5 betting underdogs who won UFC championship fights in 2021
The UFC produced some incredible stories and moments in 2021. These moments will be etched in the memory of MMA fans for a long time to come.
Unbelievable knockouts, rare submissions, gruesome injuries and memorable post-fight celebrations are certainly hard to forget. However, it’s the successful underdog stories that truly stand the test of time.
To this day, the Mike Tyson vs. Buster Douglas boxing bout from 1990 has been cited as the greatest example of an indelible upset. Douglas was a 42-to-1 underdog going into his bout against Tyson. At the time, Tyson was undefeated and considered to be the best boxer in the world for his domination of the heavyweight division over the previous three years.
Despite being an astounding -4300 betting favorite, Tyson was knocked out in the 10th round. Douglas produced the greatest upset in combat sports history.
Watch Buster Douglas’ KO of Mike Tyson below:
MMA has produced its fair share of historic upsets as well – Matt Sera’s win over Georges St-Pierre, Chris Weidman’s triumph over Anderson Silva and Holly Holm’s victory over Ronda Rousey, to name a few. Watching a massive underdog overcome all the odds and produce a result that stuns the world will always be a sight to behold.
2021 in particular, has delivered spectacular underdog success stories. That being said, we thought we’d look at the five best performances by betting underdogs in UFC championship bouts this year.
#5. Charles Oliveira (+140 underdog against Dustin Poirier at UFC 269)
Charles Oliveira joined the UFC in 2010. The Brazilian endured a turbulent run in the promotion which culminated in spectacular fashion at UFC 262 earlier this year.
Oliveira took on Michael Chandler for the vacant UFC lightweight championship following the retirement of Khabib Nurmagomedov. Throughout the course of his career, ‘Do Bronx’ was accused of giving up in fights and not showing the heart of a champion. This notion was put to the test at UFC 262 as Chandler hurt Oliveira on numerous occasions in the first round of their bout.
However, the 32-year-old mounted an admirable comeback in the second round, knocking out his American counterpart 20 seconds into the round to win the belt.
vs Michael Chandler at UFC 262.
[ 17/17 | #UFC269 | @CharlesDoBronxs ] https://t.co/S6Rc7owjnp
It was his next bout, however, that truly changed the public perception of the Brazilian.
Oliveira took on Dustin Poirier in his first title defense at UFC 269, the final UFC pay-per-view of the year. The Brazilian was the betting underdog going into the bout as many believed he would struggle against the power and pressure of 'The Diamond'. Additionally, Poirier was considered the “uncrowned champ” going into the fight, despite Oliveira holding the belt.
However, Oliveira made a resounding statement with a stunning victory over Poirier. Adding to his record for most submission wins and finishes in UFC history, 'Do Bronx' locked in a rear-naked choke in the third round of the bout. Poirier was forced to tap and Oliveira secured his first title defense.
Do Bronx does it again 👑
[ @CharlesDoBronxs | #UFC269 ] https://t.co/CrEzE6tUlR
2021 saw Charles Oliveira go from being a top contender in the toughest division in the UFC to becoming an undisputed world champion. Moreover, there were a lot of lingering doubts surrounding the Brazilian's willingness to fight through adversity. He silenced his critics in style, producing two come-from-behind victories against top contenders in the 155 lbs division.
On top of the world 🌎🏆 #AndStill
[ @CharlesDoBronxs | #UFC269 ] https://t.co/0xerIRmv3b