Highlights
- Losses in MMA can be devastating and change a fighter's life in seconds, as seen with Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman.
- Emotional moments, like Daniel Cormier's tears after his fight with Jon Jones, show the heartbreak of MMA competition.
- Tragic fights, such as Mike Grundy's loss to Makwan Amirkhani, highlight the heartbreaking nature of the sport.
The sport of MMA is one of the most exciting forms of entertainment for fight fans. The highs are incredibly high, and even when you're down, you're not out. Take Leon Edwards' last-second knockout win over Kamaru Usman in 2022 as an example. 'Rocky' was down on the scorecards, and completely changed his life with a single head kick.
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These UFC legends have the skills to compete in the modern era.However, imagine how 'The Nigerian Nightmare' had to feel at the end of that equation. Usman had his historic title reign ended in a blink, and there was nothing he could do. However, misery loves company. These ten fighters know the pain of a heartbreaking loss all too well.
10 UFC 214: Daniel Cormier vs. Jon Jones 2
'DC' Crying After His Loss Was Tough To See
|
Daniel Cormier |
Jon Jones |
|---|---|
|
5'11" |
6'4" |
|
205 Pounds |
205 Pounds |
|
19-1 Record |
22-1 Record |
The rivalry between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier was an intense and heated one. However, as most fans likely know, 'DC' never earned a win over his biggest rival. That's exactly what he stated after being knocked out by Jones at UFC 214 in 2017.
Cormier famously sobbed in his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan that night, stating that since he lost both bouts, there wasn't a rivalry. To make this moment even worse, 'Bones' later had his win overturned due to testing positive for performance enhancing drugs. To have Cormier potentially take lifelong damage in a fight that didn't matter in the end just makes this moment sadder.
9 UFC 249: Tony Ferguson Loses To Justin Gaethje
'The Highlight' Took The Rest Of Ferguson's Prime
|
Justin Gaethje |
Tony Ferguson |
|---|---|
|
5'11" |
6'0" |
|
155 Pounds |
155 Pounds |
|
21-2 Record |
25-3 Record |
It's very rare to see an MMA fight and pinpoint the exact moment that a fighter's career ended. That's essentially what happened in the 2020 clash between Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje. 'El Cucuy' was on a historic run, and was hoping to earn another interim title with a win.
Instead, he was battered for almost five rounds. The fight was an incredibly hard one to watch and ended Ferguson's prime. He has since been on a losing skid that matches his incredible winning streak.
8 UFC Vegas 12: Uriah Hall KOs Anderson Silva
'The Spider' Ended His Career In An Empty Arena
|
Uriah Hall |
Anderson Silva |
|---|---|
|
6'0" |
6'2" |
|
185 Pounds |
185 Pounds |
|
15-9 Record |
34-10 Record |
Look, it was nice that the UFC continued to give fans entertainment during the COVID-19 pandemic. That being said, that era of empty UFC Apex shows had a lot of sad moments. The biggest one was the final fight of Anderson Silva's historic MMA career.
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MMA is a sport that most retire too late, here are the most devastating ends to storied careers.'The Spider' was years past his best, and everyone knew what was coming when he fought Uriah Hall in 2020. 'Primetime' knocked out the legend in round four, and Silva laid down the gloves in an empty arena to the applause of nobody.
7 UFC 266: Robbie Lawler Defeats An Unmotivated Nick Diaz
The Older Diaz Brother Didn't Want To Be In The Octagon
|
Robbie Lawler |
Nick Diaz |
|---|---|
|
5'11" |
6'1" |
|
185 Pounds |
185 Pounds |
|
28-15 Record |
26-9 (2NC) Record |
At UFC 266, Nick Diaz ended an over six-year-layoff to return and face former rival Robbie Lawler. While the older Diaz was sharing training videos that showed him in great shape, he showed up on fight week in much worse shape. He also admitted that he didn't really want to fight.
While Diaz put forth a good first round, he wound up being overwhelmed and TKO'd in round three. He hasn't fought since that night, and it's not a mystery why.
6 UFC 273: Alexander Volkanovski Destroys The Korean Zombie
This Fight Was Very Hard To Watch
|
Alexander Volkanovski |
The Korean Zombie |
|---|---|
|
5'6" |
5'9" |
|
145 Pounds |
145 Pounds |
|
23-1 Record |
17-6 Record |
The main event of UFC 273 was a great one on paper. The Korean Zombie is a legend, but getting up there in age. Meanwhile, Alexander Volkanovski was seen as in his prime, and coming off an incredible win over Brian Ortega in September.
However, this fight wasn't close for a second. Volkanovski battered The Korean Zombie for nearly four rounds, even asking the longtime contender if he wanted to continue fighting at the start of the fourth round. When your opponent is granting you mercy, you know it's a rough night.