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In the UFC, many fighters compete in the name of glory. Others, and perhaps most, strive to make as much money as they possibly can. While different fighters have different goals, there's one thing that's universally agreed upon: all UFC fighters hate losing. No top-level athlete can stomach a loss.
Unfortunately, for them, some losses are worse than others. Throughout its rich history, fighters have won and lost. Suffering a defeat to a heated rival usually stings more than any other kind. However, certain losses can be far worse as they edge towards outright humiliation and embarrassment.
Whether it's due to the nature of the loss or the opponent against whom some fighters have tasted defeat, this list examines five of the most humiliating losses in UFC history.
#5. José Aldo vs. Conor McGregor, UFC 194
Prior to Conor McGregor's MMA rise, José Aldo was a phenom in a long line of Brazilian greats. At the time, he was the UFC featherweight champion and was treated with reverence and respect by everyone in the sport. Before December 2015, 'Scarface' was unbeaten for over a decade with 18 consecutive wins.
Unfortunately, 'The Notorious' emerged as a dark cloud over his 145 lbs run. First, the Irishman needled at him incessantly with a ruthless stream of trash talk. The pair were originally scheduled to cross swords at UFC 189. They embarked on a world tour, during which McGregor insulted and belittled his rival.
After Aldo sustained a rib injury, which forced him to withdraw from their bout, the Irishman mockingly claimed that his foe's injury was nothing more than a bruise. The two finally locked horns at UFC 194, with Aldo loaded to the brim with months' worth of anger. He desperately wanted to behead 'The Notorious'.
As the bout commenced, he lunged at McGregor, but his dream of vengeance came to an end within 13 seconds. Suddenly, the man once hailed as the 145 lbs king was on the wrong end of the fastest KO in UFC title history by a man he once called a jester.
#4. Bethe Correia vs. Ronda Rousey, UFC 190
Back in mid-2015, Ronda Rousey was the centerpiece of the WMMA world as the UFC's first true crossover star. Not only was she an unbeaten champion, she was also plying her trade in Hollywood as an emerging actress. No one could stand up to her and Bethe Correia would be yet another fighter to understand why.
The Brazilian was also undefeated at the time. Her claim to fame was due to her two wins over Shayna Baszler and Jessamyn Duke, both of whom are Ronda Rousey's friends and members of the Four Horsewomen: the Hall of Fame's homage to the iconic pro-wrestling stable, the Four Horsemen.
After each win, Correia held up four fingers to the camera before pulling one down. She earned a title fight for her efforts and promised to give Rousey the worst beating of her career. It was a bold statement, compounded by Correia begging Rousey not to cry during the pre-fight staredown.
Unfortunately, for 'Pitbull', things transpired in a different way. Come fight night, 'Rowdy' needed only 34 seconds to KO her. Not only was she finished, she was sent face-first into the canvas with a victorious Rousey telling her not to cry.
#3. Forrest Griffin vs. Anderson Silva, UFC 101
In late 2008, TUF winner Forrest Griffin was coming off the most stinging defeat of his career up until that point. A third-round TKO loss to Rashad Evans cost him the 205 lbs title he had captured months prior against Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson. So when 2009 came along, he needed a rebound win.
Unfortunately, he faced Anderson Silva in his prime. The pair squared off at UFC 101, and 'The Spider' was nothing short of untouchable. Griffin, a former world champion, was made to look like he didn't belong in the cage with Silva, who dropped him twice in the first round.
Meanwhile, Griffin was made to look absolutely foolish as he missed his punches due to Silva effortlessly evading them with Matrix-like head movement. Finally, as Griffin charged forward, Silva retreated, evading every punch before KO'ing him with a jab.
The loss was made all the more embarrassing by the fact that a middleweight was who KO'd the former light heavyweight champion.
#2. Ronda Rousey vs. Holly Holm, UFC 193
Unfortunately, for Ronda Rousey, her win over Bethe Correia was the last victory she'd ever taste in MMA. Despite her first two fights in 2015 going her way, her final fight of the year couldn't have been any worse. In front of a then record-setting crowd in Melbourne, Australia, 'Rowdy' faced Holly Holm.
At the time, it was a matchup between two undefeated fighters. Holm was regarded as a sacrificial lamb for the then biggest star in MMA. Rousey was thought to be invincible, with even color commentator Joe Rogan making hyperbolic claims that she could defeat half of the UFC's male 135'ers.
But in December 2015, 'Rowdy' faced 'The Preacher's Daughter'. Prior to their bout, Rousey was adamant that she would emerge victorious. She accused Holm of being fake, while warning her that it wasn't the first time that her gym thought they had found a solution to beating her.
However, as the two stepped inside the octagon, the invincible champion was made to look mortal. Holm outstruck her with such ease that Rousey even clumsily stumbled onto her knee after missing a punch that her foe ducked under.
She was made to look like an amateur en route to a second-round KO loss that forced her into hiding for an entire year.
#1. Paulo Costa vs. Israel Adesanya, UFC 253
Much of the buildup surrounding UFC 253 revolved around the then undefeated records of Israel Adesanya and Paulo Costa. The two men were stylistic counterparts. While the former kickboxer is an elusive counterpuncher, 'Borrachinha' is a pressure fighter who traps his foes against the fence.
During the leadup to their bout, Costa belittled 'The Last Stylebender'. He frequently described the then middleweight champion as a skinny clown and promised to kill him come fight night. He further magnified his claims by labeling his rival a disgraceful champion who runs during his fights.
Thus, a lot more than just the middleweight title was at stake when the two men locked horns. The bout lasted no longer than two rounds, with Adesanya battering Costa with low kicks and bloodying him with crisp counterpunches before securing a second-round TKO.
While 'Borrachinha' lay unconscious on the mat, 'The Last Stylebender' added insult to injury by thrusting his crotch against his buttocks. It was as embarrassing a loss as he could have suffered, with even Dana White branding his performance as such.
