5 UFC fighters who became fan favorites because of one fight

#4. UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman

Kamaru Usman started his UFC career in The Ultimate Fighter season 21. The welterweight would advance to the finals and defeat Hayder Hassan via arm-triangle choke. After winning the reality TV show series, Usman was awarded a six-figure contract with the UFC.

During his tenure as a UFC welterweight, the 170-pound fighter was criticized for his lack of stopping power. Following a competitive affair with Emil Meek, UFC president Dana White was in shock after Usman implied he was only operating at '30% capacity.'

In an epic title fight against Colby Covington at UFC 245, Usman erased any doubts about his striking being soft. In dramatic fashion, the champion earned a TKO finish in the fifth round.

Following the emphatic win, Usman faced Jorge Masvidal in two consecutive contests. In their first outing, Usman relied on his wrestling toolbox to secure victory.

When Masvidal rematched Usman at UFC 261, the tone of the championship battle appeared to change. Usman entered the second fight with an aggressive gameplan. After instilling the threat of wrestling pressure with feints, the champion connected on an overhand right that knocked Masvidal unconscious. The 170-pound titleholder has been a fan favorite since.

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#3. Sean O'Malley

Sean O'Malley quickly established himself as a fighter to watch early in his professional MMA career. 'Sugar' earned a wheel-kick knockout in his Legacy Fighting Alliance debut. Following the viral finish, O'Malley received the call to make an appearance on Dana White's Contender Series in 2017.

Just over two months after realizing success at the LFA, O'Malley was paired against fellow bantamweight Alfred Khashakyan. The performance activated an aura of hype around Sean O'Malley. The 27-year-old became the eye of the storm after scoring a viral walk-off knockout.

Unlike many before him, Sean O'Malley capitalized while fighting under the spotlight. With over 6.5 million views on YouTube, it's safe to say the flashy striker has entrenched himself as a fan favorite in the UFC.

After getting Dana White to stand on his feet, O'Malley secured a UFC contract and an army of fans too. With a single performance, the young bantamweight underlined his name among a busy pool of 135-pound contenders. At UFC 269 on December 11, O'Malley will face the No. 15-ranked Raulian Paiva.