Absurd Wins: The Most Unpredictable Victories in UFC History
UFC is a sport in which it is possible to predict everything and, at the same time, expect the unexpected. Of course, not all fights go down as planned, which makes some of the outcomes truly memorable and often even ridiculous, which is why fans love MMA so much. Such victories are usually achieved by fighters who are considered to have no chance against their opponents or through unexpected and puzzling events. Here, it is important to focus on some of the most unexpected and mind-boggling upsets in the history of the UFC so that viewers can see the best of the sport in terms of the unbelievable. 1.Matt Serra vs. Georges St-Pierre: Fight of the Night (UFC 69) The fight of the year was between Matt Serra and the then-champion, Georges St-Pierre, at UFC 69 for the UFC welterweight title. GSP, who is regarded as one of the best fighters to have ever lived, was entering the fight as a heavy favorite. Serra, who claimed his right to face the champion after winning the ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ comeback series, was not expected to beat the champion. But then Serra stunned the world with a first-round knockout of GSP. Serra knocked the champion down with a looping right hand and followed up with more punches that made the referee stop the fight. This battle is still considered one of the most shocking and unexpected in the history of MMA and is a perfect example of how, in this fighting discipline, anything is possible. 2.Holly Holm vs. Ronda Rousey fight held in UFC 193. Ronda Rousey was a dominant force in women’s MMA and had submitted all of her previous opponents in her career, usually in the first round. Holly Holm, who used to be a professional boxer and kickboxer, was considered just another opponent for Rousey to destroy. Many people believed that the fight at UFC 193 would only last a few moments, with Rousey emerging as the bantamweight champion. However, what Holm did to Ronda was one of the most shocking upsets in UFC history. Holm, having a taller reach and better striking, managed to control Rousey throughout the fight, and in the second round, she landed the ultimate head kick, which knocked out Rousey. The result caused a massive upset in the MMA community and saw the end of Rousey’s dominance in spectacular fashion. 3. Chris Weidman vs. Anderson Silva (UFC 162) Anderson Silva, widely regarded as one of the greatest fighters of all time, was on a 10-fight title defense streak when he faced Chris Weidman in 2013. Silva’s striking prowess and elusive style made him a heavy favorite against the relatively unheralded Weidman. In a stunning turn of events, Weidman capitalized on Silva’s showboating, landing a left hook that knocked Silva out in the second round. This victory ended Silva’s legendary reign and marked the beginning of Weidman’s championship career. 4.Mirko Cro Cop vs. Gabriel Gonzaga (UFC 70) Mirko Cro Cop was famous for his head kicks, and the fight fans loved to hear the phrase, “Right leg, to the hospital; left leg, to the cemetery.” Due to his striking skills, Cro Cop started as a big favorite against Gabriel Gonzaga at UFC 70. Ironically, Gonzaga produced one of the most shocking and cruel moments in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The first round saw Gonzaga land a powerful head kick to Cro Cop’s head, making him unconscious and falling off the mat in a heap. As if it could not get any more ridiculous, an element of humor was added with Cro Cop being knocked out by his own move, making this fight one of the most absurd wins in UFC history. 5. Julianna Peña vs. Amanda Nunes (UFC 269) With a 12-fight winning streak and eight straight as the UFC bantamweight champion, Amanda Nunes was widely regarded as not only the best female fighter in MMA history but also one of its all-time greats regardless of gender when she squared off against Julianna Peña back in November. A strong challenger, Peña was a heavy underdog. Peña was able to weather an early storm from Nunes on the feet and ultimately dominated, unloading a rear-naked choke in Round 2, capturing his first bantamweight title. Fans were thoroughly surprised by this upset, which showcased just how much of a warrior Peña is, making it to the list as one of the most surprising outcomes in recent UFC history. 6. Nate Diaz vs. Conor McGregor (UFC 196) Back in early 2016, Conor McGregor was undefeated as the UFC featherweight champion and on his way to a shot at lightweight gold when he fought Nate Diaz at welterweight on short notice. Heavy favorite McGregor had a reputation built on knockout power and precision. Diaz, on short notice, overcomes an early barrage from McGregor, then taps him out with a rear-naked choke in the second round. This loss set back the momentum of McGregor as well as put Diaz on the map regarding some incredible toughness and skill in what would become another classic UFC moment. 7. Michael Bisping vs. Luke Rockhold (UFC 199) Michael Bisping stepped in on short notice to face middleweight champion Luke Rockhold in 2016. Rockhold had previously defeated Bisping and was heavily favored to retain his title. Bisping shocked the world by finishing Rockhold with punches in Round 1 to win gold at middleweight. Bisping was a long-time underdog but reached the pinnacle of his sport against Rockhold, who, in comparison, entered as an overwhelming favorite due to his skillset. 8.Matt Hughes defeated Frank Trigg through a rear naked choke at UFC 52. The fight between Matt Hughes and Frank Trigg at UFC 52 not only has people remembering the ridiculous ending but also the lead-up to it. Trigg, who had a score to settle with Hughes having lost to him earlier, landed a cheap shot on the champion’s privates, which the referee did not observe. Noticing that the fight had