Time after time, we have seen some of the most shocking wins in the UFC, which have left underdogs victorious.
Some fighters have managed to pull off upsets during their battles, often when they were on the brink of defeat.
While others have been heavy underdogs before their scheduled bouts, and have come out on top.
From Matt Serra’s surprising win against Georges St Pierre to Holly Holm dethroning Ronda Rousey, here is the biggest upset that occurred just two years ago.
The Next Surprising Title Challenger
One year before his first UFC fight, you would have never believed that Sean Strickland would be contesting for UFC gold.
The Anaheim-born fighter was on a six-fight win streak, defeating the likes of Brendan Allen, Uriah Hall and Jack Hermansson.
The Californian was in a possible position to enter title contention, especially when he was the #4 Middleweight contender.
All he had to do was defeat Alex Pereira at UFC 276, but he left him with an opportunity as he suffered a first-round knockout defeat.
Five months later, Strickland faced #3 contender and former title challenger, Jared Cannonier, at UFC Vegas 66.
In a razor-close battle, the former King Of The Cage (KOTC) Champion lost by split decision, putting him further away from a chance at the championship.
In the week of UFC Vegas 67, Strickland stepped in on very short notice to take on Nassourdine Imavov in a Light Heavyweight bout.
With much-needed redemption in such little preparation, the Californian found success as he won by unanimous decision.
In another UFC APEX headliner, the #7 contender faced an unranked fighter and exciting prospect, Abus Magomedov.
The American mixed martial artist proved he was the toughest, stopping the German by second-round TKO.
While many fans were wondering what was next for Strickland, a surprising announcement was made for Australia’s PPV event.
At UFC 293, it was made very clear that Strickland would challenge Israel Adesanya for the Middleweight title.
A Supposed Mismatch with Champion as Huge Favourite
During Strickland’s ‘under the radar’ comeback, Adesanya tasted defeat for the first time in his MMA career.
The New Zealand fighter had lost to Pereira by fifth-round TKO at UFC 281 and was eager for revenge.
At UFC 287, ‘The Last Stylebender’ claimed his rematch to finally defeat ‘Poatan’ after suffering two losses to him in his Kickboxing career.
In one of the most remarkable ways, Adesanya knocked out Pereira to regain the Middleweight throne.
After earning the most satisfying win of his career, it seemed that the Lagos-born fighter had an easy start in his second title reign.
Arguably, facing Strickland and beating him would seem like the most incredible title win, since the American hadn’t defeated a highly recognised fighter.
The betting odds were both unsurprising and shocking at the same time, with the champion being easily favoured.
Adesanya to win was at -650, whereas for Strickland it would be +470, meaning the winnings would be incredible for betting on the Californian.
Shocker in Sydney
After a thrilling build-up through the pre-fight press conference and weigh-ins, UFC 293 was ready for its headliner.
Plenty of fans likely believe Adesanya would knock Strickland out, or at least earn a dominant decision.
In the first round, the challenger applied pressure and was not deterred by any of the champion’s strikes.
With 30 seconds left of the round, Strickland dropped The Last Stylebender with a one-two punch combo, making the crowd go mental.
While the Nigerian-born mixed martial artist dominated the second round, the Anaheim fighter was on cruise control throughout the rest of the fight.
Strickland’s constant pressure and excellent defence had Adesanya confused, beating his fighting style with ease.
After taunting the champion at the end of the fifth round, it was all down to the judges’ scorecards.
The 32-year-old won by unanimous decision and became the new King of the Middleweights, causing one of the biggest upsets in UFC history.
The Aftermath of Becoming Champion
After creating the most shocking UFC moment of 2023, Strickland’s fan base skyrocketed.
Fans already loved his trash talk, but now, as the UFC Middleweight Champion, he has become a quick fan favourite.
Strickland’s first title defence came against Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 297, a disliked but exciting contender in the division.
Unfortunately for the American, he lost by split decision in a close, but entertaining battle.
Strickland did redeem himself to claim his rematch, defeating Paulo Costa by split decision at UFC 302.
The former champion was tasked with reclaiming his title in a rematch at UFC 312 against ‘Stilknocks’ fighting at the same place where the Californian won the belt.
Du Plessis had defended his title at UFC 305, defeating Adesanya by fourth-round submission.
Revenge was unsuccessful as the South African took home a dominant unanimous decision to keep his championship.