5 UFC stars whose careers were harmed by ongoing injury issues

In a sport as brutal and taxing on the body as MMA, injuries are commonplace. It seems like every UFC event has a plethora of fighters withdrawing due to injury issues.

While every UFC event sees injury withdrawals, it’s safe to say that several great UFC fighters were far more affected by injuries than some of their peers.

In fact, some UFC legends saw the entirety of their careers blighted by injuries. While they still achieved plenty inside the octagon, it’s probably fair to say that they could’ve done even more had their bodies not let them down.

With that in mind, here are five UFC fighters whose careers were harmed by ongoing injury issues.

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#5. Luke Rockhold – former UFC middleweight champion

Luke Rockhold's UFC career has been blighted by injuries in recent years

When Luke Rockhold won the UFC middleweight title by defeating Chris Weidman at UFC 194, it looked like the beginning of a new era at 185lbs.

Rockhold had seemingly everything needed to become not only a UFC legend but a genuine superstar in the process. He sported model-level good looks, basically had no weaknesses in the octagon, and had already beaten the likes of Lyoto Machida and Michael Bisping.

Unfortunately, the new champion ended up being dethroned by Bisping in a late-notice rematch just six months after winning his title. The result was a major upset, but Rockhold was fully expected to bounce back and perhaps regain the title later down the line.

However, since then, Rockhold has been thoroughly unable to stay injury-free.

The UFC booked a rebound fight for him against Ronaldo Souza five months after his loss to Bisping, but with just weeks to go, an undisclosed injury ruled him out of the clash.

Incredibly, it would be another ten months before we’d see Rockhold in action again, as he defeated David Branch in September 2017 – his first fight for well over a year.

February 2018 then saw him knocked out by Yoel Romero at UFC 221. Before he could attempt to regain traction, his injury issues struck again.

Mooted fights with Alexander Gustafsson and a rematch with Weidman were both scrapped due to Rockhold being unable to stay fit and healthy. After just one bout in 2019 – a loss to Jan Blachowicz – injuries then sidelined him again throughout 2020.

Most recently, the former UFC champion was set to return to face Sean Strickland next month. However, yet another injury – this time to his back – ruled him out again.

Sadly, it seems like UFC fans will be unlikely to see a prime and healthy Luke Rockhold in action again – making him one of the promotion’s all-time “what if?” questions.

#4. Chris Weidman – former UFC middleweight champion

Chris Weidman has suffered numerous injuries during his UFC career

Luke Rockhold’s injury issues appeared to begin after his UFC middleweight title fight with Chris Weidman. Unfortunately, Weidman’s own injury problems had already begun at that stage.

Early in his UFC career, it appeared that Weidman would have few issues with injuries. ‘The All-American’ signed with the promotion in early 2011 and reeled off five wins before the end of 2012, being forced out of just a single fight in the process.

Weidman then knocked out Anderson Silva to end his seven-year UFC middleweight title reign. When he also won a rematch with ‘The Spider’ at UFC 178, it looked like he’d be able to dominate the division going forward.

However, a knee injury forced him out of a planned title defense against Vitor Belfort. While he eventually beat Lyoto Machida instead, the Belfort fight was postponed twice more before Weidman finally defeated him at UFC 187.

At that stage, Weidman had held the UFC middleweight crown for nearly two years – but had only managed two defenses.

Worse was still to come. After losing his title to Luke Rockhold at UFC 194, Weidman was forced out of a planned rematch at UFC 199 with a back injury. He never got his chance to regain his crown.

While ‘The All-American’ has fought on seven occasions in the six years that have followed his title loss, he’s also spent lengthy stretches on the shelf – including missing almost two years of action between 2017 and 2019.

His last appearance in the UFC saw him suffer one of the promotion’s all-time worst injuries – a nasty broken leg in a fight with Uriah Hall. It’s probably safe to say that Weidman should go down as a fighter whose UFC career was unequivocally harmed by health issues.

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#3. Khabib Nurmagomedov – former UFC lightweight champion

Could Khabib Nurmagomedov have achieved even more in the UFC were it not for his injuries?

Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov is widely recognized as one of the greatest fighters of all time, and that’s for good reason. ‘The Eagle’ somehow managed to remain undefeated throughout his MMA career, retiring in late 2020 with an overall record of 29-0.

However, despite defeating greats such as Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje, it’s safe to say that without injury issues, Khabib could’ve achieved so much more.

It’s interesting to note that Khabib’s reign as UFC lightweight champion saw him stay largely injury-free. After claiming the title in April 2018 by beating Al Iaquinta, he fought three times before his retirement. He may have competed more often had it not been for the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prior to that, though, it appeared that ‘The Eagle’ was one of the UFC’s most cursed fighters.

After winning his first six fights following his UFC debut in 2012, the injuries quickly began to mount. A severe knee injury sidelined him for almost the entirety of 2014, and despite apparently being ready to return in 2015, further issues emerged and kept him on the shelf.

By the time he fought Darrell Horcher in April 2016, almost two years had passed since his previous visit to the octagon.

Even when it looked like he’d put his issues behind him, Khabib’s injury issues reared their head again. After withdrawing from a fight with Tony Ferguson at UFC 209 in March 2017, he was unable to return until that December – meaning almost another year of his career went down the pan.

Had Khabib been able to stay injury-free, it’s hard to imagine the kind of things he could’ve accomplished in the UFC. It’s perhaps not even a stretch to say that at this stage, he’d be recognized as the greatest fighter in UFC history, period.

#2. Dominick Cruz – former UFC bantamweight champion

Former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz has been unlucky with injuries over the years

Former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz has always suggested that the idea of 'ring rust' is a myth. It's probably safe to say that few are more qualified to make such a claim. 'The Dominator' ranks up there with the most unlucky fighters in UFC history when it comes to injuries.

Cruz's issues first began in 2012. After making two successful UFC bantamweight title defenses in 2011, he was pegged to coach the 15th season of The Ultimate Fighter alongside old rival Urijah Faber, with the idea being to build a rematch between the two.

Unfortunately, that never happened, as Cruz blew his ACL out during the tapings of the show. Incredibly, due to complications arising from his knee surgery, he wound up on the shelf for a ridiculous two years and eleven months. He was also forced to give up his title in the process.

'The Dominator' finally returned to action at UFC 178 in September 2014, nearly three years after his last fight. He showed no signs of any issues when he smashed Takeya Mizugaki in the first round.

That was enough for the UFC to offer him a shot at the title he never lost, but somehow, he managed to blow out the ACL in his other knee, forcing him onto the shelf for more than a year once again.

Cruz then stunned everyone by returning in January 2016, somehow showing no rust whatsoever in a fight with TJ Dillashaw that saw him regain the UFC bantamweight title.

It was one of the most inspiring performances in UFC history and appeared to mark a new beginning for ‘The Dominator’. He fought twice more that year, ending it with a loss to Cody Garbrandt.

Unfortunately, things didn’t work out that way. A myriad of injuries meant that Cruz would not fight again until May 2020 – three-and-a-half years after his clash with Garbrandt.

Cruz now appears to be healthy and is competing again on a regular basis, but quite what he could’ve accomplished had he avoided injuries will always be a source of frustration for both him and UFC fans.

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#1. Cain Velasquez – former UFC heavyweight champion

Cain Velasquez could've gone down as an all-time UFC great were it not for his injuries

There are plenty of “what if?” questions in UFC history, but one of the biggest surrounds former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez.

Still widely recognized as one of the greatest heavyweights in UFC history, quite what Velasquez could’ve accomplished had he been able to remain healthy remains mind-boggling.

The Mexican-American debuted in the UFC in 2008 and climbed the ladder to dethrone Brock Lesnar for the UFC heavyweight title just over two years later, despite suffering numerous injuries in the process.

Unfortunately, those injuries continued to mount during his title reign. A shoulder injury ruled him out of a year of action following his title win. When he lost his crown to Junior dos Santos upon his return, a knee injury was widely blamed.

Velasquez recovered in 2012 to reclaim his title, but after defending it twice, a knee injury ruled him out of the entirety of 2014.

He made his return in 2015 but didn’t look like the same fighter in his UFC heavyweight title loss to Fabricio Werdum. Following that defeat, he spent over a year on the shelf rehabbing even more injuries.

Velasquez fought just once in 2016 – a win over Travis Browne – before a chronic back injury then sidelined him until 2019, when he lost to title to Francis Ngannou. He also blew out his knee in the process.

Months later, Velasquez retired from MMA, after somehow only fighting eight times in the nine years that followed his initial title win.

Had he remained healthy, it’s hard to argue with the idea that he’d have been considered the greatest heavyweight in MMA history. However, as it is, he feels more like a huge missed opportunity.