The Buster Douglas of MMA: 5 UFC fighters who dethroned GOATs but failed to dominate afterward
The UFC is the greatest stage in combat sports today. It has featured countless unforgettable moments, including jaw-dropping upsets. Among those upsets have been Buster Douglas-esque cases. After all, he was responsible for ending Mike Tyson's undefeated streak in one of the biggest upsets in boxing history.
In doing so, Douglas captured the WBA, WBC, and IBF heavyweight titles. Unfortunately, he lost them immediately afterward in a three-round beating courtesy of Evander Holyfield. Thereafter, he failed to reach those heights again and became synonymous with a fluke.
He became a descriptor for a fighter who stuns the world by beating a much greater foe without being great themselves, and MMA has had no shortage of such fighters.
#5. Fabricio Werdum, former UFC heavyweight champion
While Fabricio Werdum is one of the greatest heavyweight grapplers of all time, he was never expected to become a UFC champion in the weight class. His Brazilian jiu-jitsu was incomparable, but his wrestling was poor, leaving him without the ability to consistently ground his opponents.
Moreover, his striking was awful up until he began working with Rafael Cordeiro. But even then, 'Vai Cavalo' was not regarded that highly. So when he faced Cain Velasquez for heavyweight gold at UFC 188 in high altitude, he was expected to lose in brutal fashion.
Check out Fabricio Werdum submitting Cain Velasquez:
At the time, Velasquez was widely considered a shoe-in for the future greatest heavyweight of all time, and he had completely annihilated everyone he had faced. Furthermore, he never tired. Ever. But when he and Werdum locked horns, he did, gassing out in altitude, while Werdum, who had trained in altitude, persevered.
By round three, Velasquez shot for a desperate takedown, only to be guillotined. Seconds later, he tapped out. Unfortunately, Werdum would do nothing with the upset, as he subsequently lost the title in his first title defense, getting knocked out by Stipe Miocic and never coming close to a title shot again.
#4. Alexa Grasso, former UFC women's flyweight champion
At UFC 285, Alexa Grasso did the impossible by beating Valentina Shevchenko for the women's flyweight crown. Grasso was a fighter of little renown, with no hype as Shevchenko's greatest challenge yet. She was regarded as a lamb prepared for slaughter. Instead, she proved effective on the feet, outboxing 'Bullet' with ease.
Check out Alexa Grasso's submission of Valentina Shevchenko:
However, she could do nothing to stop Shevchenko's takedowns. Yet, in round four, she sunk in a face crank during a grappling sequence, forcing the tap from Shevchenko in one of the most jaw-dropping moments of 2023. Alas, Grasso was not destined for a long reign at the top.
The pair had a rematch, which saw Grasso get outwrestled again, but the outcome was a draw, despite many on social media believing Shevchenko had done enough to win. In their trilogy bout, though, she would, outwrestling Grasso for a third time en route to an easy unanimous decision win.
#3. Cody Garbrandt, former UFC bantamweight champion
The Team Alpha Male vs. Dominick Cruz saga peaked with Cody Garbrandt's rise to stardom. The undefeated power-puncher was blazing through the bantamweight division with the kind of hype and fury reminiscent of Mike Tyson in his prime. Unfortunately, he ultimately came to resemble Buster Douglas.
Cruz was widely regarded as the greatest bantamweight of all time back then, holding UFC gold in the division. Everyone from Team Alpha Male had failed to dethrone him, and there was little reason to believe that a short-tempered knockout artist in Garbrandt would do so to the evasive, quick-footed Cruz.
Check out Cody Garbrandt vs. Dominick Cruz highlights:
Instead, Garbrandt authored a masterclass at UFC 207, knocking 'The Dominator' down and styling on him throughout all five rounds to enthone himself as champion. But, his purple patch didn't last, as he lost the title in his first defense before going on a downward spiral of knockout losses and losing streaks.
#2. Holly Holm, former UFC women's bantamweight champion
Before locking horns, both Holly Holm and Ronda Rousey were unbeaten. The difference, though, was that Holm was coming from the low-level world of regional MMA, and Rousey had already beaten undefeated up-and-comers. After all, at her peak, Rousey was regarded as invincible.
So ahead of UFC 193, Holm was a historic betting underdog, which made her subsequent domination of the then greatest women's fighter of all time a spectacle. Fans were jaw-dropped as Holm made Rousey look like an amateur before knocking her out in round two with her trademark left high kick.
Check out Holly Holm's knockout of Ronda Rousey:
In doing so, she captured women's bantamweight gold and was on top of the world. However, her tenure on the 135-pound throne didn't last. She lost the title in her first defense, to Miesha Tate of all people, and failed to become a champion again, even in a different division, despite three more tries.
#1. Matt Serra, former UFC welterweight champion
In the mid-2000s, it was difficult to imagine Georges St-Pierre losing to anyone. After all, he had just demolished two all-time greats in Matt Hughes and B.J. Penn to retain his welterweight belt. Why then, would anyone have given the then 9-4 Matt Serra a chance against such a phenom?
Well, as it turns out, his punching power was why. At UFC 69, Serra was one-half of arguably the biggest upset in MMA history, when he TKO'd 'GSP' within three minutes of round one to capture the welterweight title. No one could believe what had happened, it was as improbable a fight as there had ever been.
Check out Matt Serra TKO'ing Georges St-Pierre:
But in the pair's immediate rematch, Serra was on the receiving end of a one-sided beatdown, losing his title to St-Pierre via first-round TKO without ever mounting a defense. Afterward, he went 1-2 in his next three fights before retiring from the sport, having nothing else to give.