5 of the worst 'accidental' headbutts in UFC history

Kevin Holland & Kyle Daukaus [Image Courtesy: @CPBetting on Twitter]

The UFC was once billed as a no-holds-barred, anything goes, battle between two elite martial artists. Headbutts, strikes to the back of the head, and soccer kicks to grounded opponents were all the norm.

However, over the years, the ruleset has changed significantly. MMA has evolved from a spectacle regarded by the general public as human cockfighting, to a legitimate sport recognized across the world.

Due to the nature of mixed martial arts, these now illegal moves still occasionally happen, be it by accident or on purpose. A clash of heads can especially turn the tide of a fight, delivering just as much damage as a strike and often leaving one, if not both, of the fighters with nasty cuts.

In the following list, we break down five occasions where a clash of heads led to a potential fight altering moment. An honorable, or dishonorable, mention goes to Jon Jones' bizarre headbutt to Shogun Rua's stomach from full guard. Henry Cejudo has also been involved in his fair share of head clashes over the years.

#5. Rose Namajunas vs. Jessica Andrade 2 - UFC 251

So this example isn't exactly a moment that changed the trajectory of the entire fight. It also doesn't appear to be entirely accidental. At UFC 251, Rose Namajunas rematched Jessica Andrade in a number one contender fight.

In 2019, Rose Namajunas lost the UFC strawweight title after being knocked out by Jessica Andrade.

Two years later, Namajunas knocked out Zhang Weili and became the first UFC women's champ to reclaim the belt she once held.

Thug Rose came back from defeat stronger than ever 🌹 https://t.co/JS532cCFns

Andrade had previously defeated Namajunas via slam knockout to claim the title. However, in the rematch, Namajunas dominated for extended periods of the bout, outstriking Andrade over three rounds.

Namajunas had a massive reach advantage to contend with, as well as her ability to fight well from range. The only way Andrade could land her offense was by getting in close and striking in the pocket.

However, Namajunas appeared to have devised, whether it be accidental or not, a direct counter measure for whenever her Brazilian opponent attempted to engage. This rather unique countermeasure can be seen below:

What's in a name? That which we call a cheeky nodder,
By any other name would be as cheeky https://t.co/ocVwm4FOHa