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Sometimes, UFC fighters reach the peak of the sport but are barely able to enjoy their time at the MMA summit before they're sent tumbling back down. In some cases, it occurs with fighters who have spent the majority of their careers as relative unknowns before they experience a sudden surge in popularity.
In other instances, someone with a tremendous amount of hype behind them achieves what's initially expected of them but immediately finds themselves on the receiving end of a dramatic fall from grace. Other situations include a fighter authoring a viral moment and accomplishing next to nothing afterward.
Regardless of context, they all fizzle out relatively quickly, either immediately forgotten or with their success and stardom short-lived. They are all, in one way or another, a flash in the pan.
#5. Sara McMann, former UFC women's bantamweight
At 43 years old, and in Bellator no less, Sara McMann is in the twilight of her career, closer to retirement than finally becoming a world champion. 11 years ago, however, McMann was in a completely different position. First, she was much younger and in the UFC. Second, she was undefeated.
Not only was she undefeated, she was also an Olympian. Specifically, she was an Olympic silver medalist in freestyle wrestling. As a 135-pounder in the 2010s, she drew inevitable comparisons to Ronda Rousey, another undefeated Olympic medalist and one who held the UFC women's bantamweight title.
Check out Ronda Rousey TKO'ing Sara McMann:
There was a measure of hype behind McMann due to her record and credentials. So, when she faced Rousey, it was Olympian vs. Olympian, wrestling vs. Judo. Alas, McMann was TKO'd within a minute, and her career never recovered. She never came close to a title and went from 7-0 to now being 14-7.
#4. Renan Barão, former UFC bantamweight champion
In 2024, Renan Barão is barely remembered. However, at one point, he was drawing comparisons to José Aldo, with UFC CEO Dana White even hailing him as the potential pound-for-pound best fighter in the world. After all, Barão was on a 35-fight unbeaten streak, with 34 wins and one no-contest.
After knocking Eddie Wineland out with a spinning back kick and subsequently TKO'ing Urijah Faber to defend his interim title, the Brazilian knockout artist was matched up with T.J. Dillashaw. Many predicted a dominant win on his behalf, but come fight night, Barão was demolished in a lopsided fashion.
Check out T.J. Dillashaw TKO'ing Renan:
His career was never the same afterward. While he earned a rematch with a submission win over Mitch Gagnon, he was again handed a vicious beating by Dillashaw and was quickly forgotten as he lost seven of his next eight fights. His time at the top of the sport lasted a mere two years.
#3. Cody Garbrandt, former UFC bantamweight champion
At one point, Cody Garbrandt seemed like a star. He was an undefeated knockout artist, with his popularity spiking in 2016 where he scored a trio of knockouts to earn a bantamweight title fight with Dominick Cruz that same year. In a performance for the ages, 'No Love' dethroned Cruz in stunning fashion.
However, that is when his success ended, for despite being the newly minted undefeated UFC bantamweight champion, Garbrandt lost his title to T.J. Dillashaw in his first title defense. Furthermore, he failed to regain the 135-pound strap in a rematch before racking up more losses.
Check out T.J. Dillashaw TKO'ing Cody Garbrandt:
Never again has Garbrandt sniffed bantamweight gold. In fact, he is so far away from replicating his short-lived success that he is no longer ranked at 135 pounds.
#2. Joaquin Buckley, UFC welterweight/middleweight
Joaquin Buckley has never been regarded as a potential title contender or future champion. Instead, like many fighters, he is often looked at as a talented mixed martial artist with knockout power and not much else. Following a lopsided loss to Kevin Holland, 'New Mansa' rebounded in spectacular fashion.
Behind closed doors, Buckley became a viral internet sensation after his fight with Impa Kasanganay, during which he threw a round kick to the body, which his foe caught. However, Buckley, with his other foot still in his opponent's grasp, spun into a backkick with his other foot to knock him out cold.
Check out Alessio Di Chirico knocking out Joaquin Buckley:
It was unlike anything anyone had ever seen before and earned him 2020's Knockout of the Year. It turned him viral, becoming one of the most-watched internet videos of the year, but it led to nothing. Buckley never achieved much else, and his popularity quickly fizzled out, and he was knocked out two fights later.
#1. Jorge Masvidal, former UFC welterweight
Jorge Masvidal spent most of his career as a journeyman. He was a reliable and skilled fighter but hardly spectacular. Furthermore, he often found himself on the wrong end of close decisions due to his tendency to be hyper-defensive, and he admired how good he thought he looked every time his slick defense held up.
A jaw-dropping knockout over Darren Till drew fan attention before a five-second knockout over the then-unbeaten Ben Askren turned him into an overnight star. This drew the attention of Nate Diaz, who he subsequently TKO'd to become the first 'BMF' champion.
Check out Kamaru Usman knocking out Jorge Masvidal:
This was the arrival of a new Masvidal, and success was on its way. He quickly earned a title shot against Kamaru Usman and lost before suffering a brutal knockout in the pair's rematch. Two more losses followed, and Masvidal, after a brief taste of success, retired on a four-fight losing streak.
