Alexander Volkanovski and 4 other UFC fighters who refused to accept a loss

The UFC is the ultimate proving ground in MMA, and fighters need more than world-class skills and elite athleticism to succeed. Mental fortitude is just as important, if not more so in some respects. A fighter's mentality can be the difference between a win or a loss.

Their confidence and self-belief are integral to their potential success inside the octagon. A fighter who does not believe in their own abilities is a fighter who will never reach for the stars. After all, it is often said that a certain measure of delusion is required to succeed at the top level.

Unfortunately, this can lead to some fighters refusing to accept losses, which has become increasingly more common, as every closely-contested fight is now placed under a microscope. But not every close fight is a robbery, and some fighters must acknowledge when they lose instead of claiming robbery or relying on excuses.

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#5. T.J. Dillashaw vs. Henry Cejudo, UFC Fight Night 143

In early 2019, T.J. Dillashaw was given his chance at MMA immortality when he challenged Henry Cejudo for the flyweight title. At the time, he was the bantamweight champion and intended to enthrone himself as one of the few simultaneous two-division champions in the promotion's history.

Unfortunately, as one of the largest bantamweights on the roster, and a well-muscled one at that, Dillashaw found the weight cut to 125 pounds more grueling than he expected. So he resorted to using EPO to facilitate his weight cut. But it was still too extreme, so when he stepped inside the cage, he was compromised.

He was drained from the weight cut and his brain hadn't retained enough fluid by fight night for him to take Cejudo's shots. He was TKO'd in 32 seconds, but immediately protested the stoppage, and in his post-fight interview, dared to assert that Henry Cejudo did not beat him. He simply couldn't accept the loss.

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#4. Dominick Cruz vs. Henry Cejudo, UFC 249

Henry Cejudo's last UFC win came against all-time great bantamweight Dominick Cruz. The pair locked horns at UFC 249, with 'Triple C' looking to defend his newly minted 135-pound title for the very first time. Ahead of the bout, both men were confident in their chances, but when it came to pass Cejudo emerged victorious.

He picked up on one of Cruz's worst habits, which involves him dipping his head very low to slip punches with exaggerated leans as he exits out of exchanges at an angle. Unfortunately, for him, he was intercepted mid-lean by a knee from Cejudo, who promptly shoved him to the mat and pounced with ground-and-pound.

After several unanswered shots to the head, referee Keith Peterson had seen enough and waved the fight off. Dominick Cruz, however, refused to accept the loss, characterizing it as a gift for Cejudo, asserting that he was in the process of getting back up, before ultimately disparaging Keith Peterson's credibility.

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#3. Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov, UFC 229

The feud between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov is unlikely to end any time soon, despite the fact that McGregor is still an active fighter, while Nurmagomedov retired from MMA back in 2020. However, the hatred between the two men runs deep.

It has only escalated since their clash at UFC 229, when 'The Eagle' dominated the Irishman like no one had before or since. He knocked him down, scored several takedowns, and submitted him in round four with a neck crank. However, McGregor has refused to accept the loss.

In a series of tweets, he claimed that he won the 'fight,' while Nurmagomedov won the 'contest,' while also taking away from his foe's victory with a litany of excuses ranging from him allegedly having a hangover to nursing a broken foot.

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#2. Colby Covington vs. Kamaru Usman 1, UFC 245

Former interim welterweight champion Colby Covington earned his first crack at undisputed gold when he faced Kamaru Usman at UFC 245. Ahead of the fight, fans expected a wrestling-heavy affair due to the high-level grappling credentials possessed by both men.

Instead, fans were treated to a thrilling and wild kickboxing affair that was very close. Heading into round five, it was anyone's game, but 'Chaos' had sustained a broken jaw and was worse for wear. Nevertheless, he fought on, as he was potentially ahead on the scorecards.

Unfortunately, for him, he was dropped twice in quick succession by Usman, before being subjected to a ground-and-pound sequence that was enough for Marc Goddard to call for an end to the bout. But Colby Covington protested the decision, and to this day, claims that he was robbed of a win.

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#1. Alexander Volkanovski vs. Islam Makhachev, UFC 284

Alexander Volkanovski and Islam Makhachev had a clash for the ages at UFC 284. It marked the Australian's first attempt at immortalizing himself in a manner accomplished by few, as he sought to become a two-division champion. He also put his pound-for-pound #1 status on the line against Islam Makhachev.

The Dagestani phenom accepted the challenge, defending his lightweight title in a bout of skill and grit, where both men stunned and rocked each other. However, Makhachev's takedowns and extended back control likely won him the fight via unanimous decision, which some viewers disagreed with.

Volkanovski himself thought he won the fight and refused to accept the loss. After re-watching the bout, he was even more confident that he had won and has been chasing a rematch with Makhachev ever since, even implying that the Dagestani phenom is ducking him in favor of easier matchups.