5 of the worst 'accidental' headbutts in UFC history

The UFC was once billed as a no-holds-barred, anything goes, battle between two elite martial artists. Headbutts, strikes to the back of the head, and soccer kicks to grounded opponents were all the norm.

However, over the years, the ruleset has changed significantly. MMA has evolved from a spectacle regarded by the general public as human cockfighting, to a legitimate sport recognized across the world.

Due to the nature of mixed martial arts, these now illegal moves still occasionally happen, be it by accident or on purpose. A clash of heads can especially turn the tide of a fight, delivering just as much damage as a strike and often leaving one, if not both, of the fighters with nasty cuts.

In the following list, we break down five occasions where a clash of heads led to a potential fight altering moment. An honorable, or dishonorable, mention goes to Jon Jones' bizarre headbutt to Shogun Rua's stomach from full guard. Henry Cejudo has also been involved in his fair share of head clashes over the years.

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#5. Rose Namajunas vs. Jessica Andrade 2 - UFC 251

So this example isn't exactly a moment that changed the trajectory of the entire fight. It also doesn't appear to be entirely accidental. At UFC 251, Rose Namajunas rematched Jessica Andrade in a number one contender fight.

Andrade had previously defeated Namajunas via slam knockout to claim the title. However, in the rematch, Namajunas dominated for extended periods of the bout, outstriking Andrade over three rounds.

Namajunas had a massive reach advantage to contend with, as well as her ability to fight well from range. The only way Andrade could land her offense was by getting in close and striking in the pocket.

However, Namajunas appeared to have devised, whether it be accidental or not, a direct counter measure for whenever her Brazilian opponent attempted to engage. This rather unique countermeasure can be seen below:

#4. Kevin Holland vs. Kyle Daukaus - UFC Fight Night: Santos vs. Walker

The most recent example of a nasty headbutt on this list took place at UFC Fight Night: Santos vs. Walker. UFC middleweights Kevin Holland and Kyle Daukaus took the event's co-headline slot, with fans excited to see whose skillset would come out on top.

UFC Fight Night: Holland v Daukaus

Unfortunately, before the first round was up, the two men clashed heads. Daukaus' forehead collided with Holland's jaw, appearing to momentarily knock the 'Trailblazer' out cold. Daukaus immediately jumped on the opportunity to lock up a submission on the bewildered Holland.

However, after reviewing the footage, referee Dan Miragliotta changed the result of the fight to a No Contest. Holland and Daukaus will rematch at UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. Rodriguez.

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#3. Anthony Johnson vs. Alexander Gustaffson - UFC on FOX 14

Anthony Johnson and Alexander Gustaffson's fight at UFC on FOX 14 initially appeared to end after 'Rumble' rocked Gustaffson with a huge overhand right. He then continued to pursue the Swede to get the stoppage.

However, slow motion replays showed that in almost the exact same instance as throwing the punch, Johnson stepped in with his head lowered, colliding with the temple of Gustaffson.

Whether it was the punch or the head clash that stunned 'The Mauler' is unclear. It may well have been a culmination of both successive impacts. Regardless, the impact is clearly there, with Gustaffson's head rocking back from the impact.

#2. Jessica Eye vs. Jennifer Maia - UFC 264

Warning: this is a bit of a gruesome one. At UFC 264, Jessica Eye took on Jennifer Maia. The bout was a hard-fought three rounds that eventually resulted in a unanimous decision loss for Eye.

Over the course of the three rounds, Eye and Maia's heads collided, and a horrendous cut was opened up on Eye's forehead. Remarkably, the fight was not called off, despite Eye being drenched in her own blood by the end of the fight.

Even after the cutman had done his work, the gash that Eye was left with on her forehead was visually disturbing. It may well have been one of the worst non-fight-ending injuries ever sustained in the organization's history.

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#1. Joseph Benavidez vs. Deiveson Figueiredo - UFC on ESPN+ 27

Following Henry Cejudo's unexpected retirement, the UFC needed a new flyweight champion. Joseph Benavidez and Deiveson Figueiredo were the two top contenders at the time. They were matched up against each other for the vacant title.

Whilst Benavidez was technically sound as ever, it quickly became apparent that Figueiredo simply hit much harder. This resulted in Benavidez attempting to up the tempo of the fight, pressuring his opponent as best he could.

However, in the process of doing this, Benavidez began leading with his head into exchanges. Just as the commentary team were noting this, Benitez lunged in, this time slamming straight into Figueiredo's forehead. The impact opened a nasty cut on Benavidez's hairline and clearly wobbled the UFC veteran.

Figueiredo quickly pounced on Benavidez, knocking down his stunned adversary. The two men would later rematch as Figueiredo had missed weight and Benavidez publicly blamed the loss on the headbutt. However, Figueiredo won with ease once again.