Originally designed as something largely similar to street-fighting, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has witnessed a tremendous growth in its fan base over the past few decades. From high-profile fighters including Jon Jones, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor, and Ronda Rousey to mainstream media exposure, the popularity of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has undoubtedly skyrocketed.
Unlike scripted matches with pre-decided dramatic storylines, MMA offers its fan base absolutely real, raw and unpredictable action which keeps them entirely hooked to the format. While the history of MMA has witnessed numerous legendary fighters dominate their opponents with their deadly moves, it has also been witness to some shocking upsets where the underdogs of MMA defied the odds and defeated the seasoned MMA fighters.
In this article we will take a look at the top four most shocking upsets in the history of MMA where underdogs outshined and stunned the world.
Top 4 Most Shocking Upsets in MMA History
Matt Serra vs. Georges St-Pierre – UFC 69, 2007
The iconic “Matt Serra vs. Georges St-Pierre’s clash in 2007 still goes down as one of the most shocking upsets in UFC history. Georges St-Pierre, who established himself as a formidable force after defeating and brutally dethroning the legendary Matt Hughes, went against Matt Serra, who was considered to be an underdog and never seen as a threat by a majority of fighters back then.
Matt Serra dominated the seasoned MMA fighter Georges St-Pierre right from the first minute of the match and left the fans shocked with his ferocious punches. The referee of the match stepped in at 3:25 of Round 1, awarding Matt Serra a spine-chilling TKO victory. Although Matt Serra entered the fight as a 10-to-1 underdog, he left no stone unturned in defying the odds and pursued a clean, definitive finish against Georges St-Pierre, who was popularly referred to as one of the most dominant champions ever.
Fabricio Werdum vs. Fedor Emelianenko – Strikeforce, 2010
At the second spot in our list of the top four upsets in the history of MMA that left the fans in utter shock, we have the most memorable clash between Fabricio Werdum and Fedor Emelianenko at the Strikeforce 2010. With an official record of 31-1 (1 NC), Fedor Emelianenko was undoubtedly hailed as one of the most deadly MMA fighters back in those days after defeating legends like Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira, Mirko Cro Cop, Mark Coleman, and Kevin Randleman.
Owing to Fedor Emelianenko’s ongoing streak of victories and dominance, fans anticipated the Russian mixed martial arts artist to easily defeat Fabricio Werdum, who showed up as a challenger at Strikeforce 2010. Although in the initial few minutes of the match, Emelianenko annihilated Werdum with his brutal punches, the Brazilian MMA fighter set up a jaw-dropping trap and locked Emelianenko into a triangle choke with an armbar combination, resulting in Fedor tapping out at just 1:09 into the first round.
Chris Weidman vs. Anderson Silva – UFC 162, 2013
Next, at the third spot in our list of the top four most shocking upsets in the history of MMA where underdogs outshined and stunned the world, we have the blood-curdling clash between Chris Weidman vs. Anderson Silva at the UFC 162 event in 2013. Anderson Silva, also popularly referred to as “The Spider”, was hailed as one of the most fearless and lethal MMA fighters before this memorable clash with the record holder of the longest winning streak in UFC history (16 fights) and an undefeated champion in the UFC (16-0).
However, the match against Chris Weidman proved to be a fate-changer for the reigning champion as Weidman landed a clean left hook that caught Silva mid-slip, followed by a brutal hammer fist. Just a few moments later, Anderson Silva lost control and collapsed on the mat, bringing the Round 2 to an abrupt and shocking level at just 1:18.
Michael Bisping vs. Luke Rockhold – UFC 199, 2016
Finally, at the fourth spot in our list of the top four upsets in the history of MMA that left the fans in utter shock, we have one of the most intense and electrifying MMA fights between Michael Bisping and Luke Rockhold at the UFC 199 event in 2016. While Luke entered the fight as a reigning UFC Middleweight Champion, Michael Bisping was considered an underdog despite his veteran status.
Ironically, Michael Bisping took on the fight against the reigning UFC Middleweight Champion Luke Rockhold on just 17 days’ notice and annihilated Rockhold with his power-packed punches. Owing to his dominant stature in the MMA, Rockhold seemed to underestimate the veteran fighter Michael Bisping, which turned out to be his ugliest mistake. After defeating Rockhold, Michael Bisping established himself as the first-ever British UFC champion, making history for UK MMA.
