Dominick Cruz and 4 other UFC legends on the decline

Dominick Cruz, Tony Ferguson (top right), and Chan Sung Jung (bottom right)
Dominick Cruz, Tony Ferguson (top right), and Chan Sung Jung (bottom right)

#4. Miesha Tate

While Miesha Tate was never known for being undefeated or overpowering in any way, she is credited with being one-half of the greatest rivalry in women's MMA due to her 2 bouts with Ronda Rousey. Although Tate failed to capture UFC gold from Rousey, she finally realized her lifelong dream by defeating Holly Holm at UFC 196 in a shocking upset, choking her foe unconscious to bring an end to 'The Preacher's Daugther's undefeated streak.

Tate, however, failed to successfully defend her title, immediately losing it to Amanda Nunes before losing her subsequent matchup with Raquel Pennington before retiring from active competition. However, after 5 years, 'Cupcake' needed to scratch her competitive itch, announcing her UFC return. At UFC on ESPN 26, Tate faced Marion Reneau, who was 44 years old at the time and on a 4-fight losing streak.

While Tate won, she lost her subsequent bout to Ketlen Vieira, prompting 'Cupcake' to cut down to the flyweight division and face the the 38-year old Lauren Murphy. Tate's performance was shocking, looking a solid step behind a fighter who is not known for her athleticism. Tate was bloodied and battered by her opponent in a fight where Tate herself seemed like the older fighter.


#3. Chan Sung Jung

Chan Sung Jung, better known as 'The Korean Zombie', has been a staple in the UFC featherweight division for years. Although championship gold has always eluded him in the UFC, Jung has remained a top contender and is responsible for securing the first UFC win via twister. As a fighter, Jung is a heavy-handed counterpuncher whose durability serves as his primary means of defense.

When he faced Brian Ortega at UFC Fight Night 180, 'The Korean Zombie' was expected to fare well. Ortega's poor defensive striking remains a hole in his overall game as he neither moves his head off the center-line when throwing punches nor does he keep his rear hand tucked close to his chin when jabbing. More worrisomely, Ortega does not tuck his chin at all, walking straight into his opponent's punches.

He seemed like a tailormade opponent for a powerful counterpuncher like Jung, who like Ortega is also known for his supernatural toughness. However, in a shocking turn of events, Jung was thoroughly outstruck by a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist in a matchup where he looked slower and off his step than usual. While Jung won his subsequent bout against Dan Ige, his losing effort in a title fight against Alexander Volkanovski was a brutal beatdown, with Jung looking older and more lethargic. He was finished by Volkanovski in the fourth round.

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