5 UFC fighters whose stock soared after losing a fight
The UFC is the world's biggest and most popular MMA promotion. Many fighters struggle to reach the top 10 in their respective divisions. Those who do, find it harder to hold on to their ranking or progress further. At this elite level, every athlete must put all their effort into training in order to succeed. However, even that is not enough sometimes.
A draw is rare in this sport. Most times, a fight will have a winner and a loser. While it's the winner who generally gets the praise, there are times when even a losing fighter earns the respect of the fans. Such fights often go the distance, with both combatants having their moments to shine.
Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson pushed each other to the brink eight years ago today at UFC 165.
In two days, their instant classic bout will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. https://t.co/OAcauyxine
Fights such as Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar and Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson are among the most memorable in MMA history. What stood out in those contests was the determination displayed by both participants in the octagon.
On that note, here is a list of five fighters who lost the fight but won over the fans.
#5. Kelvin Gastelum vs. Israel Adesanya at UFC 236
Kelvin Gastelum made his UFC debut in 2013, where he earned a split-decision victory against Uriah Hall. Over the years, the former junior college wrestler worked his way up the rankings. He picked up wins over Johny Hendricks, Michael Bisping, and 'Jacare' Souza.
Gastelum received a shot at the title in 2019, but a medical emergency forced champion Robert Whittaker to pull out. At the time, Israel Adesanya was rapidly rising through the ranks. With Whittaker unable to compete, the UFC decided to book an interim middleweight title fight between Gastelum and Adesanya in April 2019.
Head kick from Gastelum rocks Adesanya! WHAT. A. ROUND.
#UFC236 https://t.co/qeR89cBcHd
The two contenders met inside the cage at UFC 236. The first round began with both trying to get a feel for each other's movements. Gastelum dialed up the pace and almost knocked Adesanya down with a right hook in the first round. The Nigerian-born New Zealander came back strong and won the next two, defending takedowns and landing big shots.
Israel Adesanya and Kelvin Gastelum competed in a classic one year ago today.
Here's the 🌎 Scorecard data from their encounter. https://t.co/5N2XwM1NVf
The back-and-forth action continued in the fourth round, where Gastelum had 'The Last Stylebender' in trouble. However, in the fifth round, Adesanya rallied. He dominated the action, attempted submissions, and finished the fight on top.
Gastelum lost via unanimous decision but gave Adesanya his toughest test in the middleweight division. He showed determination and heart, earning the respect of the fans. Even Dana White was impressed and said: “This is one of the greatest fights I’ve ever seen.”