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A UFC fighter's success inside the octagon depends on more than their skill set. They must be well-prepared for the challenges presented by an opponent who they must assume is just as skilled and as well-prepared as they are. Sometimes, however, fighters lose fights before ever setting foot in the cage.
There are those who have an aura of invincibility surrounding them, whether that's due to the luxuries of an undefeated record or a string of otherworldly performances that have made the fighter in question seem too good to lose. Some fighters simply have too strong a mystique and it causes their foes to crumble.
While this is enough to convince most opponents that they don't stand a chance against certain fighters, this isn't always the case. Sometimes, a seemingly unstoppable fighter comes across an opponent with enough self-belief and skill that their mystique shatters and their mortal self is revealed.
#5. Conor McGregor, UFC lightweight
Conor McGregor first rose to fame due to a combination of his undefeated featherweight streak, high knockout percentage, trash talk, charisma, and a carefully crafted narrative about the power of his left hand. Countless figures in MMA bought into the idea that no one could withstand a blow from his left hand.
Even renowned MMA coach Firas Zahabi claimed that the Irishman had the death touch in his left hand. Besides Nate Diaz and Max Holloway, both of whom have nearly unbreakable chins, no one had been able to take his left hand. After all, he made former lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez look like a novice in the cage.
So when the Irishman was booked to face Khabib Nurmagomedov, his fans were confident that the legend of his left hand would continue. Instead, 'The Eagle' shattered the myth. Not only did he walk through his foe's left-hand several times, but he knocked McGregor down himself, all while dominating the entire bout.
In the end, when Nurmagomedov submitted the Irishman, the mystique surrounding McGregor's left hand was no more and it's hardly been referenced ever since.
#4. Jon Jones, current UFC heavyweight champion/former light heavyweight champion
Besides a disqualification loss to Matt Hamill in a fight that he was dominating, Jon Jones has never tasted defeat inside the octagon. In fact, hardly anyone has ever even made 'Bones' look anything but a master of his craft. His opponents are either steamrolled or they freeze in his presence like Anthony Smith.
While Dominick Reyes did his best, Jon Jones left their bout without a scratch. There is one man, however, who completely shattered Jones' image as an invincible phenomenon. Alexander Gustafsson first crossed swords with 'Bones' back at UFC 165 and he gave a tremendous account of himself.
He became the first person to take Jones down and the first person to make him bleed in the cage. He busted the former light heavyweight champion open until his face was swollen and sliced open. Gustafsson dragged 'Bones' to his very limit and, in the eyes of many, did enough to beat Jones.
While he ultimately lost the bout via unanimous decision, his efforts revealed a beatable man hiding underneath the aura.
#3. Ronda Rousey, former UFC women's bantamweight champion
Before November 2015, Ronda Rousey was a phenomenon like no other. She was the undefeated face of WMMA and arguably, MMA itself. As the reigning women's bantamweight champion, she stormed through every opponent the UFC put in front of her, doing so with supreme ease and unreal quickness.
It was reminiscent of Mike Tyson's dominance during his peak years in the 90s. Not only was Rousey an undefeated champion, she had finished every single one of her foes, without so much as a scratch on her face. This led to an aura of invincibility and talk of her being capable of beating Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Joe Rogan famously labeled her a 'once-in-ever' human being, as 'once-in-a-lifetime' was not enough. However, all of that unraveled when she faced Holly Holm, a former boxer and kickboxer who had flown under the radar but rose to the occasion in a manner rarely seen.
She challenged Rousey for bantamweight gold and outstruck her so easily, it made 'Rowdy' look foolish en route to a thunderous head kick knockout in round two. Just like that, Rousey's aura was gone, and her decision to hide herself from the media after her loss only made her seem that much more human.
#2. Islam Makhachev, current UFC lightweight champion
Islam Makhachev is Khabib Nurmagomedov's successor. The two men are Dagestani grappling phenoms, close friends and teammates who grew up together under the tutelage of 'The Eagle's' late father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov. So when Nurmagomedov retired from MMA, Makhachev took the helm.
He became the UFC lightweight champion by finishing the surging Charles Oliveira in dominant fashion. With a 23-1 record, a championship win, the unsolved puzzle of Dagestani wrestling that struck fear into his foes' hearts, and an abundance of physical strength that Bobby Green refuses to believe is natural, he was invincible.
Or at least, he was thought of as such. With an 11-fight win streak, he took on Alexander Volkanovski, a featherweight. Surely Islam Makhachev would be too big, too strong and his grappling too good for his foe. So when both men locked horns at UFC 284, the world stood in shock as Vokanovski rose to the occasion.
He was competitive in the grappling sequences with Makhachev, even briefly scoring a trip of his own. Furthermore, Volkanovski stung the lightweight champion, dropping him in round five to end the bout on top landing vicious ground-and-pound that left Makhachev's face beaten and bruised.
It was enough, in some people's eyes, for Volkanovski to be awarded the win. Unfortunately, for him, it was Makhachev's hand that was raised in victory.
#1. Anderson Silva, former UFC middleweight
The greatest middleweight in UFC history is still Anderson Silva, and it is easy to understand why. The Hall of Famer reigned over the 185-pound weight class with such dominance that no one else in the division has matched his peak since his retirement. 'The Spider' was widely recognized as the sport's best striker.
He made world-class fighters look like fools for trying to strike with him, and built a highlight reel of incredible finishes, ranging from his front kick knockout against Vitor Belfort and his masterclass against Forrest Griffin, all former champions. He also helmed the promotion's longest-ever win streak at 16 consecutive wins.
With 10 title defenses to his name, he looked invincible, and towards the end, he was widely recognized as the GOAT of MMA. But then, he fought Chris Weidman, an undefeated wrestler with the right combination of skill and belief to not only trouble him but beat him—twice.
The first time led to one of the greatest knockouts in UFC history. The second time was one of the worst injuries ever seen. Both instances stripped Silva of his unbeatable aura and set in motion a rough patch from which he never recovered.
