#4. Al Iaquinta
Retired MMA fighter Al Iaquinta is known for two things by UFC fans: facing Khabib Nurmagomedov for the then-vacant UFC lightweight championship (which Iaquinta was unable to win due to missing weight) and defeating Kevin Lee twice.
A proud New Yorker, Iaquinta twice fought on home soil in the two most meaningful bouts of his career. The first matchup was against none other than Khabib 'The Eagle' Nurmagomedov as a last-minute replacement for the UFC 223 main event. It was Iaquinta's first and only chance at capturing UFC gold, a chance he lost prior to the bout by being 0.2 pounds above the 155 pound weight limit.
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The matchup that ensued was a lopsided unanimous decision win in Nurmagomedov's favor, as Iaquinta was outwrestled and bloodied over the course of five rounds. The next, and also last, time 'Raging Al' fought in New York was in his retirement bout at UFC 268.
Iaquinta, who had never been knocked out prior, faced Bobby Green. With his foe backed up to the fence, Iaquinta pressed forward only to be floored by a jab-right cross combination. His foe chased him to the ground, and the referee waved the fight off after Iaquinta was battered by a torrent of unanswered strikes.
#3. Anthony Smith
Anthony Smith is a veteran of the sport. His career dates back to 2008, and the Texas native owes much of the success he's enjoyed in mixed martial arts to his durability and toughness. Thus, it is no coincidence that Smith is nicknamed 'Lionheart' — no other alias is more fitting.
The longtime middleweight made the switch to the light heavyweight division in search of greener pastures. Upon changing weight classes, 'Lionheart' embarked on a 3-fight win streak that saw the Texas native either knockout or choke out every foe who stood between him and then-reigning UFC light heavyweight champion, Jon Jones.
Finally, at UFC 235 Smith and Jones locked horns—unfortunately for Smith, it was a typical Jones performance. 'Bones' neutralized and froze Smith as he had so many others. The loss led to a 1-3 stretch in Smith's new division, punctuated by a particularly brutal loss to Glover Teixeira. Smith lost multiple of his teeth from the blows he'd absorbed.
HHowever, 'Lionheart' would not be denied. He bounced back, amassing a 3-fight win streak ahead of his matchup with Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 277. The bout was a title eliminator and took place in front of a Texan crowd, no less. Alas, Smith was overmatched. He was outstruck, nullified, and eventually injured when Ankalaev checked one of his low kicks, losing a 2nd round TKO in his only fight on home soil.