5 UFC fighters who couldn't accept a loss
The UFC is the biggest promotion in the world of MMA. From pay-per-view sales to overall popularity, it rules the roost in every aspect. Naturally, the best mixed martial artists are always looking to sign with the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Competition is stiff and fighters are bound to lose at some point. Khabib Nurmagomedov is a unique case of an MMA fighter finishing their career with a perfect record.
While some, like Georges St-Pierre, have taken their defeats graciously and come back stronger, there are others whose reaction to losing has been extreme.
Fighters say that they don't like making excuses. Yet, after a loss, some make them anyway. However, there are fighters who refuse to even accept a loss. They blame every external (at times, non-existent) factor involved in the fight for the result, from absurd excuses to calling officials biased.
Here are 5 UFC fighters who were in denial after losing a fight.
#5. TJ Dillashaw's unsuccessful attempt at becoming a two-division UFC champion
TJ Dillashaw is a two-time UFC bantamweight champion and a veteran of the division. He captured the title in 2014 against Renan Barao and successfully defended it twice. However, Dillashaw lost his strap to Dominick Cruz in 2016. Undeterred, he rebounded quickly, winning two fights the same year and soon challenged then champion Cody Garbrandt.
He recaptured the bantamweight title after beating Garbrandt in 2017. In 2019, Dillashaw set his sights on the flyweight belt and a chance to become a two-division champion. Both Dillashaw and flyweight king Henry Cejudo had already established themselves as two of the best in the UFC.
The buildup to the fight was bitter, as both fighters claimed to be superior to the other. The pair insulted each other at every opportunity.
Dillashaw and Cejudo go off at each other:
A well-rounded fighter, Dillashaw possesses fast hands and good wrestling. However, he could not put them into practice as Cejudo stopped him in just 32 seconds. 'The Messenger' dropped the bantamweight champ with a hard right hand and proceeded to pummel him with follow-up shots. Dillashaw tried but was unable to recover and the fight was stopped.
The 35-year-old is a durable fighter, but a brutal weight cut of almost 30 lbs may have comprimised his chin. After getting back to his feet, Dillashaw immediately began protesting the stoppage.
Watch TJ Dillashaw's reaction after losing to Cejudo here:
He later accused the referee of stopping the fight early and was adamant that he would have beaten Cejudo had the fight continued. In fact, he went so far as to say referee Kevin McDonald would regret the day they crossed paths again.
Following the loss, Dillashaw tested positive for performance enhancing drugs. He was handed a two-year suspension and lost any possibility of getting a rematch.