When Fighters Entered the Octagon on Short Notice and Won Big

As it has been stated in the case of mixed martial arts (MMA), it is all about preparation. Athletes take months into training camps to sharpen their techniques, strategize on their approaches to the matches, and ensure that their bodies are well toned for the Octagon. But there are cases when fighters are called to step into the cage and perform on very short notice with very little time to prepare for their adversaries in a few weeks, days, or even hours. However, it remains that some fighters have not only risen to the occasion, but they have also taken a chance to claim some of the most significant wins of their careers.

As we have seen, one of the hardest things in MMA is to fight on short notice. The fighters have to go through constraints such as time in camp, opponent unknown, weight reduction, and most importantly, the mental stress that accompanies the best level of competition. However, there are some fighters who are not only able to fight in these circumstances but also win, and often they do it in spectacular fashion, which comes as a big surprise to the fans. Here in this article, we will be looking at some of the shortest-notice callouts in the history of the UFC and try to analyze how these fighters managed to deliver such big wins.

Nate Diaz vs. Conor McGregor, UFC 196

Probably one of the most memorable last-minute wins in the history of the UFC was seen in 2016 when Nate Diaz replaced Conor McGregor as the fighter in the main event of UFC 196. At first, McGregor was supposed to fight the lightweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos with the aim of becoming the two-division champion, but Dos Anjos was injured and pulled out of the fight 11 days before the event. When the fight was in danger of being canceled, the UFC searched for an opponent, and Nate Diaz, a man not afraid to fight anyone at any time and any place, was the answer.

At the time, McGregor was the UFC featherweight champion and was on high after stopping José Aldo in just 13 seconds to win the title. Most thought that McGregor was invincible, but Diaz did not hesitate to take the fight when it was offered to him on short notice; he only fought Michael Johnson a couple of months prior to his fight with McGregor. To make things even more complicated, the bout was scheduled for the welterweight division, which is a weight category higher than what McGregor had ever fought in the UFC.

In the clash, McGregor came out of the blocks and began to lay heavy punches on Diaz and also opened a gash above his eye. However, Diaz stood his ground due to his stamina and hardiness, together with the fact that he was a more experienced fighter than McGregor. In the second round, Diaz began to strike back, making McGregor feel the pain on his face, which made him seek a takedown. Diaz quickly changed the tide around and locked in a rear-naked choke and submitted McGregor in a stunning upset.

Diaz’s win over McGregor also catapulted his career to another level, and he received much attention and a huge purse in a further fight with McGregor. That he was able to step into the cage on short notice with only 11 days’ notice and beat one of the biggest stars in the sport made him a UFC legend.

Michael Bisping Gets the Better of Luke Rockhold, UFC 199

UFC middleweight title win over Luke Rockhold at UFC 199 in 2016 has to be regarded as one of the greatest short-notice championship victories by Michael Bisping. Bisping had been competing in the UFC for more than a decade, but he had never had a crack at the title despite his good results. Rockhold was initially expected to fight Chris Weidman in a rematch of their previous fight, but Weidman was injured, and Bisping replaced him despite having only 17 days to prepare.

Bisping had lost to Rockhold in a submission loss in 2014, and most didn’t expect him to win in this fight, especially given the short preparation period. Bisping was also coming off a decision victory over Anderson Silva, and he was not training for a title shot. However, Bisping felt that he still had the ability to make that happen and took the fight, knowing that it was his last shot at the UFC title.

During the fight, Bisping, as expected, was aggressive and did not seem to be intimidated by Rockhold, despite having lost to him in the past. The first round had just begun when Bisping stunned Rockhold with a left hook that sent him to the floor. Taking the opportunity, Bisping overwhelmed Rockhold with punches and knocked him out to win the UFC middleweight championship.

This fight meant a lot to Bisping, and it was the result of determination, patience, and confidence in himself. That he was able to win the UFC title from a five-round fight on a mere 17 days’ notice and getting a chance to avenge for a previous defeat added to the flavor of the victory, and Bisping’s victory is considered one of the best upsets in the history of the sport.

Jorge Masvidal’s victory over Ben Askren—UFC 239 (Short Notice Rematch)

Jorge Masvidal has been on the path to superstardom since 2019, and the five-second knockout of Ben Askren at UFC 239 was a perfect example. Although Masvidal won a fight against Darren Till at UFC Fight Night 147 earlier that year, which was not really a short-notice fight but can be considered as a part of his journey of taking up fights that seemed to be risky or tough on short notice. Following his sensational victory over Till, Masvidal was set to fight Askren, an unbeaten wrestler, in what promised to be a difficult fight for the ‘Gamebred’.

Masvidal’s training was rigorous, though the bout was announced shortly after the Till fight, and the Americans had little time to study Askren’s wrestling background. But what made Masvidal was his free-spiritedness, confidence, and ability to readjust. He came out and ran across the cage and landed a flying knee that knocked Askren out in five seconds, which made it the fastest knockout in the history of the UFC.

Masvidal’s willingness and capacity to take advantage of the opportunity that came his way at short notice put him in the spotlight and later on to a title shot against Kamaru Usman.

Khamzat Chimaev Gets the Better of Li Jingliang, UFC 267

The UFC fighter Khamzat Chimaev has been dubbed a ‘fighter of the hour’ because of his eagerness to fight anyone at any time, and the fight against Li Jingliang at UFC 267 in 2021 was an example of the potential that he has in him. Chimaev entered the UFC in 2020 and within the first fight made a name for himself as a finisher only to be out of action due to COVID-19 for almost a year. When he did come back, the UFC scheduled him to fight Li Jingliang, a dangerous and ranked welterweight contender, at short notice.

Even with the little preparation time and inactivity Chimaev had prior to this bout, he did not look at all rusty. He quickly dominated Jingliang and knocked him down as soon as the bell rang and then took his back on the ground. Chimaev continued to put pressure on Jingliang and take him down to submit him with a rear-naked choke in the first round.

Chimaev was able to make this comeback after nearly a year of inactivity and make a ranked fighter look like a fool on short notice, only furthering his myth. His performance proved that he was a contender to be reckoned with in the UFC’s welterweight category.

Anderson Silva vs. James Irvin—UFC Fight Night 14

Anderson Silva is considered one of the best fighters in the history of the MMA, and his desire to fight at different weight categories only strengthened his status. In 2008 Silva was the UFC middleweight champion, but he decided to take a short notice fight against a light heavyweight James Irvin at UFC Fight Night 14.

This fight occurred only a few weeks after Silva had triumphed in his middleweight title bout against Dan Henderson. In the light heavyweight division and with the short preparation time, there was no indication that Silva was not in his rightful weight class. However, the striking was as good as it has been before, and Silva knocked Irvin out in the first round.

The fight with Irvin was a perfect example of Silva’s ability, adaptability, and desire to diversify and try new things. It was one of those moments that went down in the history of the UFC, as Silva’s era was considered one of the best ever.

Donald Cerrone Gets the Better of Alex Hernandez—UFC Fight Night 143

Cowboy Cerrone is a man who has stated that he is willing and ready to step in to fight at any given time and place, and the fight against prospect Alexander Hernandez at UFC Fight Night 143 in 2019 is a perfect example of how Cerrone is willing to take any fight on short notice and still come out with a thrilling performance. Cerrone had fought only two months before the bout against Hernandez, a young and hungry fighter who wanted to make a name for himself by defeating the veteran.

Cerrone was the outsider heading into the fight, and many expected that Hernandez’s youthful exuberance would overwhelm the older man. But it was not the end of the show; Cerrone being very experienced and calm, the situation proved to be in his favor. Cerrone stepped up and gave a good performance despite the fact that the fight was announced only a few days ago, dominating Hernandez and knocking him out with a head kick and punches in the second round.

Cerrone’s triumph not only silenced his critics but also gave him yet another Performance of the Night bonus, thereby cementing his status as one of the most hard-nosed and resilient athletes in the UFC.

Conclusion

It is not easy to fight on short notice in the UFC. The fighters do not have much time to prepare for their opponents, make weight cuts, and go through the emotional and physical stress of competing at the top level. But the fighters highlighted in this article have shown that when you have heart, ability, and desire, it is not impossible to walk right into the Octagon and put up a good fight, let alone win, even when called at the last minute.

These are some short-notice wins, which are a true testimony to the fact that anything can happen in the MMA. From Nate Diaz coming from nowhere and submitting Conor McGregor to Michael Bisping snatching his one shot at UFC gold, these fighters have made their mark in the history of the sport by their great short-notice performances.