José Aldo and 4 UFC greats whose careers were turned upside down due to a loss

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José Aldo, Ronda Rousey and Conor McGregor

#2. Anderson Silva

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The greatest middleweight in UFC history was once considered unbeatable and regarded with reverence by both friend and foe alike. Anderson Silva was the UFC middleweight champion and the head of a 17-fight win streak that led to his reputation as a human highlight reel. No striker was more dynamic than Silva with the breadth of unique finishes that he introduced to UFC fans.

His front-kick KO against former UFC champion Vitor Belfort is forever etched in the promotion's storybook as part of MMA history. However, at UFC 162, 'The Spider' suffered what remains one of the biggest-ever upsets in MMA.

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Chris Weidman, then undefeated, emerged as the latest challenger to Silva's divisional throne. In a stunning 2nd round performance, Weidman landed a knockout blow on Silva to capture UFC gold, ending the Brazilian's championship reign.

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The MMA world was in shock, but that was soon eclipsed by the end of their rematch at UFC 168. Intent on chopping away at Weidman's legs, Silva threw a hard low kick. Weidman, however, was prepared and raised his leg, turning his shin towards Silva's to check the kick. What ensued was the most shocking leg break in UFC history. Silva's leg was snapped in half and he was sidelined for over a year.

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Despite his speedy return, Anderson Silva was never the same again. He fought 7 more times, only winning once against Derek Brunson in a bout that many contested. Once unbeatable, Silva looked all too mortal upon his return. He never came within touching distance of the title ever again and retired after tasting defeat at the hands of Uriah Hall.


#1. Ronda Rousey

Like Anderson Silva, Ronda Rousey was once thought of as unbeatable.

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Rousey finished every single foe she ever faced en route to MMA superstardom. A former UFC women's bantamweight champion, Ronda Rousey captured the imagination of the world at large. Her image transcended MMA, as 'Rowdy' became a crossover star who made waves in the celebrity world, earning cameos in box office attractions like the Fast and Furious series.

Before UFC 193, Ronda Rousey was already declared the winner over her opponent Holly Holm. While both women were undefeated at the time, it was not the first time 'Rowdy' faced an unbeaten foe. Rousey defeated both Bethe Correia and Sara McMann when the two women had spotless records. When Rousey and Holm crossed paths before a record-setting crowd in Melbourne, it was a memorable night.

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Holm completely outstruck Rousey en route to a dominant 2nd round KO. It was a devastating loss that forever changed the trajectory of Rousey's career. Not only did Holm dethrone 'Rowdy' as the women's bantamweight champion, but she also ended her undefeated run with one of the most one-sided wins in MMA history.

After the bout, Rousey vanished from the public, shying away from most interviews and even hiding her face from the flashing cameras of the hounding paparazzi.

'Rowdy' took a one-year sabbatical from the sport. Her invincible aura was no more and her return fight against Amanda Nunes was disastrous, ending in a 48-second TKO. Afterwards, Rousey promptly retired from the sport and later pursued a career as a professional wrestler in WWE.

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Edited by John Cunningham
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