5 UFC prospects who didn't reach their potential this decade (2010-2019)

#2 Chris Holdsworth

Chris Holdsworth's UFC career was ended by concussions

Bantamweight Chris Holdsworth was just 4-0 in professional MMA when he was signed by the UFC to star in the 18th season of The Ultimate Fighter in late 2013, but he was already widely recognised as a fantastic prospect.

A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Marc Laimon, Holdsworth was part of Urijah Faber’s Team Alpha Male, and had gone professional after putting together a 6-0 amateur record, showing both fantastic athleticism and slick grappling skills.

Those skills got him through the TUF house essentially unscathed; he submitted Louis Fisette, Chris Beal and Michael Wootten by chokes, all in the first round, and then followed that with a submission of Davey Grant in the final, making him a TUF champion to watch.

Unfortunately, Holdsworth’s career soon came crashing to a halt. He defeated Chico Camus by decision at UFC 173, but was then forced out of action by a concussion sustained in training – reportedly, then-training partner TJ Dillashaw hit him with a reckless knee strike – and hasn’t fought since.

As we edge closer to 2020, it doesn’t seem likely that ‘Holds Em Down’ will be returning any time soon; at 32 he’s still got a window of opportunity, but it’s been years since any news has been reported on him and it just doesn’t seem likely that he’ll ever recover from post-concussion syndrome. Through no fault of his own, he’s never come close to reaching his massive potential.