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In the UFC and indeed all of MMA, winning is everything. Only by winning can a fighter fulfill their objective.
Whether a fighter's goal is based on legacy or financial gain, claiming victory inside the octagon is imperative. UFC win-bonuses increase the income a fighter earns, and a win streak can lead to a better contract.
Additionally, enough wins will earn a fighter a title fight, not only enabling them to capture a world championship but also elevate their income even more due to earning a percentage of the UFC's PPV sales. Thus, all mixed martial artists fighting under Dana White's banner do so to win.
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However, for one fighter to win, another must lose. At times, a victory for one fighter is clear and expected. Other situations differ, resulting in bouts where a fighter appears to be on the very edge of defeat before suddenly claiming victory under the most improbable circumstances. This list looks at 5 such instances.
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#5. Cheick Kongo vs. Pat Barry, UFC on Versus 4
While Pat Barry has become something of a meme due to his over-the-top reactions in Rose Namajunas' corner, the former kickboxer was once a staple of the UFC heavyweight division. The power-punching American was scheduled to face fellow former kickboxer Cheick Kongo at UFC on Versus 4.
As both men stepped inside the octagon, chaos ensued. Within minutes of the 1st round, Barry slipped on the inside of Kongo's jab and countered it with an overhand right over the top, flooring his foe. The Frenchman tried to scramble to his feet as 'HD' dove after him with an onslaught of blows that further rocked him.
Kongo managed to survive by holding onto Barry's leg. But as he stood back up, he was immediately knocked down a second time by another right hand. Defeat seemed all but certain. However, the previous sequence repeated itself as Kongo held onto his foe's leg to recover.
After both men stood back up, 'HD' stalked the Frenchman, following him to the fence before a counter-right hook from Kongo rocked him. Barry stumbled, but a right uppercut from the Frenchman flattened him. As his foe lay unconscious, Kongo emerged victorious in a bout he once seemed seconds away from losing.
#4. Antônio Silva vs. Alistair Overeem, UFC 156
Alistair Overeem should have defeated Antônio Silva at UFC 165. At least, that was the thought in most people's minds in the aftermath of the pair's infamous encounter inside the octagon. Prior to the bout, he was on an 8-fight win streak and had recently made his UFC debut with a crushing win over Brock Lesnar.
Unfortunately, the title fight against Junior dos Santos that should have been next was axed after Alistair Overeem failed a pre-fight drug test. Thus, 'The Demolition Man' was suspended from the sport for a period of 9 months. Upon his return, he faced Antônio Silva in a bout many expected him to win.
'Bigfoot' had just defeated Travis Browne to bounce back from a 2-fight losing streak. Fans saw him lose to both Cain Velasquez and Daniel Cormier in the 1st round of each fight. When the Brazilian clashed with his Dutch rival inside the octagon, the 1st and 2nd rounds transpired as expected.
Overeem outstruck Silva to an improbable degree in the first 2 rounds, with 'Bigfoot' landing only 7 significant strikes across 2 rounds compared to Overeem's 49. The 2nd round also saw the Dutchman land a takedown with an upper-body throw to further establish dominance.
With only 1 round remaining, Silva seemed like he had absolutely no hope of winning. However, the disdain that Overeem showed for his foe's skills was such that he fought with both hands low, discarding his defense entirely and exposing himself to a thunderous uppercut from 'Bigfoot'.
What followed was a barrage of punches that floored a superior fighter who became too lackadaisical to continue fighting intelligently. Thus, Alistair Overeem lost via KO to an opponent he had zero respect for.
#3. Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin, UFC 116
The clash between Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin at UFC 116 was billed as a showdown between titans. At the time, Brock Lesnar was the UFC heavyweight champion and helmed a 3-fight win streak that included victories over legendary foes like Frank Mir and Randy Couture.
Meanwhile, Shane Carwin was an undefeated knockout artist who had just captured the UFC interim heavyweight title with his own win against Frank Mir. The unification bout between him and Brock Lesnar was hotly anticipated. When both men stepped inside the octagon, the world watched with baited breath.
The bout began in classic Carwin fashion, with brutal power punches. While Lesnar tried to secure a takedown, his efforts were thwarted by his equally hulking foe. Lesnar suffered a knockdown in the 1st round, and his fate seemed all but sealed once Carwin pounced with vicious ground-and-pound.
Their fight looked dangerously close to being stopped. Many fans contested that the bout could have been stopped, but the referee afforded Lesnar every opportunity. By the end of the 1st round, Carwin was exhausted. So when the 2nd round commenced, he had no energy to fight off Lesnar's takedown.
Within 2 minutes, the former interim champion tapped out to an arm-triangle choke. Somehow, 'The Beast' clawed his way back from the brink of a TKO loss to force his foe into surrender.
#2. Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman, UFC 278
Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman had been due a rematch ever since their initial clash 7 years ago. The Nigerian's then unbeaten run in the UFC had extended to 15 total wins, including victories over standout foes like Colby Covington, Gilbert Burns and Tyron Woodley.
By contrast, 'Rocky' was at the helm of his own unbeaten streak, having amassed 9 wins and 1 no-contest. At UFC 278, Leon Edwards fought to dethrone the most dominant welterweight since Georges St-Pierre. The 1st round was an interesting one, with 'The Nigerian Nightmare' conceding the first takedown of his MMA career.
However, Kamaru Usman's physicality and relentless wrestling game soon overwhelmed 'Rocky' as the demands of high altitude in Salt Lake City sapped Leon Edwards of his cardio. The following 3 rounds were lopsided in Kamaru Usman's favor, with the Nigerian completely outwrestling his foe.
As 'The Nigerian Nightmare' imposed his will on his opponent, Leon Edwards tired more and more. Eventually, his will to fight seemed to have vanished as 'Rocky' fought with a dejected facial expression. With only a minute left in the final round, however, Leon Edwards proved his doubters wrong.
Just as Daniel Cormier was writing off 'Rocky's' chances, the British-Jamaican faked a 1-2, duping Kamaru Usman into slipping to the outside of what he thought would be a straight left—and into a sniping left high kick that instantly knocked the Nigerian great unconscious.
#1. Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen, UFC 117
Before his duo of bouts with Chris Weidman, Anderson Silva was fundamentally connected to another NCAA Division I wrestler with whom he had twice fought: Chael Sonnen. Before the rise of Conor McGregor and Colby Covington, Chael Sonnen was the preeminent trash-talker in MMA.
Years ago, Chael Sonnen embarked on a 3-fight win streak that earned him a title fight against the then reigning UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva. The Brazilian legend was on a 13-fight win streak and feared by virtually every other 185'er in the world.
Chael Sonnen was the only fighter who didn't fear 'The Spider'. Instead, the All-American dared to believe he could defeat the mixed martial artist that was once heralded as the greatest of all time. At UFC 117, Sonnen stunned the MMA world when he rocked Silva with a punch en route to a takedown.
Throughout the bout, Sonnen outstruck and outwrestled his foe in dominant fashion. Silva simply had no answer for his brash rival, and by the 5th round, it seemed like one of the greatest win streaks in UFC history was coming to an end. However, with 2 minutes left, 'The Spider' reversed the looming upset.
The Brazilian secured a triangle armbar from which Sonnen could not escape. While the American resisted, the double threat of the choke and the armlock proved too great and Sonnen tapped out, awarding Silva the most improbable win of his career.
