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UFC fans often put their money on some of their favorite fighters, banking on them to boost their bank accounts by picking up victories inside the octagon. Fans often bet on fighters who are either on winning streaks, are former champions, have a lot of hype around them or are dominant champions.
While most of the time certain fighters are expected to go out there and get the job done, it doesn't take too long for the tides to turn in the fight game. Sometimes overwhelming favorites fall against underdogs and 2021 was, in many ways, the year of upsets inside the octagon.
With the UFC's 2021 season officially on the books, we're looking at some of the biggest upsets that have occurred this year. In this article, we talk about five fighters that fans regretted betting on in 2021.
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#5. Israel Adesanya (UFC 259)
UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya was backed by many to conquer the light heavyweight division when he fought Jan Blachowicz in the main event of UFC 259 earlier this year. Adesanya was a -230 favorite to win the fight while Blachowicz was a +180 underdog.
This means people favoring Adesanya to emerge victorious would have to wager $230 to win $100 while those favoring Blachowicz would have to wager $100 to win $180. At the time, Adesanya was undefeated in his professional career and had torn through the entire middleweight division.
Adesanya moved to light heavyweight to become a two-division champion and was eyeing a potential clash with Jon Jones. While 'The Last Stylebender' was expected to breeze past Blachowicz, the Polish fighter had other ideas.
While Adesanya started off well, using his wide array of kicks to maintain range and keep his opponent at bay, Blachowicz took control of the fight in the later stages. He took Adesanya down thrice in the fight and landed crucial ground-and-pound strikes to tilt the fight in his favor as the Nigerian-born Kiwi fighter struggled to get back to his feet.
Blachowicz won the fight via unanimous decision, ending Adesanya's undefeated streak and retaining the light heavyweight title.
#4. Dustin Poirier (UFC 269)
![Dustin Poirier [Image Courtesy: @dustinpoirier on Instagram]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2021/12/23e9f-16407794375093-1920.jpg)
With two stoppage wins over former UFC two-division champion Conor McGregor in 2021, Dustin Poirier was widely favored to become the lightweight champion at UFC 269. Despite being the champion, Charles Oliveira was surprisingly pegged as a +135 underdog ahead of his title clash with Dustin Poirier.
Over the past few years, 'The Diamond' has defeated some of the best lightweights on the planet and was expected to get his hand raised against 'Do Bronx' in the year-ending UFC pay-per-view. Although he beat Michael Chandler to become the champion at UFC 262, people still doubted the Brazilian's abilities because he almost got finished in the first round.
The fight with Poirier started in a similar manner, with the Louisianan landing the meatier strikes in the initial exchanges. He even scored a knockdown but failed to put Oliveira away. In the second round, Oliveira forced the fight to the ground and took control, bruising Poirier with vicious ground-and-pound strikes.
It didn't take Oliveira long to put away a visibly exhausted Poirier with a rear-naked choke submission early on in the third round.
#3. Conor McGregor (UFC 257)
Conor McGregor was expected to take control of the lightweight division upon his much-awaited return to the octagon at UFC 257 in January earlier this year. The Irishman was set to fight a foe he had previously conquered in Dustin Poirier. McGregor said he was looking at the fight as preparation for a potential boxing match with Manny Pacquiao down the line.
The first time they fought one another, McGregor put Poirier to sleep in the first round. Despite having competed just once in three years heading into the rematch with Poirier, McGregor entered as an overwhelming -290 favorite to win.
While Conor McGregor remains one of the finest strikers in the UFC, what many failed to consider was the fact that Poirier had been exchanging leather with some of the most dangerous lightweights on the planet in the Irishman's absence. While McGregor was away, Poirier went to battle against the likes of Justin Gaethje and Dan Hooker, coming out with his hand raised.
Apart from being taken down once, McGregor looked to be in control of the fight in the first round. He landed crisp strikes and found his opponent's chin with right uppercuts and straight lefts every now and then. However, Poirier chose to invest in leg kicks and chopped away at the Irishman's lead leg throughout the fight.
The leg kicks reaped rewards for Poirier in the second round as McGregor's mobility was visibly affected. Poirier smelled blood and turned on the heat, unleashing a barrage of strikes on the Irishman whose movement was severely compromised.
A right hook from Poirier shocked the world as McGregor fell to the canvas only to be struck by another lethal blow. The Irishman suffered the first knockout loss of his career.
#2. Makhmud Muradov (UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Chikadze)
UFC middleweight Gerald Meerschaert caused one of the biggest upsets of the year when he faced Makhmud Muradov back in August. Muradov was on an incredible 14-fight winning streak heading into the fight and was expected to make quick work of Meerschaert.
Muradov was a -700 favorite while Meerschaert was an overwhelming underdog at +440.
Check out the fight here:
After getting rocked twice in the opening round, Meerschaert looked to be in trouble early. However, he got a much-needed breather when the fight was stopped due to an inadvertent low blow on Muradov. 'GM3' landed some shots of his own and even scored a takedown towards the end of the round.
In the second round, Meerschaert forced the fight to the mat again, locking in a rear-naked choke and forcing a tap inside just two minutes. Meerschaert, who was the biggest underdog on the entire card of the event he was competing in, shocked the world by stopping Muradov.
#1. Amanda Nunes (UFC 269)
It was expected to be another easy night in office for Amanda Nunes when she fought Julianna Pena in the co-main event of UFC 269. At +1100, Nunes was likely the biggest favorite on the card. Pena was a -700 underdog heading into the fight. 'The Lioness' was also on a 12 fight winning streak before fighting Pena.
Nunes controlled the action in the initial exchanges, landing solid calf kicks. A strong jab by Nunes dropped Pena but she quickly recovered as both women indulged in a grappling match against the fence. Nunes forced the fight to the ground and took her opponent's back halfway through the first round.
As Nunes looked to find openings to land strikes or lock in a submission towards the end of the round, Pena trapped her arm and almost secured an armbar. In the second round, Pena took the fight to Nunes, walking forward despite being touched up by the women's featherweight champ.
Nunes looked startled by the pressure as Pena kept stinging her with strikes, refusing to take a step back. What was supposed to be a cakewalk was quickly turning into a nightmare for the Brazilian. It wasn't long before Pena rocked Nunes and took the fight to the ground, immediately taking her back and sinking in a rear-naked choke, forcing Nunes to tap.
Surely no one could have predicted this as Pena dethroned 'The Lioness' to become the new women's bantamweight champ.
