'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The goal of every UFC fighter who signs with the promotion is to win the undisputed title of their respective division. Unfortunately, doing so isn't on the cards for everyone. In fact, becoming a champion in MMA's premier organization is one of the most difficult tasks in the entire sport.
So, while it is a dream shared by all of the promotion's fighters, it is one that is only realized by the rare few. Some fighters, however, come fairly close. Not only do they embark on a run that culminates in a title shot, but they also drag the champion they face to the brink of defeat.
Whether that's by forcing a controversial split-decision or nearly finishing the champion, some fighters come within touching distance of winning the title. But to their misfortune, they never come close to doing so ever again.
#5. Shane Carwin at UFC 116
Shane Carwin's stint as a mixed martial artist was relatively short, lasting roughly six years before he retired due to injury. However, his run was notable, as Carwin had amassed a 12-0 undefeated streak by 2010, which culminated in a UFC heavyweight title win over legendary 265-pound grappler Frank Mir.
Naturally, his next bout was a title unification one against the then-undisputed heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar. The two men crossed swords at UFC 116 in a titanic clash of nuclear knockout power on Carwin's part, and overpowering wrestling on Lesnar's.
In round one, he dropped Lesnar and nearly finished him with brutal ground-and-pound, busting the champion open with countless unanswered shots to the head. He was within touching distance of a TKO, which would have won him the undisputed title. But Lesnar survived into round two, and Carwin was spent.
He'd exhausted all of his energy trying to finish his foe, and couldn't muster up any resistance when 'The Beast' took him down to score a submission win. Carwin never came close to undisputed gold ever again as he lost his next bout to Junior dos Santos and promptly retired from the sport with a 12-2 record.
#4. Brian Ortega at UFC 266
Brian Ortega suffered from the usual dilemma that befalls Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialists in MMA. Despite his dangerous submission game, he lacked the wrestling ability to consistently get the fight to the ground. Yet, that never stopped him from scoring seven submissions throughout his career.
At UFC 266, he nearly scored his 8th submission win twice, when he locked horns with featherweight kingpin Alexander Volkanovski. In round three of their encounter, Ortega caught one of Volkanovski's low kicks and floored him with a counter left hand, immediately jumping on an arm-in guillotine.
The submission was tight, and it seemed like Ortega was seconds away from being crowned champion. But Volkanovski defended well, using one arm to push against his foe's hips, and the other to push against the forearm of Ortega's choking arm. Seconds later, the choke broke and Volkanovski escaped.
Even by his own admission, the choke was deep and he feared he'd lost the fight. Later, in the same round, Ortega caught him with a leg-triangle choke but again, Volkanovski managed to escape. It was the closest 'T-City' has come to capturing undisputed gold, but he hasn't fought since, injuring his arm in a loss to Yair Rodriguez.
#3. Dustin Poirier at UFC 242
In 2019, Dustin Poirier defeated Max Holloway to become the interim lightweight champion. His next bout was a unification against unbeaten lightweight legend Khabib Nurmagomedov. Defeating 'The Eagle' was a daunting task, and 'The Diamond' was well aware of that.
In round three, Poirier countered a Nurmagomedov takedown with a guillotine choke. It was deep, but 'The Eagle' kept his composure and tried to roll out of it several times before pushing down on one of Poirier's choking arms to free himself. For a half-second, fans wondered if they'd see Nurmagomedov lose.
Alas, Poirier's chance was gone, and he succumbed to a rear-naked choke moments later, losing in his first crack at an undisputed title. While he later faced Charles Oliveira four fights later, he never came as close to winning the lightweight strap as he did when he nearly submitted Khabib Nurmagomedov.
#2. Dominick Reyes at UFC 247
Jon Jones was never dethroned as the champion of the UFC light heavyweight division. 'Bones' vacated the title in favor of committing to a three-year preparation for a move up to 265 pounds. But the last challenger he faced is the one who many think came the closest to beating him.
Dominick Reyes was an undefeated knockout artist who matched Jon Jones in size and athleticism. So when the two faced off in Reyes' only title fight, he performed as well as anyone ever has against 'Bones'. He outstruck the all-time great and defended most of his takedowns.
Unfortunately, he slowed down massively in the championship rounds. But fans and analysts were still convinced that Reyes had done enough to win. So when Jones was announced as the winner via unanimous decision, the outcome was decried as a robbery.
This caused Dominick Reyes to carry himself as the uncrowned champion, but he subsequently lost to Jan Błachowicz by way of knockout in a bout for the vacant title, before losing his next two bouts via knockout.
#1. Chael Sonnen at UFC 117
Retired trash-talker extraordinaire Chael Sonnen has taken part in three different title fights in the UFC. But only one of those bouts saw 'The American Gangster' come within a hair's breadth of championship glory. At UFC 117, he and Anderson Silva squared off for the very first time.
It was an extremely dominant performance by Sonnen. He rocked Silva on several occasions, even dropping the middleweight great, while also scoring several takedowns and landing vicious ground-and-pound. Towards the end, it seemed all but certain that Sonnen was going to have his hand raised.
He had made the invincible Anderson Silva not only look mortal, but defeated. However, with two minutes left in the final round, 'The American Gangster' had a lapse in concentration and was caught in a triangle armbar that left him with no choice but to tap.
He never came close to winning a UFC title ever again, losing his next two cracks at a championship via TKO.
