5 UFC fighters who reacted poorly to losses
No UFC fighter wants to lose a bout. While certain mixed martial artists will occasionally rationalize a crushing defeat as a release from the expectations of high-level performances, especially if they're former titleholders, no one wants to lose to their foes inside the octagon.
Regardless, almost every fighter tastes defeat at some point in their career, besides Khabib Nurmagomedov. When it comes to losses, UFC fighters react in different ways. The likes of Georges St-Pierre and Kamaru Usman—both of whom are former welterweight champions—react gracefully in defeat.
Other fighters, however, make excuses for why they lost while claiming to not be making any excuses. While this is more common than not in MMA circles, some of Dana White's athletes have handled losses so poorly that they have become infamous for it.
#5. Joanna Jędrzejczyk, retired UFC women's strawweight/flyweight
There was once a point in time when Joanna Jędrzejczyk was regarded as Ronda Rousey’s heir apparent. Like 'Rowdy' during her prime, the former kickboxer was an undefeated champion with world title credentials from a different combat sport. While she never quite had the judoka's star power, she was popular.
Back then, the UFC strawweight division lacked well-known names to whom fans gravitated. After defending her crown five times, she faced Rose Namajunas. During this time, the Polish great was thought of as a heavy favorite leading into their bout. Unfortunately, all it did was make her subsequent loss sting even more.
Joanna Jedrzejczyk Says She Didn’t Tap At UFC 217 dlvr.it/Pzl7Ds https://t.co/tqaDBZOtg2
Jędrzejczyk was TKO'd within three minutes of the first round and even tapped out in surrender to strikes. She reacted very poorly to the loss, constantly claiming that she didn't tap to strikes, even though footage of the fight showed otherwise. Furthermore, she went as far as claiming that Namajunas didn't hit hard.
In her interview on MMA Hour, she was adamant about not tapping and even implied that there might be something wrong with her neurology since she had never suffered a KO or TKO before.
#4. Valentina Shevchenko, UFC women's flyweight
Not many women can claim to have beaten former 125 lbs queen Valentina Shevchenko. Perhaps her unfamiliarity with losing is behind how poorly she reacts to defeat. She still believes that she defeated Amanda Nunes, despite suffering two different losses to the WMMA GOAT.
Valentina Shevchenko suggests referee Jason Herzog may have contributed to her UFC 285 title loss to Alexa Grasso 👀 https://t.co/BXP5JZ8b0z
Her poorest reaction, however, was to her most recent title loss against newly crowned flyweight champion Alexa Grasso. She completely discredited her opponent's strengths and win by claiming that the referee's decision to order a questionable standup tired her out.
Shevchenko also expressed her belief that her decision to throw a spinning back-kick was a mistake, even though it's a kick she throws in virtually every one of her fights. 'Bullet' was also under the impression that she dominated her fight with Grasso despite losing in most of their kickboxing exchanges.
#3. Sean O'Malley, UFC bantamweight
Thus far, Sean O'Malley has only ever lost once in his professional MMA career. The bantamweight star suffered a shocking defeat against Marlon 'Chito' Vera in the co-main event of UFC 252. After being temporarily crippled by low kicks, 'Sugar' was on the wrong end of a series of brutal elbows that led to a TKO loss.
Suga Sean comments on his loss to Chito Vera 👀
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Sean's reaction to the loss has become so noteworthy that it has led to the propagation of countless memes. Not only did he characterize the loss as a fluke, but he also claimed that he still considers himself undefeated, leading to a whole host of 'mentally undefeated' memes.
Furthermore, 'Sugar' subsequently claimed that the loss didn't bother him too much because. In his own words, he's a future world champion while 'Chito' is a journeyman. He even went as far as insulting his rival by labeling him a b*tch for celebrating the win.
#2. Conor McGregor, UFC lightweight
Conor McGregor is almost incapable of accepting any of his losses. The only loss he seemed to accept without even a thinly veiled excuse was his first-ever UFC loss against Nate Diaz. However, he dismissed every defeat thereafter with one excuse after another.
Prior to every bout, the Irishman's narrative was the same: he's in the best shape of his life after undergoing the best-ever fight camp to dismantle his opponent. He promised to deliver a bad beating against Khabib Nurmagomedov, but after his loss to the Dagestani phenom, his excuses came in droves.
Conor McGregor announced that his foot was a balloon.
@teamkhabib @JessefromMMA @dc_mma @AliAbdelaziz00 @ChaelSonnen @ufc @TheNotoriousMMA
#comedinewithme #faceyourart2020 #Truth https://t.co/eLIwpd0LrU
McGregor issued numerous excuses, from one of his feet being fractured to being hungover from drinking whiskey. Prior to facing Dustin Poirier in their first rematch, the Irishman compared himself to the version of himself that defeated Eddie Alvarez in a masterclass. He claimed that he would destroy his past version.
Furthermore, he promised a masterpiece. After losing to 'The Diamond', he offered a thinly veiled excuse that he was mostly training for boxing for a potential match with Manny Pacquiao and that he hadn't undergone proper MMA training despite promising a masterpiece prior.
#1. Ronda Rousey, retired UFC bantamweight
Ronda Rousey's peak remains something without comparison in MMA. At the height of her success, UFC color commentator Joe Rogan echoed hyperbolic statements such as referring to her as a "once-in-ever fighter" prior to going as far as claiming that she could defeat 50% of the roster's male bantamweights.
"I'm nothing; what do I do anymore?"
Ronda Rousey speaks on suicidal thoughts after loss nbc4dc.com/eSuI3AA https://t.co/fYjKu5BaSs
Thus, 'Rowdy' was as ill-equipped as anyone to handle a loss during her time as a fighter. After her unbeaten run came to an emphatic end against Holly Holm in front of a then record-setting crowd in Melbourne, the once unbeaten bantamweight queen took the loss as poorly as anyone ever has.
She hid her face from the media, only accepted interviews on the condition that she not be asked about her losses, and even contemplated suicide. So much of Rousey's self-worth hinged on being an invincible fighter that a loss was the worst possible thing that could have happened to her in her mind.