Top 10 Craziest Upsets in UFC Title Fight History

The unpredictable nature of MMA means that anything is possible when two fighters enter the Octagon. Despite the fact that champions and title contenders are usually highly rated because of their ability, experience, and impressive record, one can recall that many times underdogs emerged as winners and knocked out seemingly invincible opponents in UFC title bouts. These moments are some of the most memorable and exciting in the history of UFC, which once again demonstrates that no fighter can be considered a loser in this sport.

Below are the top 10 shocking upsets in UFC title fight history where the underdog emerged victorious.

1. Matt Serra vs. Georges St-Pierre (UFC 69)

Out of all the underdogs in the history of UFC, Matt Serra’s win over Georges St-Pierre in 2007 is the biggest. GSP, the welterweight champion at that time, was nearly invincible, and had just beaten another MMA star, Matt Hughes, to clinch the championship. Serra on the other hand had won the title shot by winning the Ultimate Fighter 4 and this was a season of comeback fighters.

Although Serra was a huge underdog in the fight against GSP, the latter was deemed to be younger, faster and far more technically superior than Serra. But in the first round, Serra dropped the champion with a single strike, a devastating punch that left the latter on the canvas as Serra followed him to the ground to strike him down and get the TKO victory. This fight was a big surprise in the MMA world and GSP was defeated by one of the most unexpected champions in the history of the UFC.

2. Holly Holm vs. Ronda Rousey (UFC 193)

Ronda Rousey was considered the invincible women’s MMA champion as she entered the UFC 193 in 2015. Unbeaten and, apparently, untouchable, Rousey had finished all of her opponents, and most of the fights did not last longer than one minute. Her opponent Holly Holm, a former boxing champion, was a huge underdog and most of the fans and experts expected Rousey to dominate her.

But Holm provided one of the greatest upsets in the history of MMA as seen by the viewers. Holm was able to use her kicks and movement to keep herself out of Rousey’s clinch and was able to land clean shots on Rousey for the duration of the fight. In the second round, Holm gave Rousey a perfect head kick knock out, and that moment is the moment that changed the course of women’s MMA for the better.

3. Chris Weidman vs. Anderson Silva (UFC 162)

Anderson Silva the middleweight champion was on a winning streak of 16 fights and had successfully defended his belt ten times before his defeat by Chris Weidman at UFC 162 in 2013. Silva’s striking was always impressive, and he was a big favorite against Weidman who was just a wrestler at the time.

But Weidman had a shocking victory when he knocked down Silva in the second round. Silva who is known for his cocky attitude in the ring paid a price for his overconfidence when he began to show off. Weidman landed a perfect left hook that sent the champion down to the mat and out of his feet. This great upset marked the end of Silva’s reign and the beginning of Weidman’s reign as the new middleweight champion.

4. Julianna Peña defeats Amanda Nunes (UFC 269)

Amanda Nunes was the pound for pound the best female MMA fighter before she faced Julianna Peña in the title defense bout at UFC 269 in 2021. Nunes had been defeating every fighter in her division and held both the bantamweight and featherweight championships, and had already submitted Ronda Rousey, Cris Cyborg and Valentina Shevchenko.

Peña, who has been a warrior throughout her career but never a star, was not expected to beat Nunes, the undefeated champion. But in one of the most stunning upsets in recent memory, Peña managed to wear down Nunes, absorb her big blows and take the fight to Nunes in the second round. Peña took down Nunes and then got her into a rear-naked choke which forced the champion to tap out. It was a shocking win in the MMA world and Peña became the new bantamweight champion in one of the most shocking title victories ever.

5. T.J. Dillashaw vs Renan Barão (UFC 173).

His opponent was Renan Barão who at that time held 32 fight winning streak and was the UFC bantamweight champion when they fought at UFC 173 in 2014. Dillashaw stepped in to face the champion Barão’s original opponent and nobody expected that he could pose any threat to the Brazilian superstar.

But Dillashaw, however, gave the performance of his life. In the first round of the fight, Dillashaw using footwork, speed and different combinations of punches dominated the Brazilian Barao. He knocked down Barão in the first round and simply controlled him for the rest of the fight before finishing off the champion in the fifth round of the fight. It was the birth of Dillashaw as a top bantamweight and it snapped Barão’s winning streak.

6. Michael Bisping vs. Luke Rockhold (UFC 199)

Michael Bisping’s victory over Luke Rockhold at UFC 199 in 2016 was one of the biggest upsets of the year and a dream come true for a fighter who spent a lot of time in the UFC without getting a title shot. Bisping stepped up for this fight at short notice to replace Weidman who was the champion before this fight and was also injured. Not many people gave Bisping a chance to win against Rockhold, and the latter had already defeated the former two years earlier.

But Bisping knocked out Rockhold in the first round, and the MMA world was in shock as he became the new middleweight champion. This victory was down to the hard work and dedication that Bisping has put into the UFC and will always be one of the biggest upsets in the history of the sport.

7. Forrest Griffin vs Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (UFC 86)

One of the best examples of an underdog story is the light heavyweight title fight between Forrest Griffin and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 86 in 2008. Griffin was a fan favorite after his victory in the TUF and most people believed that Rampage, who was famous for his knockout punches and his experience, was going to take Griffin out.

But Griffin answered Jackson and outstruck Rampage in the five rounds, using what could be described as high-volume pressure and constant leg kicks to put the pressure on Jackson. The judges sided with Griffin and awarded him the title of the new light heavyweight champion, which made one of the most improbable stories in the UFC.

8. Frankie Edgar vs. B. J. Penn (UFC 112)

J. Penn, who was one of the greatest lightweights in the history of the mixed martial arts, was expected to defeat Frankie Edgar during the match at UFC 112 in 2010. Penn had been ruling the lightweight division for the past few years and was a great boxer and a jiu-jitsu artist.

Edgar the ‘minder’ out boxed Penn in speed, footwork and cardio to win over Penn in five rounds and clinched the UFC lightweight title. Many of the fans and analysts expected a upset and this was the case when Edgar won the lightweight division was reborn.

9. Randy Couture vs. Tim Sylvia (UFC 68)

For instance, Randy Couture, a 43 year old fighter and a former champion, returned to the octagon from his retirement to fight for the UFC heavyweight title against Tim Sylvia at UFC 68 in 2007. Couture was a former two-time heavyweight and light heavyweight champion but he was a huge underdog against Sylvia who was a much bigger man and was on a winning streak.

In the first strike of the fight, Couture knocked Sylvia down with a right and then continued to punish him for the next five rounds to win the fight by unanimous decision and his third heavyweight title. Couture win is one of the most shocking in the history of the promotion and the best David vs Goliath fight in the history of the UFC as the veteran fighter became the oldest champion in the history of the organization.

10. Rose Namajunas vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk (UFC 217)

Joanna Jedrzejczyk was the strawweight champion in 2017 when UFC 217 happened, she had five title defenses and was undefeated. Many considered her to be the most powerful woman in the UFC at the time, and Rose Namajunas was a big underdog.

Namajunas, however, stunned the world champion by knocking her out with a perfect left hook in the first round and then follow up with ground and pound. It was the most significant victory of Namajunas’ career as she claimed the title of the new strawweight champion and knocked off Jędrzejczyk who had been terrorizing the strawweight division.

Conclusion

These upsets are a good proof of the fact that in MMA anything can happen, and that is why fans of this type of fighting are always ready for unexpected turns of events. It is thus so great to watch MMA because it has always been an opportunity for the underdog to pull an upset and create history. From Matt Serra’s knockout of GSP to Julianna Peña’s submission of Amanda Nunes, these moments are a testament to the fact that new champions are born and old myths are debunked in the Octagon.