5 times UFC fighters quit mid-fight or in-between rounds
The UFC is synonymous with top-level MMA. Thus, when most fight fans think of the highest level of competition and the most skilled fighters in the sport, their minds often narrow on the UFC.
The likes of Bellator, ONE, the PFL and others have all been cast aside in favor of the promotion helmed by Dana White.
As is common with high-level athletes, UFC fighters typically possess a stubborn willingness to persevere. They refuse to quit, with some even opting to veer into unconsciousness rather than submit to a tight choke their opponent has secured.
Beyond the mere mental toughness of fighters, MMA features an all-pervasive culture that insists that true fighters never quit, which couldn't be further from the truth.
Some of the greatest fighters in the world have surrendered. Even some of the all-time great mixed martial artists have faced moments of enough honesty that they had no other choice but to admit defeat. It's human nature and doesn't take away from the success and iron will of fighters.
Instead, it elevates them because it reveals that fighters can quit, rendering the countless times that they don't surrender truly remarkable examples of their warrior spirit. And so, this list looks at 5 times that UFC fighters quit during their bouts.
#5. Cynthia Calvillo, UFC Fight Night 197
Before defeating Jessica Eye at UFC on ESPN 10, Cynthia Calvillo hadn't fought at flyweight since her MMA debut in 2016. Calvillo spent most of her career storming through the strawweight division, only ever losing to reigning strawweight champion Carla Esparza.
Unfortunately, only four of her six wins were official strawweight victories as Calvillo missed weight in two of those bouts, rendering them catchweight contests.
After missing weight a third time, this time against Marina Rodriguez in a bout that was declared a draw, the Californian made the switch to the flyweight division.
While her return to the weight class that first welcomed her into MMA was successful as she defeated Jessica Eye, Calvillo lost her next two fights before being matched up with Andrea Lee. The bout began at a frenetic pace, with Lee gradually overwhelming her foe with high-volume striking.
KGB Lee gets the TKO victory after 2 RDs of high-octane action 💥
[ @AndreaKGBLee | #UFCVegas42 | Prelims are LIVE on @ESPNPlus ] https://t.co/yiyInlIrbm
Come the second round, a stabbing front kick to the midsection proved painful enough for Calvillo to retreat. As Lee upped her body shots, Calvillo began dropping her hands in anticipation, hoping to catch, block, or parry the kicks, knees and punches.
Sadly, all she did was expose her face to Lee's step-in jabs, allowing her foe to further damage the orbital bone Calvillo had broken in the first round.
At the onset of the second round, the damage was too great and the Californian quit on the stool, prompting her corner to alert the referee, who then waved the fight off to award Andrea Lee the TKO victory. Cynthia Calvillo, unfortunately, has not set foot inside the octagon since that loss last November.