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What is incredibly rare is when a UFC fighter goes their entire career without tasting defeat. Khabib Nurmagomedov is likely the most high profile name to have achieved this extraordinary feat. Here are five times an undefeated fighter has lost in recent UFC history:
#5. Jake Hadley - UFC flyweight
Dana White clearly believed Jake Hadley was destined for big things when he handed him a contract despite Hadley missing weight for his Tuesday Night Contender Series bout. White explained that the decision was far from popular with many of the senior staff in the UFC, but he made the call because he felt that "White Kong" could be special.
You can see why he did so. Despite failing to make weight, Hadley picked up a great stoppage victory during the Contender Series, which extended his unbeaten record to 8-0. However, the former Cage Warriors champion surprisingly suffered a unanimous decision loss in his official debut, shattering that perfect record.
The result definitely dimmed much of the hype surrounding Hadley, however, and all may not be lost for the Englishman just yet. At just 25, he still has plenty of time to make the necessary adjustments and fill the holes that were exposed in his debut. Don’t be surprised if he is still able to make a name for himself in a few years.
#4. Nick Maximov - UFC middleweight
A protege of UFC fan favorites Nick and Nate Diaz, Nick Maximov had plenty of eyes on him when he made his promotional debut last year. The 24-year-old employs a more grappling-heavy offense than his mentors and it led him to a good start to his octagon career.
He began his octagon career by going 2-0 bringing his career record to 8-0 but that would be the end of his streak. Last weekend, Maximov lost to Andre Petroski via first-round submission. This was a damaging loss given how one-sided it was and that Petroski is not yet a big name in the division.
Maximov is only 24-years-old so still has the majority of his career ahead of him. He possesses great wrestling skills already, so you imagine his striking and jiu-jitsu will only improve as time goes on. While it’s too soon to say if he will become as big a star as his mentors, Maximov remains a name to watch for the future.
#3. Askar Askarov - UFC flyweight
Had Askar Askarov defeated Kai Kara-France on March 26 he would likely be competing for the title in his next fight. Many expected him to do so as he came into that fight on a lengthy unbeaten streak, and the match-up seemed promising given his elite-level grappling.
After a strong first round, Kara-France’s striking began to find its target and Askarov struggled to get a hold of the heavy-handed fighter. He lost both the last two rounds, leading to a unanimous decision defeat for the Russian. Having been 14-0-1 coming into the bout, many were surprised by the result.
With that being said, Askarov is clearly still one of the best flyweights on the planet. The lone defeat and one draw on his record came against the two men scheduled to compete for the interim title in Kai Kara-France and Brandon Moreno. He remains a factor at 125 lbs. and may yet have a title run in him.
#2. Ciryl Gane - UFC heavyweight
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
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.
