One of the most challenging aspects of being a professional MMA fighter is simply being able to keep your head in the game for the full fifteen or twenty-five-minute fight. It may not seem like a long period of time, but when there is another man (or woman) standing in front of you constantly trying to knock your head off, it tends to slow time down a bit.
If you get distracted for even a moment or make a single mistake, one strike or well-placed takedown could be all that it takes to change the course of your career. You can be a world champion who has been working all of their lives to get to where they’re at, but one mistake can take it all away.
The five featured mistakes are just a few of many that we have seen over the years. What are some of the other fight changing mistakes that came to your mind when reading the title? Let us know in the comments below!
5) Luke Rockhold vs Chris Weidman – UFC 194
Chris Weidman is the formerly undefeated fighter that beat the greatest of all time in Anderson Silva not once, but twice. He then followed up those wins by defeating Lyoto Machida and Vitor Belfort in impressive fashion, making him seem like the middleweight division’s next unstoppable champion but, on the night of UFC 194 that all came to a screeching halt. Luke Rockhold came to fight and the two began to go to war, but in the third round Weidman attempted a sloppy spinning heel kick that is not only uncharacteristic of his style, but it began a chain of events that eventually led to him losing his title a round later.
4) Chris Weidman vs Anderson Silva – UFC 162
In a sport that is full of great athletes, Anderson Silva stands out from the pack. During his reign he not only defeated the competition, but he did it in jaw-dropping fashion and set the record for successful title defenses. Fans around the world began to believe that he was invincible, and maybe Silva himself even bought into that same hype. When challenged by Chris Weidman at UFC 162, Silva clowned around and taunted the challenger for the first round and a half, but he took it too far, allowing Weidman to connect with a left hook that would forever change the middleweight division.
3) Cheick Kongo vs Pat Barry – UFC live: Kongo vs. Barry
Pat Barry was always a fan favorite and remains one today, even now that he has retired from MMA. A talented kickboxer who always came to fight, all while looking for a finish and even if that meant throwing himself in harm’s way to do so. This fight is the perfect example of his aggression. He rocked Kongo multiple times early in the first round, knocking him down and nearly finishing him. If a referee had stopped the fight, no one would have really complained but instead the referee let Kongo fight on. With Pat continuing to smell blood, he rushed in for the finish one last time with his hands low and got caught with one clean shot that put him out.
2) Anderson Silva vs Chael Sonnen II – UFC 148
In what is considered the most anticipated rematch in UFC history, Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen squared off for the second time. After years of trash talk, a controversial first bout, and an unseen amount of promotion up until that point, the two were finally able to step into the cage and settle their differences. After a dominating first round by Sonnen that led the fans watching at home to believe they may see a repeat of their first bout, in the second Sonnen attempted a spinning backfist that caused him to lose his balance and become trapped up against the cage. Silva was able to quickly capitalize with a violent knee to the sternum that put an end to the fight and their long standing rivalry.
1) Scott Smith vs Pete Sell – The Ultimate Fighter: The Comeback Finale
This type of list would not be complete without mention of this fight. After being rocked by a body shot, Scott Smith backed up from his opponent and bent over. Pete Sell seeing his opponent standing there seemingly defenseless with a look of pure agony on his face decided to rush forward, desperate to put an end to the fight, but, absolutely out of nowhere Smith stands back up straight while throwing a power punch that landed flush, knocking Sell unconscious. Check out this incredible finish and all of the others mentioned in the video below!
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