5 times UFC champions got destroyed

UFC title bouts are usually evenly fought, closely contested matchups that bring out the best in both competitors. However, in MMA it only takes one punch, kick or submission for a champion to be humbled.

From huge upsets to hometown heroes getting it done, here are 5 times UFC champions got destroyed inside the octagon.

#5 Jessica Andrade vs Zhang Welli

Zhang Welli celebrating her title victory

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Newly crowned UFC strawweight champion Jessica Andrade faced hometown challenger Zhang Welli in her first title defense in Shenzen, China in August 2019.

The Chinese challenger came into the fight undefeated in the UFC with an impressive 19-1 professional record. The champion Andrade had recently won the title from Rose Namajunas in her home country of Brazil.

In front of the raucous local crowd, Zhang took just 42 seconds to knock out Jessica Andrade to become the new UFC strawweight champion and the first Chinese titleholder in UFC history.

The Brazilian’s uber-aggressive tactics did not pay off as she walked right into a massive right hand before being finished off with a flurry of elbows and knees. A flawless victory from the Chinese star.

#4 Cain Velasquez vs Junior Dos Santos

The first-ever UFC event on network television 'UFC on FOX' in November 2011 was headlined by a heavyweight title bout. American UFC champion Cain Velasquez faced Brazilian challenger Junior Dos Santos.

The highly anticipated main event championship fight lasted just 1 minute and 4 seconds. Challenger Dos Santos landed a massive overhead right that dropped Velasquez. He was unable to recover as JDS followed up with vicious punches on the ground.

This powerful performance from Dos Santos was watched by 8.8 million people in the United States alone.

Velazquez would later regain the title in a rematch with JDS in dominant fashion and win their trilogy fight via TKO.

#3 Cris Cyborg vs Amanda Nunes

UFC 232 on December 29th, 2018 played host to a women’s champion vs champion co-main event between Cris Cyborg and Amanda Nunes.

The Brazilian champions were competing for Cyborg’s UFC 145 pounds featherweight title.

Nunes, the bantamweight champion, had not lost since 2014 while Cris Cyborg had not tasted defeat since her pro-MMA debut way back in 2005.

The super-fight lived up to expectations... for as long as it lasted.

Amanda Nunes was able to avoid the power punches from Cyborg, dropping the featherweight champion not once but twice against the octagon fence to shock the world in only 51 seconds.

Now the first-ever UFC female ‘champ-champ’, Nunes cemented her place as the greatest female MMA fighter of all time.

#2 Ronda Rousey vs Holly Holm

One of the biggest upsets in UFC history happened at UFC 193 in Melbourne, Australia. Long reigning, undefeated women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey squared off against undefeated challenger Holly Holm.

In front of a world-record crowd for a UFC event, Holly Holm completely dominated Rousey from the opening exchange until the finish early in round 2.

Ronda was very aggressive but this played perfectly into Holm’s counter striking style. The challenger finished the fight with an unforgettable head kick that will be replayed on UFC broadcasts for years to come.

#1 Jose Aldo vs Conor McGregor

The Notorious Conor McGregor delivered the fastest knockout in a UFC title bout at UFC 194 in December 2015.

In just 13 seconds, McGregor shocked the MMA world with a beautifully placed left hand to the jaw of Jose Aldo.

The featherweight championship fight was the culmination of a bitter rivalry between the Irishman and long-reigning Brazilian champ Jose Aldo.

Both fighters refused to touch gloves at the start of the bout and as Aldo attempted his first real offense of the fight he was clipped by a left hook which knocked him out cold. McGregor followed up with hammer fists but the fight was over after the hook landed.

It was perhaps the greatest moment in Conor McGregor’s UFC career.

About the author

David Barry Gear is a freelance writer from New Zealand who currently resides in Bogota, Colombia.

David has been a sports fan since the glory days of Liverpool and Dan Marino. He's been following the UFC since 2009 and was in attendance at UFC 193 when Holly Holm shocked the world by knocking out Ronda Rousey. MMA, NFL, NBA… you name it he probably watches it.

Before joining Sportskeeda, DBG worked for over a decade in broadcasting as a writer and content creator.

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Edited by John Cunningham