5 UFC fighters who took career-altering beatings

The UFC represents the pinnacle of what is arguably the most physically punishing sport in the world. Mixed martial arts is not kind to those who choose a fighter's life. As much as fighters do everything they can to limit the damage they absorb, there is never any guarantee, and eventually, damage catches up.

However, in some cases, one single fight can leave the losing fighter forever changed. They step into the octagon as winners and warriors of great renown, but leave the cage as shells of their former selves. MMA is an unkind sport, and fans have seen it deal heartbreaking beatings to their favorites.

So, what are some of the most famous cases of fighters who stepped into the cage, only to reemerge as pale imitations? Across the UFC roster, past and present, there are fighters who have taken beatings so severe, it forever changed the trajectory of their careers.

Here are five of them.

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#5. Edmen Shahbazyan, UFC middleweight

At just 25 years old, Edmen Shahbazyan is still young and has plenty of time to improve. But the sport has not been kind to 'The Golden Boy'. He once vowed to become the youngest UFC champion in history, but now, that claim seems misplaced.

However, back in 2019, it was easy to understand this logic. Shahbazyan was undefeated, with 11 wins and 10 finishes to his name. So, at UFC Fight Night 173, he was given his first crack at a main event spot. He faced Derek Brunson, the middleweight division's litmus test.

The first round was competitive, but the second round saw Brunson rock his foe and take over the bout as Shahbazyan, then 22, began gassing out. Brunson scored takedowns and landed brutal ground-and-pound as the fight seemed all but over. But, Shahbazyan somehow survived.

In his corner, he seemed barely conscious, so it was no surprise when he survived all of 26 seconds of the third round before Herb Dean waved off the fight. Brunson handed him a tremendous beating, and Shahbazyan has never been the same since, going from undefeated to 1-4 in his last five fights, counting the loss.

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#4. Rory MacDonald, former UFC welterweight

Rory MacDonald was Tristar's last great attempt at enthroning another Canadian as the UFC welterweight champion. While 'The Red King' was not Georges St-Pierre, he came into MMA as a bundle of potential with a well-rounded skill set. He could strike, he could wrestle and he could grapple, all at a high level.

In 2015, he faced Robbie Lawler in a rematch of their 2012 bout. Rory MacDonald had an 18-2 record, including a win over future champion Tyron Woodley. When he stepped into the cage at UFC 189, he and 'Ruthless' had a fight for the ages, complete with everything anyone could ever ask for.

According to many, it ranks as the greatest fight of all time, but it came at a cost. MacDonald took tremendous damage, specifically a broken nose that led to his foe's fifth-round TKO win. Despite fighting for a title, he never recaptured his previous form and adopted a far more hesitant approach to fighting.

His nose became his worst enemy and, after the loss to Lawler, went 5-7 before he announced his retirement amid a losing streak in the PFL.

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#3. Dan Hooker, UFC lightweight

There was once a time when Dan Hooker was a legitimate top 10 fighter in the lightweight division. While no one has ever confused him for a title threat or future challenger, he was always a solid middle-of-the-park fighter.

Between 2017 and early 2020, Dan Hooker had a wildly successful stretch of seven wins and just one loss, with that defeat being a horrifying beating against Edson Barboza. But that didn't stop the New Zealander, as three of his wins among the seven came after his bout with the Brazilian.

Instead, it was his loss to Dustin Poirier that changed everything. Dan Hooker took a five-round beating wherein he absorbed countless power punches to the head. While he avoided being knocked out, he's been a shadow of his former self since. After the Poirier loss, he went 3-3 in his next six fights.

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#2. Tony Ferguson, UFC lightweight

For many MMA fans, there is no fall from grace more heartbreaking than Tony Ferguson's. He went from being an interim lightweight champion, who was constantly compared to Khabib Nurmagomedov, to the depths of unranked obscurity after taking the beating of a lifetime against Justin Gaethje.

In 2020, 'El Cucuy' was on a 12-fight win streak that left his foes looking like train wreck victims. But then, an interim title bout, the second of his career, against Justin Gaethje changed everything at UFC 249. 'El Cucuy' endured a five-round drubbing that left him a bloodied and swollen mess.

He ultimately lost the bout via fifth-round TKO and subsequently lost his next four fights on his way out of the divisional rankings. Since that fight with Gaethje, he's not only looked timid, but slower, as if he has aged several years from the loss.

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#1. Renan Barao, former UFC bantamweight champion

At his peak, Renan Barao evoked shades of Brazilian legend Jose Aldo. He was an explosive striker with a Muay Thai base and exceptional anti-wrestling game. After capturing the UFC interim bantamweight title and defending it with a stunning knockout over Eddie Wineland, he was promoted to undisputed champion.

While his run as his division's unrivaled titleholder got off to a good start with a win over Urijah Faber, he subsequently lost the strap to TJ Dillashaw in one of the most one-sided losses in UFC title history. He won his next fight to book a rematch but the beating he sustained in the pair's second outing left him forever changed.

He was brutally TKO'd in the fourth round and the difference between the versions of Renan Barao before and after facing TJ Dillashaw was stark. At one point, he was on a 32-fight unbeaten streak, with 31 wins and one no-contest.

But after he fell to Dillashaw a second time, he went 1-6 in his next seven and hasn't fought since 2019.