The nature of sports means that upsets can happen. Otherwise, much of it would not be worth watching. While big upsets become part of the lore and history of all sports disciplines, there’s always something special about surprises in combat sports. Perhaps it’s the one-on-one nature of the bouts, or the pre-fight psychology, or the physicality of combat sports, but whatever it is, that moment when you see a pre-fight favorite defeated by an underdog is like nothing else in sports.
Women’s MMA has, of course, seen its fair share of massive upsets, some of which made instant stars out of the underdogs. We are sure to see more in the future, too. It’s part of the game. If you look at the UFC odds for upcoming women’s bouts, you can be sure that some of the betting favorites will be beaten. Yet, looking back through UFC history, we’ve seen some special shocks. Below, we look at five of the biggest and best:
Pena defeats Nunes: UFC 269
In betting terms, this wasn’t the biggest shock in UFC history, but it was one of the most impactful. Amanda Nunes had tasted defeat earlier in her MMA career, but she was on a dominant streak, defeating everyone from Cyborg to Rousey to Holm on the way to cementing her reputation as one of the GOATs. Pena had different ideas, though, submitting Nunes in a rear-naked choke in Round 2. The fact that Nunes won back the Bantamweight Title in the rematch is somewhat moot. For just a moment Julianna Pena reigned supreme over the best female fighter in the world at the time.
Holm defeats Rousey: UFC 193
The KO heard around the world. Holly Holm was undefeated when she met Ronda Rousey in November 2015, but few gave her a chance against the biggest star in the women’s division. Rousey, too, was undefeated, and she was considered a trailblazer in the women’s division. She was also considered as close to unbeatable as one can get in combat sports. Holm knocked her out in Round 2 with a combination of kicks and punches. It was not just one of the biggest shocks in UFC history – it was one of the biggest upsets in sports history.
Modafferi defeats Barber: UFC 246
This one is somewhat underrated in the annals of UFC history. Perhaps it’s due to the fact that Maycee Barber tore her ACL during the fight, but it should be noted for the record that Roxanne Modafferi was dominating before that. Nonetheless, the rising star Barber was a huge betting favorite to win, but Modafferi, who was considered a ‘journeywoman’ of the sport, continued to press Barber, gaining a unanimous decision. It’s a great fight to rewatch, too.
Andrade defeats Namajunas: UFC 237
For up-and-coming MMA fighters, this is a great bout to study. Jessica Andrade and Rose Namajunas weren’t miles apart in the betting, but it is a great example of how a fight can be won even when everything looks like going against you in the Octagon. Namajunas was in control all the way through the first and second rounds when Andrade suddenly knocked her out with a brutal slam to the canvas. It was the Fight of the Night at UFC 237, and the pair followed it up with another all-timer in the rematch at UFC 251.
Namajunas Defeats Jędrzejczyk: UFC 217
This fight kicked off an incredible run of performances for Namajunas over a four-year period. Some wins and some losses (to Andrade), but they were always box-office viewing. The undefeated Jędrzejczyk was a massive favorite – odds of -600 – going into UFC, but Namajunas was on fire right out of the block, defeating the strawweight champion in a matter of seconds with a flurry of brutal punches. It was – by far – the Performance of the Night and one of the biggest shocks in UFC history.
