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The UFC is home to some of the best mixed martial artists in the world. With such a high level of competition, fans are often witnessing some of the most elite fighters on the planet. From spectacular knockouts and submissions to five-round wars, fighters leave it all out inside the octagon.
Winning a fight takes months of preparation, working on the right strategy and executing that plan inside the UFC octagon. However, sometimes the tide can take a dramatic turn at a moment's notice. It's unlikely that a stroke of luck or an unforeseen accident can determine the outcome of a bout, but it has happened to the best.
Even titles have changed hands as a result of fluky finishes, as was the case when Randy Couture faced Vitor Belfort at UFC 46. Belfort's punch grazed the eye of Couture and caused a cut. The fight was stopped and the Brazilian was declared the winner. However, seven months later 'Captain America' took his title back after a one-sided beating.
Here is a list of five such fluke wins in recent UFC history.
#5. UFC Fight Night 74: Charles Oliveira vs. Max Holloway
Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira have been part of the UFC for a long time. Holloway made his UFC debut in 2012, while Oliveira has been part of the promotion since 2010.
By 2015, Max 'Blessed' Holloway had already established himself as a standout. Since losing to Conor McGregor in 2013, he had won six straight. Oliveira, on the other hand, was on a four-fight winning streak. Stylistically, their matchup was an interesting one. 'Do Bronx' is a talented grappler, while 'Blessed' is primarily a striker.
The featherweight headliner began with both fighters feeling things out. Around 90-seconds into round one, the Brazilian shot for a takedown. Holloway reversed it and 'Do Bronx' ended up on his back. The Hawaiian stood back up to avoid a grappling contest with the submission expert, but something was wrong with Oliveira.
The Brazilian stood up, holding his neck and turned away as 'Blessed' moved in for a finish. Fortunately, Herb Dean stepped in and called a stop to the fight. Oliveira was rushed to the hospital and it was later revealed that he had torn part of his esophagus.
Holloway was awarded a TKO win, but it was a fluke. 'Do Bronx' is the current UFC lightweight champion, while Holloway held the featherweight belt from 2017 to 2019. He is currently the #1 contender at featherweight and hasn't ruled out the possibility of a rematch with Oliveira.
#4. The Ultimate Fighter 24 Finale: Jorge Masvidal vs. Jake Ellenberger
Jorge Masvidal became a UFC superstar after knocking out Ben Askren in the opening 5 seconds of their bout in 2019. However, a few years prior, things were not looking so good for Masvidal. 2015 was not a good year for 'Gamebred'. Before taking on Jake Ellenberger in 2016, the UFC welterweight had lost three of his last five fights.
Ellenberger was in a similar situation, also having won only two of his last five fights. Both men needed a win and at the TUF 24 Finale, they wasted no time inside the octagon. 'Gamebred' started putting it on 'The Juggernaut' from the opening bell. He dictated the pace and landed significantly more shots.
Near the end of round one, Ellenberger became desperate and hastily shot for a takedown. Masvidal was able to defend it and move away after being pushed against the cage. However, 'The Juggernaut' got his left foot caught in between the canvas and the fence. 'Gamebred' took this opportunity to land vicious shots as Ellenberger was unable to free himself. Herb Dean jumped in and stopped the fight.
After a quick review of the situation, the commission decided that the incident did not qualify as a cage malfunction. Ellenberger protested, but Masvidal was awarded the TKO win. From here onwards, both fighters' careers panned out differently. While the 'BMF' has already fought for the title twice, 'The Juggernaut' retired from the UFC after three more TKO losses in 2018.
#3. UFC 261: Uriah Hall vs. Chris Weidman
The rivalry between Uriah Hall and Chris Weidman goes back even before they joined the UFC. In 2010, Hall was the reigning Ring of Combat middleweight champion when Weidman challenged him for the title. On 24 September 2010, at ROC 31, Weidman knocked out Hall in the first round and became the new champion.
After their bout, Weidman joined the UFC in 2011 and quickly rose to prominence. He became the UFC middleweight champion in 2013 by beating Anderson Silva. Hall also found his way to the UFC but never came close to a title shot. 'The All-American' also did not fair well after losing his title to Luke Rockhold in 2015.
Finally, a decade after their first fight, the two crossed paths again at UFC 261. The Jamaican-American was on a three-fight win streak, while Weidman had won only one of his last three fights. The much-anticipated bout began with both rivals sizing each other up. However, after only 17-seconds, the fight was over. The former champion threw a right leg kick but his shin bone immediately snapped upon impact.
While 'Prime Time' had checked the kick, no one could have anticipated such a result. Weidman was carried away on a stretcher and Hall was declared the victor, but there was no joy in such a win. Weidman, now 37, has had to go through two surgeries and may never return to MMA.
#2. UFC 259: Petr Yan vs. Aljamain Sterling
Aljamain Sterling vs. UFC bantamweight champ Petr Yan was the first of three title fights that took place at UFC 259. Yan blitzed his way through the bantamweight ranks and defeated Jose Aldo in 2020 to become the champion. Meanwhile, Sterling was riding high on a five-fight win streak.
The two warriors went to war inside the octagon on March 6, 2021. Aljo started strong and tried to overwhelm the champ with volume and pace. However, as the rounds went by, the Russian began imposing himself. He landed the harder shots and neutralized Sterling's ground game. Despite his best efforts, 'Funkmaster' got hurt and knocked down in the fourth.
After dropping, the champ hesitated for a moment before landing a knee to the head. The referee immediately stopped the fight as it was illegal to hit a grounded opponent with knees. 'Funkmaster' was hurt and was unable to continue even after being allowed time to recover. This resulted in the fight being ruled as a disqualification loss for Petr Yan.
For the first time in UFC history, a champion lost his title due to disqualification. Sterling didn't want to accept the title in such a manner as he himself knew it was a fluke win. 'No Mercy' was also ahead in every stat, from the ratio of strikes thrown and landed to the number of takedowns and control time. A rematch between the two might happen early next year.
#1. The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale: Jon Jones vs. Matt Hamill
Jon 'Bones' Jones is often considered the greatest UFC light heavyweight champion. While no one has technically beaten Jones inside the octagon, his record still has one loss. The loss came early in his career after just three fights in the UFC.
On December 5, 2009, 'Bones' faced Matt Hamill at the TUF 10 Finale. The co-main event promised to be interesting, as both 'Bones' and 'The Hammer' were rising prospects.
The fight began and it was immediately apparent that Jones was the better wrestler. He landed a trip takedown early in round one and proceeded to beat up 'The Hammer' from top position. The future UFC champ hit Hamill with a variety of strikes to the body and head. However, when he landed the 12 - 6 elbows, referee Steve Mazzagatti immediately stooped the fight and took a point from Jones.
However, when it came time to restart, Hamill was unable to continue. 'Bones' began to celebrate what he believed was a TKO win but the rules said otherwise. Jones was handed a loss via disqualification because the fight was stopped after he landed those illegal elbows.
Hamill, who had been dominated the entire round and landed only 19 total strikes, was declared the winner. 'The Hammer' would go on to lose six of his next ten fights.
