UFC Fighters Who Were Never the Same After Their First Loss

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In the unforgiving world of mixed martial arts, few things are as psychologically defining as that first loss. For some fighters, it becomes a turning point—a chance to rebuild and come back stronger. But for others, it’s the beginning of a slow unraveling. Whether it’s the psychological toll, a shattered aura of invincibility, or just the accumulation of damage, some fighters are simply never the same.

Here are several UFC fighters who, for better or worse, changed drastically after tasting defeat for the first time.

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1. Ronda Rousey

First loss: vs. Holly Holm (UFC 193)

Ronda Rousey wasn’t just dominant—she was mythical. With a perfect record and a trail of armbar victims, she was deemed untouchable, to the point where a lot of the MMA world believed that she could beat a vast amount of the men’s Flyweight division.

Rousey became a world-wide phenomenon, featuring on talk shows like Jimmy Fallon, films like The Expendables 3, Fast and Furious 7 and more. She had transcended the world of MMA and became a global icon for women’s sport across the globe.

But at UFC 193, Holly Holm, a +825 underdog exposed massive holes in Rousey’s striking and delivered a brutal head kick knockout that shocked the world.

After that loss, Rousey took over a year off, returned against Amanda Nunes at UFC 207, and was steamrolled in under a minute. She never fought again. The defeat seemed to shake her confidence entirely, and she exited the sport with many fans feeling she never mentally recovered.

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2. Johnny Hendricks

First loss: vs. Rick Story (The Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale)
But the real turning point came after his title loss to Robbie Lawler.

While Hendricks’ official first loss came early to Rick Story, he bounced back stronger and eventually won the welterweight title. However, his first major loss—losing the belt to Robbie Lawler in a close decision—marked a clear shift.

After that, Hendricks began missing weight, showing diminished cardio, and suffering knockout losses. His decline was rapid, and he retired far from the top of the division. Many speculate that the IV ban and USADA’s introduction in 2015 also played a role, but psychologically, he never looked like the same elite athlete post-title loss.

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3. Cody Garbrandt

First loss: vs. T.J. Dillashaw (UFC 217)

Cody Garbrandt’s performance against Dominick Cruz was legendary—a flawless mix of speed, precision, and swagger. But his first loss came in brutal fashion against former teammate Dillashaw. Cody was knocked out twice by T.J. in back-to-back fights, and the wars seemed to take a serious toll on his durability and confidence.

Since then, Garbrandt has struggled with consistency, chin issues, and a brawling style that backfires. The carefree, laser-focused Cody that dismantled Cruz has yet to resurface.

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4. Sage Northcutt

First loss: vs. Bryan Barberena (UFC on Fox 18)

Sage was one of the UFC’s most hyped prospects—marketable, flashy, and undefeated. But when he faced Bryan Barberena, a tough, unrelenting fighter, he was submitted in the second round in a gritty fight that exposed his inexperience.

Post-loss, Northcutt looked less explosive and more hesitant in future fights. Eventually, he left the UFC for ONE Championship in 2019, where he suffered a 29-second KO loss which resulted in the American getting eight fractures in his skull. This took four years to recover from. In his return fight he did pick up a brilliant heel hook victory however has not fought since with two of his fights being cancelled due to injury. It ultimately seems that early defeat seemed to derail the youthful aura and confidence that once surrounded him and he couldn’t get back on the horse that looked like he was destined for greatness.

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5. Darren Till

First loss: vs. Tyron Woodley (UFC 228)

After blasting through Donald Cerrone and narrowly defeating Stephen Thompson, Liverpool’s Darren Till was fast-tracked to a title shot. He met Tyron Woodley for the welterweight belt and was dominated and submitted in the second round.

Till never regained momentum. He was knocked out cold by Jorge Masvidal in his next fight and later moved to middleweight, where inconsistency and injuries plagued his run. Once seen as a future champ, he has since faded into the background, more recognised for his social media presence than his fighting.

Till is now partaking in Exhibition boxing, where he’s 3-0. He’s next scheduled to fight former UFC Middleweight champion, Luke Rockhold on August 30th.

6. Paulo Costa

First loss: vs. Israel Adesanya (UFC 253)

Costa came into his title fight with Adesanya undefeated and overflowing with confidence. But the dominant striking clinic that Adesanya put on—culminating in a round two TKO and post-fight humiliation—seemed to rupture Costa’s bravado.

After the loss, Costa made headlines more for excuses (like blaming wine) than wins. The once most-feared fighter in the division became unserious and has since gone 2–3 since that defeat and looks far removed from the steamrolling contender fans once feared. The once-juggernaut at middleweight is now a question mark.

7. Gregor Gillespie

First loss: vs. Kevin Lee (UFC 244)

Gillespie was an undefeated NCAA wrestling machine, known for relentless pressure and cardio. But Kevin Lee’s head-kick knockout was one of the most violent in UFC history—and it visibly shook Gillespie’s confidence.

Though he rebounded years later with a win over Diego Ferreira, Gillespie has been inactive since. Whether due to matchmaking issues or mental hesitation, the momentum he once had was long gone, and the hype surrounding him cooled dramatically leaving us to believe the man once favoured to beat Khabib Nurmagomedov will never be seen in the octagon again.

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Honorable Mentions:

• Kevin Lee – The man just mentioned was also once touted as the next big lightweight star, his TKO loss to Tony Ferguson marked a slow, erratic decline.
• Erick Silva – A once-hyped prospect who never recovered consistency after early setbacks.
• Thomas Almeida – Undefeated with knockout power until he ran into Cody Garbrandt. The loss seemed to shatter his momentum entirely.

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Why That First Loss Matters

Fighting is as much mental as it is physical. Some fighters lose and evolve—like Georges St-Pierre or Kamaru Usman. But others fall into a psychological trap. The mystique is gone. Doubt creeps in. And in a sport as brutal as MMA, hesitation is deadly.

The fighters on this list remind us that sometimes, greatness is fragile. One night, one punch, or one loss can alter the course of a career forever.