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The UFC's octagon is no stranger to chaos. Things don't always proceed in a predictable or orderly manner. Sometimes, botched weight cuts happen and cause highly anticipated matchups to be canceled. In other instances, fighters suffer unexpected injuries at the most inopportune times.
However, some events follow the expected route. For example, if Conor McGregor returns to face Islam Makhachev, the Irishman's path to victory would certainly be through striking. Alternatively, the Dagestani grappler's chances of winning would undoubtedly lie in outwrestling and submitting his foe.
No one would predict 'The Notorious' to submit Khabib Nurmagomedov's heir apparent. Yet, such shockers have happened in the UFC. Grapplers have KO'd strikers, and strikers have submitted grapplers.
This list, however, focuses on strikers who beat grapplers at their own game.
#5. Ben Rothwell vs. Josh Barnett, UFC on Fox 18
Ben Rothwell is not an elite grappler by any stretch of the imagination. While he possesses serviceable grappling skills, he operates mainly as a heavy-handed striker.
Josh Barnett, however, is a fighter whose grappling pedigree is legendary. Not only is he an exceptionally skilled catch wrestler, but he is also a second-degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt.
During 'The Warmaster's penultimate MMA fight, 'Big Ben' shocked the world. After getting lit up with strikes, Rothwell's foe was convinced that he ought to wrestle him.
Alas, after shooting in for a takedown with his head positioned on the outside of Rothwell's torso, Barnett was countered by his foe.
'Big Ben' hooked his arm over his opponent's exposed neck and quickly secured a guillotine choke. While the veteran wrestler initially resisted, he soon surrendered to the squeeze. It was the first-ever submission loss of Josh Barnett's career.
Even legendary Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialists like Frank Mir and Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira failed to submit him. Yet years later, Ben Rothwell, of all people, did.
#4. Anthony Pettis vs. Charles Oliveira, UFC on Fox 21
Anthony Pettis possesses slick Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills and holds a first-degree black belt, but grappling is not his primary mode of operation in the cage. His grappling is usually defensive, and his submissions often arise from counter-wrestling sequences. 'Showtime' is a striker and primarily a kicker.
However, by 2016, his skill set seemed to have plateaued. The former lightweight titleholder was on a three-fight losing streak. In search of greener pastures, he moved into the featherweight division. For his debut in his new weight class, 'Showtime' faced future lightweight champion Charles Oliveira.
With a third-degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, 'do Bronx' was widely feared on the mat. But in the third round of the bout, an attempt to force a takedown by Oliveira trapped his neck in his foe's armpit.
'Showtime' capitalized on it and locked in a guillotine choke, dropping down with a body triangle. Before long, the squeeze forced 'do Bronx' to surrender with a quick tap to a supposedly lesser grappler.
#3. Germaine de Randamie vs. Julianna Peña, UFC on ESPN 16
Former UFC women's featherweight champion Germaine de Randamie has not stepped inside the octagon in two years. Most fans seem to be in no hurry for her return, as the only memories most spectators have of her aren't quite awe-inspiring.
Fans remember her refusal to fight Cris Cyborg and her hitting Holly Holm after the bell.
Perhaps if they recall her final moments inside the octagon, fans could come to appreciate her more. 'The Iron Lady', a kickboxer, handed future bantamweight titleholder Julianna Peña her second-ever submission loss.
In the third round of their matchup in October 2020, 'The Venezuelan Vixen' clinched her opponent against the fence.
As both fighters jostled and fought for position, de Randamie secured an underhook to control Peña's posture. Meanwhile, the future bantamweight champion shoved her head against her foe's chin to break her posture. After a few more seconds of the two women struggling, Peña dropped down for a takedown.
Unfortunately, her head slipped to the outside of 'The Iron Lady', affording her Dutch counterpart a guillotine choke setup. The former featherweight champion obliged, but 'The Venezuelan Vixen' was too proud to tap. Instead, she opted to slip into unconsciousness rather than tap to a white belt.
#2. Zhang Weili vs. Carla Esparza, UFC 281
The narrative leading up to UFC 281 was whether Carla Esparza could get takedowns against Zhang Weili.
China's first-ever UFC champion is well-known for being an extremely athletic striker with speed and knockout power in abundance. Carla Esparza, by contrast, is not an athlete of the same stock.
'The Cookie Monster' is very strong and possesses serviceable cardio, but none of her physical attributes are out of the ordinary for a lifelong wrestler. And that's what the former strawweight champion is, a lifelong wrestler. Meanwhile, Zhang Weili spent most of her life training as a striker.
Only recently did she start ironing out her grappling and wrestling with Henry Cejudo. Yet, when the two women crossed swords in the UFC's penultimate PPV of the year, 'Magnum' won in shocking circumstances.
After a scramble that ensued after a failed takedown by Esparza, Weili quickly transitioned to the crucifix position behind Esparza. From there, with her foe's right arm trapped between her legs, 'Magnum' secured a quick rear-naked choke for the win.
#1. Jiří Procházka vs. Glover Teixeira, UFC 275
The world is currently mourning the loss of the hotly anticipated rematch between Jiří Procházka and Glover Teixeira at UFC 282, and for good reason. The first encounter between the pair was one of the greatest fights in recent memory. Every ingredient that makes up a thrilling MMA bout was present in it.
Jiří Procházka is a national Muay Thai champion in the Czech Republic. Meanwhile, Glover Teixeira is a second-degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. Prior to their initial bout, the consensus was that if the fight stayed on the feet, the Czech phenom would emerge victorious due to his power and skill.
Alternatively, if the fight were to hit the mat, Teixeira was expected to dominate. However, throughout much of the bout, grappling sequences on the ground were engulfed in reversals. With two minutes left in the fifth round, the Brazilian managed to mount his foe.
However, Procházka successfully positioned his feet against the fence and pushed off it, forcing his opponent to roll as he landed on top. The scramble continued, and eventually, the Czech sensation secured a rear-naked choke with no hooks. But after nearly 25 minutes of combat, it was enough to make the exhausted Teixeira tap out.
