5 times an undefeated fighter lost in recent UFC history

Jake Hadley's first taste of octagon action was not a pleasant one
Jake Hadley's first taste of octagon action was not a pleasant one

#2. Ciryl Gane - UFC heavyweight

Gane went 10-0 and won gold before his first defeat
Gane went 10-0 and won gold before his first defeat

Ciryl Gane stormed to the interim UFC heavyweight championship without suffering a single loss. "Bon Gamin" took out a number of big names in the division before knocking out Derrick Lewis to get his first taste of gold in the promotion. He then faced champion Francis Ngannou in a title unification bout.

Gane looked to be on course to extend his perfect record utilizing his signature striking from distance to win the first two rounds against an injured Ngannou. However, the fight then took a turn when the Frenchman was unable to deal with a wrestling-heavy offensive from his opponent.

That saw Ngannou secure a unanimous decision victory despite his injury and, in the process, Gane was handed the first defeat of his career. Gane will definitely have to improve in this area if he is to one day become champion but he is another fighter who could still achieve huge things despite this disappointing loss.


#1. Israel Adesanya - UFC middleweight

Israel Adesanya remains undefeated at middleweight
Israel Adesanya remains undefeated at middleweight

While this one took place last year, Israel Adesanya losing his undefeated streak was a huge moment in the world of MMA. Adesanya was a perfect 20-0 to start his career, as he captured the UFC middleweight title without tasting defeat. However, he then attempted to move up and win the light heavyweight belt.

"The Last Stylebender" took on Jan Blachowicz for the light heavyweight championship on March 6, 2021. Although the fight was competitive in the early stages, the size difference became a factor, leading to Adesanya being taken and held down repeatedly by his much larger opponent. This led to a unanimous decision loss for the UFC middleweight champion.

The loss was a particularly damaging one for Adesanya as he was on the cusp of becoming a true megastar in the sport. Fans love an undefeated fighter and dropping to 20-1 definitely took some shine away from the champion. However, "The Last Stylebender" could well pursue the 205 lb. title again in the future.

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