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Making no excuses is a hallmark of UFC fighters and professional athletes in general. But we all know what they say about excuses... everybody has one.
In the UFC, making excuses after losing fights is not very common. But it happens enough for it to be considered a trend and often times it comes from the elite class.
Several excuses have been thrown out by different fighters throughout the history of the UFC. But not all of them are created equal. Some excuses are more outlandish and implausible than others. On that note, here are five of the wildest excuses from UFC fighters after losing a fight.
#5. Paulo Costa says he fought intoxicated (UFC 253)
After cruising to 12 straight victories, including five in the UFC, rising star Paulo Costa earned a championship date with middleweight king Israel Adesanya at UFC 253. In the lead-up to the fight, the undefeated Brazilian was confident he would be the one to dethrone the reigning 185-pound champ.
Once the action began, Adesanya schooled Costa thoroughly over the course of two rounds. 'The Last Stylebender' utilized his masterful stand-up game to pick Costa apart before landing the finishing blow at the 3:49 mark of the second round.
Adding insult to injury, Adesanya proceeded to perform one of the most disrespectful celebrations ever seen in the octagon. The Kiwi fighter humped his downed opponent from behind – a visual that spanned thousands of memes.
Just when it seemed like it couldn't get more embarrassing for Costa than it already was, the Brazilian came up with a ridiculous excuse several months later. In a 13-minute video he uploaded to YouTube, Costa claimed that he wasn't in top condition during the fight because he chugged an entire bottle of wine to help him sleep the night before.
But instead of gaining the sympathy of fans, Costa was bombarded with more backlash for his irresponsible actions. Later, 'Borrachinha' issued an apology and a reminder to consume alcoholic drinks responsibly. On Instagram, Costa wrote:
"Jokes aside, if you're going to drive don't drink, if you're going to fight ditto. Only in cases of emergency. Peace"
#4. Antonio Nogueira blames Herb Dean (UFC 140)
Antonio 'Minotauro' Nogueira squared off against Frank Mir at UFC 92 with a title shot against then-champion Brock Lesnar on the line. Nogueira, being the heavy betting favorite, was expected to run through Mir and get a crack at the UFC title.
Come fight night though, Mir showcased a tremendous improvement in his boxing and absolutely bamboozed Nogueira. The Las Vegas native landed punches after punches to score the TKO win against Nogueira.
Years later, he got the opportunity to redeem himself when he earned a rematch against Mir at UFC 140.
Nogueira looked like he was on his way to get redemption. 'Big Nog' tagged Mir with elbow strikes and dropped him with some stinging punches. Nogueira pounded away as Mir tried to recover. Just as Mir appeared to be a few shots away from being stopped, Nogueira decided to lock in a guillotine choke.
It proved to be a costly mistake as Mir caught Nogueira's right arm in a kimura during a scramble. With Nogueira refusing to tap, Mir cranked as hard as he could until his opponent's arm broke.
After the fight, the Brazilian said he wanted a beautiful submission win so he went for the choke instead of just throwing a few more strikes. However, he retracted the statement a week later and it was referee Herb Dean's fault as he instructed Nogueira not to hit the back of the head.
#3. Alistair Overeem insists that Stipe Miocic tapped (UFC 203)
After going through a stretch of inconsistency at the beginning of his UFC career, Alistair Overeem finally earned a title shot against Stipe Miocic at UFC 203.
In one of the most action-packed single-round bouts in the promotion's history, Overeem came very close to capturing the most prestigious title in mixed martial arts. 'The Demolition Man' dropped Miocic with a straight left and proceeded to lock in a guillotine choke.
The champion displayed composure as he was able to survive the submission attempt and get back up quickly. Shortly thereafter, momentum shifted when Miocic successfully took the challenger to the ground and rained punches down to secure the TKO victory.
During the post-fight interview, Overeem insisted that he let go of the chokehold because he felt the champion tap. But things went from bad to worse for Overeem when Joe Rogan asked for the replay.
After reviewing the tape, it became apparent that Miocic did not even come close to tapping and Overeem was caught in a lie. The champion's hometown of Cleveland, Ohio showered the Dutchman with boos as he made his way out of the octagon.
#2. Karo Parisyan claims to be too good for his own good (UFC Fight Night 13)
![Former UFC welterweight Karo Parisyan [Photo via @karoparisyan on Instagram]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2021/08/07a53-16291233359219-800.jpg)
Karo Parisyan was undeniably an elite welterweight in the late 2000s. And according to him, the reason he lost to Thiago Alves at UFC Fight Night 13 was because he was too talented a fighter.
Alves, who was rapidly rising through the ranks, halted Parisyan's momentum by handing the Armenian-American a TKO loss in the second round. After the fight, Parisyan said that he wasn't at hundred percent because he was used to winning fights without training hard. He added that it had just dawned on him that the competition was catching up to him.
Not taking training seriously is a genuine issue for several fighters. Conor McGregor was previously criticized for it and the Irishman responded by promising to go harder at the gym. But Parisyan saying out loud that the reason he lost is because he was too good is one of the most cringeworthy moments in UFC history.
#1. Conor McGregor's balloon foot (UFC 229)
Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov is one of the most intense rivalries in UFC history. Given McGregor's star power and the real-life animosity between the two competitors, a huge segment of fans tuned in for the much-anticipated lightweight title fight at UFC 229.
Once the action began, millions witnessed a lopsided beatdown instead of an epic showdown. Nurmagomedov immediately went after McGregor with his suffocating grappling and seemingly endless ground-and-pound strikes. 'The Eagle' ultimately retained the crown after making the Irishman tap out in the fourth round.
Instead of admitting that he was simply outclassed by the champ, McGregor told MMA journalist Ariel Helwani a year later that he had sustained an injury prior to the fight. The Irishman said that his foot was so badly injured that it had swollen like a balloon, causing his toes to pop out of their sockets.
Needless to say, fans were not inclined to believe McGregor's excuse. Observers took to social media to point out that McGregor's story was implausible, as he was stomping his feet hard while being introduced before the fight.
