12 days, McGregor and Diaz sold the hell out of a fight -- and then delivered in the octagon. Most of the time, those kind of antics don't translate well, but man did these two ever deliver.

McGregor -- seeming invincible and riding an incredible 15-fight win streak -- thought he would be able to walk down Diaz even at two weightclasses above where he normally fights, going from 145 to 170. McGregor was preparing to fight Rafael dos Anjos for the 155-pound title, so it's not that far-fetched, but still a reach for a guy who had yet to fight at 155 pounds even.

McGregor came into the first round swinging for the fences and though he was landing many shots, they were delivering the damage McGregor was used to. Instead, Diaz ate the punches with a smile.

As they hit the bell for the first round, McGregor almost appeared gassed out after seeing his strikes weren't doing much. Then, Diaz unleashed a flurry to start the second round, dropped McGregor for one of the first times in his career and secured his back for the rear-naked choke victory.

It was a surprise to many fight fans around the world, leading Diaz -- as only he could -- to bring us the words he put on a T-shirt shortly after: "I'm not surprised, motherf-----."

5. Tyron Woodley (c) vs. Stephen Thompson ends in majority draw -- UFC 205 (November): UFC 205 brought us some of the biggest names to the main card in New York City. No fight delivered action in the octagon to live up to the hype quite like Woodley and Thompson. The prevailing thought coming into the fight was that Woodley would either land the knockout blow early in the fight or Thompson would grind out a decision victory.

Yet nobody saw this coming.

After Woodley controlled the first round with his speed and strength, Thompson handled the second and third rounds by utilizing his unorthodox style to frustrate and close down angles for Woodley to land heavy punches. Then in the fourth, Woodley finally dropped "Wonderboy" and went in for the guillotine choke. Woodley locked in the choke and appeared close to securing his first submission victory since 2009. However, the "Wonderboy" showed why he bears the nickname, battling for over a minute to break out of the choke and continue fighting.

The two continued to exchange in the fifth and final round, but Woodley was clearly out of gas.

When the decision came down, there was confusion as Bruce Buffer read it as a split decision victory and the belt was handed to Woodley. However, after a brief discussion, it was determined to be a majority draw with Woodley still retaining the belt.

4. Robbie Lawler (c) def. Carlos Condit ends via split decision -- UFC 195 (January): Talk about a slugfest. These two welterweight threw everything they could think of and then some at one another in his welterweight title fight in January. Lawler -- fresh off an amazing stoppage of Rory MacDonald in July 2015 that earned Fight of the Year awards -- brought that same style to his battle with Carlos Condit.

These two veterans went back and forth for five brutal rounds, leaving each other bloody messes. Lawler, fighting in his fourth consecutive fight to reach the fifth round, managed to outpoint Condit on two of the three judges scorecards and retain his belt for at least a little longer.

3. Miesha Tate def. Holly Holm (c) via submission -- UFC 196 (March): The co-main event of UFC 196 actually proved to be the better fight, pinning two of the top women's 135-pound fighters in the world against one another. Tate had yet to claim UFC gold in her long professional career, getting stopped by Ronda Rousey twice in her previous attempts. Holm -- fresh off a brutal stoppage of Rousey -- was expected to give Rousey a rematch for the belt, but when Rousey wanted to take a break before getting back into the octagon, Holm jumped at the opportunity to take a fight.

This fight was the ultimate clash of styles. Tate wanted to take it to the ground and look for a submission or ground and pound, while Holm wanted to keep things standing up and land those brutal kicks that won her gold. While Holm was able to land a few of them early in the first two rounds, Tate managed to keep the distance well enough and pounce when a takedown attempt was available to score points. Then, in the fifth round, Tate finally broke through and got Holm's back. Holm was actually able to stand up with Tate on her back and around her neck, but quickly crumbled.

She didn't tap, rather passing out from the submission hold and finally giving "Cupcake" the gold that eluded her for so long.

Tate finally captured the gold that eluded her for so long in 2016. USATSI

2. Conor McGregor def. Nate Diaz via majority decision -- UFC 202 (November): Rarely do rematches live up to the first fight, but this did and then some. McGregor said in the immediate aftermath of his first loss in UFC that he wanted to get a rematch against Diaz, at the same weight no less.

Many thought the loss in the first fight was a size and power problem for McGregor, that his build was made for the 145- and 155-pound divisions. But no matter, McGregor was hell bent on avenging the defeat under the same circumstances.

Plus, there was a much better strategy for McGregor in this fight. Instead of going in and just throwing haymakers, the Irishman was calculated, picking apart Diaz's stand-up attack by taking out his knee with precision kicks.

Over the course of the first three rounds, McGregor landed, landed and landed some more on Diaz's left knee, forcing the younger Diaz brother to fall to the mat multiple times. And instead of going in for the kill, McGregor patiently waited for Diaz to get up and keep delivering strikes.

The only problem was after three rounds, it appeared McGregor was gassed. Diaz was landing more and pinning McGregor up against the cage - teeing off on McGregor with body and head shots. At one point, McGregor was running around the octagon, looking to catch his breath and Diaz was pointing and laughing at him.

By the time Diaz was finally able to get McGregor on the ground in the final round, time ran out. The two embraced after the fight, knowing they had just put on one hell of a show.

These two left it all in the ring in the rematch. USATSI

1. Cub Swanson def. Dooho Choi via unanimous decision -- UFC 206 (December): It really doesn't get much better than this. Choi came into this fight as a young, hot prospect in the 145-pound division, expected to get past a veteran in Swanson and continue his climb up the featherweight division toward the title.

Only problem was nobody told Swanson. The 33-year-old came in riding a two-fight winning streak, but wasn't exactly impressive in those victories. But he brought everything he had and then some to his bout with Choi at UFC 206.

Both fighters came out of the gate swinging, with Choi getting the upper hand early on. Choi dropped Swanson in the first with a flurry, but Swanson kept battling and somehow survived the onslaught. Then, Swanson brought out the best offense he had displayed in years. He chased down Choi around the octagon, landing major shot after major shot that somehow didn't drop Choi at any point.

Swanson used every tactic he could think of, including a superman punch, but still couldn't drop Choi. The veteran finally got Choi to the ground at the end of the third round, but by that time, the decision was already made.

If this fight proves anything, it's that you shouldn't sleep on any fight on a card. Because the second you do, that will be the fight you keep begging for more of.

These two could barely move after their 15-minute battle. USATSI