Most Notable One Hit Wonders In MMA

Most Notable One Hit Wonders In MMA
October 19, 2020 
By Ryan Porzl

The term "One Hit Wonder" is a phrase perhaps mostly associated in the music world as it describes singers or bands with one hit single or album but were never able to recapture that success and eventually fell into obscurity. The phrase can also be used for Mixed Martial Arts. In the world of MMA, there are a variety of MMA champions. Some have won many titles and tournaments be it in one promotion or multiple promotions like Randy Couture, Dan Henderson, Fedor Emelianenko, Gegard Mousasi, Cris Cyborg, Anderson Silva, Ronda Rousey, and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Some are strictly multiple time tournament winners like Royce Gracie, Don Frye, and Mirko Cro Cop. Finally, some have won just one major belt but either won it multiple times or successfully defended it many times like Jon Jones, Tito Ortiz, and Chuck Liddell. Then, there are the one hit wonders, fighters who won one tournament in a major organization and never won another again or won a major championship from a major organization but lost it in their first defense and never won another again. In this article, we'll take a look at some of the notable fighters who won a major tournament or title but were never able to hold onto a title for long or recapture that success despite in some cases getting multiple opportunities. Before we start, I should point out I will only include fighters who won major honors so independent promotions don't count as a fighter could've had multiple honors in a smaller promotion. As far as champions go, the fighters on this list are those who only won one title and failed to successfully defend it. However, if they won a tournament before or after, they won't be on the list. For example, Kevin Randleman only won one UFC Heavyweight Championship but he successfully defended it so he won't be on the list. Guys like Forrest Griffin and Matt Serra won titles and never successfully defended them but they won The Ultimate Fighter so they won't be on the list.

Kazushi Sakuraba
Championship/Tournament Won: UFC Ultimate Japan Heavyweight Tournament

We'll start with a legend that you probably didn't think was a one hit wonder. After losing his debut fight against Kimo Leopoldo in 1996, Sakuraba famously entered the UFC Ultimate Japan Heavyweight Tournament at UFC Ultimate Japan on December 21, 1997 as a representative of the Japanese wrestling promotion Kingdom and a replacement to future MMA fighter Hiromitsu Kanehara. Saku would be paired up with Marcus Silveira in the first round but the fight ended in a no contest due to an early stoppage when referee Big John McCarthy mistakenly thought Sakuraba was knocked out when he was attempting a takedown. When finalist Tank Abbott was unable to continue in the finals, a rematch was made for the finals, this time, with Sakuraba decisively winning in less than four minutes with an armbar. With the win, Sakuraba won the UFC Ultimate Japan Heavyweight Tournament and famously proclaimed Professional Wrestling was strong. As it turns out, this would be the only tournament and/or major title victory of his legendary career. From here, Sakuraba went to PRIDE Fighting Championships where his legend grew as he scored wins over Vernon White, Carlos Newton, Vitor Belfort, Guy Mezger, Rampage Jackson, Kevin Randleman, Ken Shamrock, and Minowaman all the while becoming the Gracie Hunter defeating Gracie members Royler, Renzo, Ryan, and most notably Royce. However, in spite of those wins, tournaments and titles eluded him. In PRIDE, Sakuraba entered the 2000 Openweight Grand Prix (January 30, 2000 and May 1, 2000) but lost in the semifinals to Igor Vovchanchyn after the first round due to exhaustion having previously fought Royce Gracie for 90 minutes. A year later and following a loss to Wanderlei Silva, Sakuraba would meet him in a second fight at PRIDE 17 (November 3, 2001) to crown the inaugural PRIDE World Middleweight (205 lbs) Champion but Saku lost again after the first round due to doctor's stoppage after suffering a shoulder injury. Sakuraba then competed in the 2003 Middleweight Grand Prix but once again ran into Wanderlei and was knocked out in the opening round at Total Elimination 2003 (August 10, 2003). Saku's last chance was then at the 2005 PRIDE Middleweight Grand Prix where he defeated Yoon Dong-Sik in the opening round at Total Elimination 2005 (April 23, 2005) but lost in the quarterfinals to eventual runner up Ricardo Arona at Critical Countdown 2005 (June 26, 2005). After leaving PRIDE, Sakuraba eventually found his way to K-1 HERO'S and DREAM but titles and tournaments continue to elude him. In 2006, Sakuraba entered the 2006 HERO'S Light Heavyweight Grand Prix and actually won his first round fight defeating Kestutis Smirnovas by submission at HERO'S 6 (August 5, 2006) but was then forced out of the tournament due to medical reasons. In 2008, Sakuraba entered the DREAM Middleweight (187 pounds) Grand Prix to crown the inaugural DREAM Middleweight Champion but he once again made it to the quarterfinals defeating Andrews Nakahara at DREAM 2 (April 29, 2008) before falling to Melvin Manhoef via brutal knockout at DREAM 4 (June 15, 2008). In his last title shot, Sakuraba dropped to Welterweight and challenged Marius Zaromskis at Dynamite!! 2010 (December 31, 2010) for the DREAM Welterweight Championship but he came up short again due to an infamous finish as doctors stopped the fight after his cauliflower ear bursted and his ear being partially torn off. As of 2020, Sakuraba appears retired thankfully not having fought in the last five years after dropping his last five fights and is doing grappling for his Quintet promotion and returning to professional wrestling.

Holly Holm
Championship/Tournament Won: UFC Women's Bantamweight Championship

No doubt the most well-known female one hit wonder and one of the most well-known all together. Holm originally entered MMA after enjoying tremendous success in boxing and solid success in kickboxing where she won her first seven fights mostly in the independent promotion Legacy Fighting Championships as well as one appearance early on in Bellator before signing with the UFC. Going into the promotion, Holm was considered one of, if not, the biggest threat to Women's Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey who was looking unstoppable at the time and after winning her first two UFC fights, the dream fight would finally happen at UFC 193 (November 15, 2015). Despite being a potential threat, Holm came into the fight a huge underdog at +830 but to the surprise of everyone, put on a clinic against Rousey and destroying her aura of invincibility before finishing her with a head kick knockout to claim the UFC Women's Bantamweight Championship. Sadly, Holm's 15 minutes ticked off in her next fight when she defended the title against Miesha Tate at UFC 196 (March 5, 2016) and lost the title due to a last second rear naked choke in the fifth round. Since that time, Holm has received multiple opportunities at UFC gold but has lost each time. After her loss to future Women's Flyweight Champion Valentina Shevchenko, Holm moved up to featherweight and took on Germaine de Randamie at UFC 208 (February 11, 2017) to crown the inaugural UFC Women's Featherweight Champion but she came up short by unanimous decision. Since then, Holm has yo-yoed in her recent fights trading wins and losses during which she challenged Cris Cyborg for the UFC Women's Featherweight Championship at UFC 219 (December 30, 2017) and then Amanda Nunes for the UFC Women's Bantamweight Championship at UFC 239 (July 6, 2019) but lost both. Like some on this list, Holm is still fighting as of writing but at nearly 39 years old, a lot of mileage, and a call from Dana White to retire, the clock is ticking.

Dave Menne
Championship/Tournament Won: UFC Middleweight Championship

Menne is not only a one hit wonder but probably one of the most forgettable champions in UFC history. Menne worked as a journeyman for years from his debut in 1997-2001, enjoying success in indy promotions like HooknShoot and World Extreme Fighting where he won championships while popping up in bigger promotions like UFC, RINGS, and Shooto with his notable wins being over Dennis Hallman and Chris Lytle while coming up short against future legends like Matt Hughes and Kiyoshi Tamura. In 2001, after racking up a 31-7-2 record including a win at UFC 24 (March 10, 2000), Menne returned to the UFC where he was paired up against Gil Castillo at UFC 33 (September 28, 2001) to crown an inaugural Middleweight Champion. Menne would go on to win by unanimous decision to make history and become the inaugural middleweight champion. Of course, it didn't last long as Menne would go on to drop the title to Murilo Bustamante by TKO at UFC 35 (January 11, 2002) in his first defense. After losing the title, Menne would fight once more at UFC 39 (September 27, 2002) losing to Phil Baroni before once again becoming a journeyman fighting in the indy circuit while making the one off appearances in DEEP, Rumble in the Rock, and Cage Rage most notably coming up short against the likes of Hayato "Mach" Sakurai and Jake Shields while dropping to welterweight. In 2006, he attempted a comeback in the UFC but was cut by the end of the year after going 0-2 to Josh Koscheck and Luigi Fioravanti. His last big attempt would come in 2009 during the first season of Bellator where he entered their welterweight tournament to crown an inaugural welterweight champion. Menne would go on to defeat Norman Paraisy in the quarterfinals at Bellator IV (April 17, 2009) before losing to Omar de la Cruz in the semifinals at Bellator 7 (May 15, 2009). Menne would finish his career after that going 2-1 in his last three fights with his last fight taking place in 2012 being a loss to former rival Bustamante (ironically the fight would also be Bustamante's last as well). 

Tarec Saffiedine
Championship/Tournament Won: Strikeforce Welterweight Championship

Saffiedine was one of those guys who came out of nowhere but just as he was beginning to shine, he faded away. Turning pro in 2007, Saffiedine enjoyed solid success going 6-1 before having a short run in DREAM where he went 1-1. In 2010, Saffiedine went to Strikeforce where he went 5-1 in his first six fights with his only loss being to former title challenger and future UFC Champion Tyron Woodley. After racking up a three fight win streak, Saffedine would receive a title shot against Nate Marquardt at Strikeforce: Marquardt vs. Saffiedine (January 12, 2013). Despite many not giving him a chance and coming in a +300 underdog, Saffiedine would shock many by putting on a great performance and defeated Marquardt to win the Strikeforce Welterweight Champion by unanimous decision. In the end, Saffiedine wouldn't enjoy his reign for long as this not only was the final Strikeforce card but the Marquardt/Saffiedine fight was the final fight in Strikeforce history. While to be fair, Saffiedine didn't get the chance to defend the title, he still is on the list because he didn't successfully defend it. With Strikeforce absorbed into the UFC, Saffiedine followed and many fans were excited to see what he could do. Unfortunately, injuries would plague Saffiedine's run as he didn't fight in the UFC until January 2014, nearly a full year after his Strikeforce title win. He would go 1-1 that year defeating Hyun Gyu Lim but losing to Rory MacDonald before more injuries kept him out throughout 2015. He would return in 2016 and go 1-4 from January 2016 - June 2017 defeating Jake Ellenberger before losing three in a row to Rick Story, Dong Hyum-Kim, and Rafael Dos Anjos. From there, Saffiedine disappeared from sight, possibly due to more injuries. Oddly enough, UFC kept him around for another two years until finally releasing him in November 2019. Where Saffiedine goes or what he does next is anyone's guess.

Rafael Cavalcante
Championship/Tournament Won: Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Championship

Cavalcante originally started in small Brazilian and European promotions before moving up to IFL and EliteXC where he earned a 7-1 record. After EliteXC closed and sold to Strikeforce, Cavalcante was transferred over and after stumbling in his first fight against Mike Kyle at Strikeforce: Lawler vs. Shields (June 6, 2009), Cavalcante would pick up two wins before getting a shot at Light Heavyweight Champion King Mo Lawal at Strikeforce: Houston (August 21, 2010). Despite not having any big wins, Lawal being undefeated, and Cavalcante being a +350 underdog, he would surprise many by handing the undefeated Lawal his first loss by TKO in the third round to win the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Championship. Like everyone else on this list, Cavalcante was one and done as he would lose the championship in his first defense against the legendary Dan Henderson by TKO at Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson (Feijao is Cavalcante's nickname which is Portuguese for bean) (March 5, 2011). After the title loss, Cavalcante would seemingly bounce back defeating future UFC title contender Yoel Romero and handing him his first loss before going into decline. In his last Strikeforce fight, Cavalcante would avenge his loss to Mike Kyle before the decision was later overturned due to Cavalcante testing positive for steroids. After Strikeforce was absorbed into the UFC, Cavalcante went there but eventually washed out of the promotion going 1-4 from 2013 to 2016 losing his debut fight against Thiago Silva then winning against Igor Pokrajac but then went on a three fight losing streak against Ryan Bader, Patrick Cummins, and Ovince Saint Preux. Since being cut from the UFC, Cavalcante has bounced back with a win over Dan Konecke at World Fight Tour 7 in 2017 which was an event surrounded by confusion as rumors circulated Cavalcante, along with other winners on the card, earned contracts from Bellator only for Bellator to debunk the claims. Since then Cavalcante has dropped out of sight outside of a cancelled fight in November 2019. At 40 years old and not having fought in 3 years, it seems like Cavalcante won't shake the one hit wonder stigma.

Kazuo Misaki
Championship/Tournament Won: 2006 PRIDE Welterweight Grand Prix

Misaki was originally a mainstay in Pancrase competing there from his debut in 2001 to 2005 where he didn't beat anyone significant but he racked up a 14-4-2 record and challenged Nate Marquardt for the King of Pancrase Middleweight Championship at Pancrase: Brave 10 (November 7, 2004). In 2005, Misaki made his way to PRIDE where he competed during their last two years. After dropping his first two fights against Daniel Acacio and Dan Henderson, he bounced back in PRIDE's 2006 Welterweight (183 pounds) Grand Prix where he defeated Phil Baroni and avenged his loss to Hendo. At PRIDE Bushido 13 (November 5, 2006), Misaki lost in the semifinals to up and comer Paulo Filho. However, when Filho suffered an injury during the fight and couldn't continue, Misaki was allowed back in where he faced Denis Kang in the finals at the same night. Misaki would go on to score a close split decision to win the Grand Prix. The GP would be his only honor as PRIDE would shut down in early 2007 and title shots became rare. From 2008-2010, Misaki would mostly compete for Sengoku while doing shots in Strikeforce, DREAM, and DEEP where he scored wins over Siyar Bahadurzada, Kazuhiro Nakamura, and Joe Riggs. At World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku no Ran 2009 (January 4, 2009), Misaki challenged Jorge Santiago for the Sengoku Middleweight Championship but came up short by technical submission. Eventually, Misaki earned a rematch at World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku Raiden Championship 14 (August 22, 2010) but lost again this time via TKO due to corner stoppage though the fight got praise and won several year end awards. This would be Misaki's last shot as he finished his career on a three fight win streak with his last fight being a win over Paul Daley at Strikeforce: Tate vs Rousey (March 3, 2012).

Minoru Suzuki
Championship/Tournament Won: King of Pancrase

Suzuki has an interesting history when it comes to MMA. Like a lot of Japanese MMA legends, Suzuki started as a pro wrestler before making the transition to MMA where he and fellow MMA/pro wrestling legend Masakatsu Funaki founded Pancrase in 1993 and like most Japanese MMA legends, he specialized in catch wrestling. Suzuki spent most of his career in his Pancrase promotion where he debuted at their inaugural show Pancrase - Yes, We Are Hybrid Wrestlers 1 (September 21, 1993) and became one of their stars picking up wins against Ken Shamrock, Vernon White, Maurice Smith, and Jason DeLucia while only losing to top competition like Bas Rutten, Masakatsu Funaki, Manabu Yamada, and Frank Shamrock. Suzuki's first shot at a title came in December 1994 when he participated in the King of Pancrase tournament which crowned the inaugural King of Pancrase but Suzuki lost in the semifinals to eventual runner up Manabu Yamada at Pancrase: King of Pancrase Second Round (December 17, 1994). A few months later, Suzuki would get another chance at the title when he challenged inaugural champion Ken Shamrock at Pancrase: Eyes of Beast 4 (May 13, 1995). Lightning would strike twice as Suzuki scored another win over Shamrock to become the second King of Pancrase and the only man to beat Shamrock twice in Pancrase. However, the fight has been considered controversial as it's been rumored the fight was fixed as Pancrase reportedly wanted a champion who would fully commit to Pancrase while Shamrock was bouncing back and fourth at the time between Pancrase and the UFC. Nevertheless, the fight is considered a win and Suzuki became champion. Suzuki's reign wouldn't last long as he won two non title fights before losing the championship to Bas Rutten at Pancrase: 1995 Anniversary Show (September 1, 1995) via submission. After winning his next two fights including over Guy Mezger, Suzuki would get one final title shot when he took on Frank Shamrock for the Interim King of Pancrase Championship at Pancrase: Truth 1 (January 28, 1996) but lost due to submission. Following this title loss, Suzuki would begin to decline racking both winning and losing streaks over the next several years as the years of fighting as well as Pancrase's ridiculous almost monthly fight schedule began to take their toll. By the late 90s, Suzuki even began losing fights due to injuries to his hip and back. Eventually, Suzuki would call it a career after defeating fellow wrestling legend Jushin Thunder Liger at Pancrase: Spirit 8 (November 30, 2002). Since his retirement, Suzuki would return one more time with a win over Hans Nijman in 2013 but has since resumed his pro wrestling career where he's enjoyed huge success in the top three men's promotions of New Japan Pro Wrestling, All Japan Pro Wrestling, and Pro Wrestling NOAH even winning the top championship in the latter two promotions. 

Carlos Newton
Championship/Tournament Won: UFC Welterweight Championship

Newton is perhaps one of the most obvious names on this list. After turning pro in 1996, Newton racked up a 3-1 record including in promotions like Vale Tudo Japan and Shooto before getting his first big opportunity when he participated at the UFC 17 Middleweight Tournament at UFC 17 (May 15, 1998). Newton would win his first round again Bob Gilstrap by submission but lost in the finals to future legend Dan Henderson by split decision. After this, Newton would mostly spent the next few years in PRIDE with appearances in Shooto and WEF. Despite coming off a loss not only in his previous UFC fight against Henderson but also his recent fight against Dave Menne, Newton returned to the UFC where he received a shot at Pat Miletich for the UFC Welterweight Championship at UFC 31 (May 4, 2001). Like many on this list, Newton seemed likely to come up short and be Miletich's fifth victim. However, Newton would shock many by not only scoring the win but did it with one of the more unique submissions in MMA history which is a bulldog choke to win the UFC Welterweight Championship. Newton would lose the title at UFC 34 (November 2, 2001) against Miletich protege Matt Hughes. The loss would be controversial as Newton had Hughes in a triangle choke only for Hughes to pick him up and knock him out with a powerbomb. However, Hughes would later admit to his corner he was out when he dropped Newton. Because of this, Newton was granted a rematch at UFC 38 (July 13, 2002) but this time, he lost decisively by TKO. Following this, Newton never got another shot at a major title as he bounced around the next several years (2002-2007) for UFC, PRIDE, IFL, and K-1 HEROS but lost more than he won with his only big win coming against Renzo Gracie (with Renzo later avenging the loss) while coming up short against names like Ryo Chonan, Matt Lindland, and a young up and coming Anderson Silva. Newton eventually fought three more times between 2009-2010 picking up two wins in smaller promotions before losing to Brian Ebersole at Impact FC 1 (July 10, 2010) and retiring.

Brent Primus
Championship/Tournament Won: Bellator Lightweight Championship

Primus originally began his career winning his first two fights in small indy promotions before signing with Bellator in 2013. Primus would have a slow but successful rise to the top winning five fights but largely had a light schedule usually only fighting once a year. At 7-0, Primus was booked to face Michael Chandler for the Bellator Lightweight Championship at Bellator NYC (June 24, 2017). Like many on this list, not many gave Primus a chance but he held his own against the champion mostly thanks to leg kicks until the fight ended in freakish fashion with Chandler suffering an ankle injury and was unable to continue giving Primus the TKO win and the Bellator Lightweight Championship. To no surprise, Bellator decided to run the fight again due to the finish but the fight would be delayed a year and a half due to a Primus injury. In the end, Primus would defend against Chandler at Bellator 212 (December 14, 2018) and this time, Chandler would bounce back in a big way with Primus suffering his first loss by unanimous decision and lost the title back to Chandler. Unlike some on this list, Primus still continues to compete and has bounced back currently riding a two fight win streak so, he could eventually get off this list. However, at 35 and usually only fighting once a year, the odds are against him.

Murilo Rua
Championship/Tournament Won: EliteXC Middleweight Championship

The lesser known of the Rua brothers, Murilo "Ninja" Rua is the older brother of MMA legend Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. Ninja began his career in his native Brazil where he won his first four fights before eventually beginning his run in PRIDE where he competed from 2001-2006 where he settled as a gatekeeper type scoring a win over Mario Sperry and having controversial losses to Dan Henderson and Rampage Jackson while losing to elite fighters. It was in PRIDE where Rua got some of his first opportunities, namely grand prixes. In 2004, Ninja bulked up to heavyweight and entered the 2004 PRIDE Heavyweight Grand Prix but he would lose in the first round to Sergei Kharitonov at Total Elimination 2004 (April 25, 2004) via brutal knockout. Two years later, Ninja would get another shot at a grand prix when he entered PRIDE's 2006 Welterweight (183 pounds) Grand Prix but once again lost in the first round at PRIDE Bushido 11 (June 4, 2006), this time to Denis Kang but the outcome was the same via brutal knockout though this fight only lasted 15 seconds. After leaving PRIDE, Ninja popped up in promotions such as EliteXC and Cage Rage. At Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Baroni (June 22, 2007), Ninja faced former King of the Cage champion Joey Villasenor to determine the inaugural EliteXC Middleweight Champion and would win, defeating Villasenor by TKO to become the first EliteXC Middleweight Champion. Ninja wouldn't hold the belt for long as he dropped it on his first title defense against Robbie Lawler at EliteXC: Uprising (September 15, 2007) by KO. After losing the title, Ninja would continue bouncing around promotions including Cage Rage, EliteXC, and DREAM before eventually settling into smaller Brazilian and Canadian promotions as well as Impact FC in Australia. Ninja would eventually get one more shot at a major title when he challenged Tom Watson for the BAMMA Middleweight Championship at BAMMA 6: Watson vs. Rua (May 21, 2011) but lost by KO and announced his retirement following the fight. Despite this, Rua fought one more time a year later in Brazil in a losing effort to Paulo Filho before retiring for good.

Brian Stann
Championship/Tournament Won: WEC Light Heavyweight Championship

Brian Stann is probably best known for his four year run in the UFC but prior to that, he looked like a potential star on the rise. Stann originally got his start in the indys where he won his debut fight before signing with the WEC where he originally won his first four fights. At 5-0, Stann was granted a title shot against Doug Marshall for the WEC Light Heavyweight Championship at WEC 33 (March 26, 2008). Stann would go on to win the fight by knockout in only 1:35 to win the championship. He would lose the title several months later when he was TKOed by Steve Cantwell at WEC 35 (August 3, 2008). Following the title loss, the WEC's light heavyweight division was absorbed into the UFC and Stann would follow. Upon going to the UFC, Stann looked like he had good potential and fought there for four years but he ultimately went 6-5 during his run and while he got some good wins over Chris Leben and Jorge Santiago, he never came close to title contention and was largely a gatekeeper losing to almost every top fighter he fought including Phil Davis, Chael Sonnen, Michael Bisping, and an aging Wanderlei Silva. Stann would eventually retire in 2013 after losing his last two fights to Bisping and Silva before settling in as a commentator first for the UFC and now for the PFL. 

Clay Guida
Championship/Tournament Won: Strikeforce Lightweight Championship

Guida is best known for his LONG run in the UFC where, as of writing, he's going on 14 years. Through it all, he's faced many greats, scored some great wins, and had some exciting fights. What many may not remember or don't know, Guida was a Strikeforce champion before entering the Octagon. After spending time in the independent circuit, Guida would rack up an 18-4 record when he debuted for Strikeforce in 2006. In his debut, he faced Josh Thomson to crown the inaugural Strikeforce Lightweight Champion at Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Gracie (March 10, 2006) and ended up winning the fight by unanimous decision to become the first champion. Three months later, Guida would lose the title in his first defense against Gilbert Melendez at Strikeforce: Revenge (June 9, 2006). After that, Guida would leave Strikeforce and bounce around between Shooto and WEC before signing with the UFC in late 2006 where he competes to this day. As of writing, Guida has had an up and down run in UFC currently owning a 15-14 record and while he's scored some good wins, he's largely been a gatekeeper type fighter as he's rarely been able to take that next step. The closest Guida has gone to title contention in the UFC was from 2010-2011 where he racked up a four fight win streak including over the likes of Rafael Dos Anjos, Takanori Gomi, and Anthony Pettis which earned him a title eliminator fight against Benson Henderson with the winner facing Frankie Edgar in 2012 at UFC on FOX: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos (November 12, 2011) but he proved no match for him and lost by unanimous decision. Since then, Guida hasn't come close to a title shot which included a failed run at featherweight and while he still competes for the UFC, Guida is nearly 40 and his best days are clearly behind him. It would require a lot of good luck for something to happen and while stranger things have happened in MMA, this doesn't appear likely.

Germaine de Randamie
Championship/Tournament Won: UFC Women's Featherweight Championship

de Randamie is an interesting case as she's the first to become a one hit wonder somewhat voluntarily. Originally a very successful kickboxer, de Randamie turned to MMA where she started in the indy promotions and Strikeforce before joining UFC after Strikeforce was absorbed into it in 2013. After going 1-1 in her first two fights including a loss to future double champion Amanda Nunes, de Randamie would go on a two fight winning streak before facing Holly Holm to crown the inaugural UFC Women's Featherweight Champion at UFC 208 (February 11, 2017). de Randamie would go on to win the fight and the championship but not without controversy as she threw punches twice at Holm after the end of two rounds which should've resulted in point deductions. de Randamie's story then gets interested as she wouldn't successfully defend the title. Not because she lost but because she refused. Later in 2017, the UFC tried to book a fight between her and Cris Cyborg but de Randamie would refuse with her official reason being Cyborg's past with PED use but many thought she was simply ducking and after refusing to face Cyborg, she allowed the UFC to strip her of the championship and she would disappear for the next year and a half. Since returning, de Randamie would win her next two fights, now at bantamweight, before getting another title shot when she challenged Amanda Nunes for the UFC Women's Bantamweight Championship at UFC 245 (December 14, 2019) but she would come up short, losing by decision. Like some on this list, de Randamie is still fighting but having lost to Nunes twice, who holds both the bantamweight and featherweight titles, as well as not being the most active fighter, the odds of her getting another title are slim.

Julianna Pena
Championship/Tournament Won: UFC The Ultimate Fighter 18 Women's Bantamweight Tournament

Like many on this list, Pena began her career in the independent circuit where he racked up a 4-2 record. Despite not having the best record, she qualified for the 18th season of The Ultimate Fighter where she became a member of Miesha Tate's team. After making her way to the finals, Pena would go on to defeat Jessica Rakoczy by TKO at The Ultimate Fighter: Team Rousey vs. Team Tate (November 30, 2013) making her the first female Ultimate Fighter winner. With the TUF win, it looked like she had a big career in front of her and while she's racked up a 4-1 record with wins over Jessica Eye, Cat Zingano, and Nicco Montano while her lone loss is to future women's flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko, her career hasn't progressed the way many would hope. She would miss 2 1/2 years due to pregnancy and her career would be sidelined constantly due to injuries with her missing as much as a year at a time. Fortunately, Pena is 31 so she has time to change this but given the amount of injuries she's suffered and lack of activity could eventually be too much.

Rafael Lovato Jr.
Championship/Tournament Won: Bellator Middleweight Championship

Lovato is a sad case as he's a one hit wonder not because of losing his title and failing to regain a title in future fights like most but rather because of health reasons. Lovato originally got his start in the LFA promotion before signing with Bellator after going 4-0. After signing, Lovato would win his first five fights before receiving a shot at Gegard Mousasi and the Bellator Middleweight Championship at Bellator 223 (June 22, 2019). An underdog, Lovato would surprise many by not only holding his own but score the massive upset in a close majority decision to claim the middleweight championship. Sadly, Lovato's title reign would end due to health issues as he would later be diagnosed with cerebral cavernova and would be forced to relinquish the championship by March 2020 as he would no longer be cleared to fight. While Lovato hasn't officially retired and hopes to one day come back, it's a wait and see if he'll be able to come back.

Chris Leben
Championship/Tournament Won: WEC Middleweight Championship

Chris Leben is like Clay Guida as he's best known for his long run in the UFC but people forget he's held gold elsewhere. Leben started small racking up a 4-0 record before debuting for the WEC in 2003. After winning his first six fights, Leben returned to the WEC at WEC 9 (January 16, 2004) where he faced fellow TUF 1 contestant Mike Swick to crown the inaugural WEC Middleweight Champion. Leben would go on to win the fight 45 seconds into round 2 by knockout to claim the championship. Leben would be a one and done as he never even returned to WEC so he never even defended the title as he instead would go 3-1 in the indies before qualifying for the first season of UFC's The Ultimate Fighter, thus vacating the title. After Leben did the show, he would join the UFC where he remained for 8 years going 12-10 but never came close to title contention as he was mostly a gatekeeper. Leben's career would be the good, the bad, and the ugly. The good being he scored wins over good names like Jorge Santiago, Yoshihiro Akiyama, Patrick Cote, and Wanderlei Silva while earning a lot of fans for his exciting style. The bad in that he never took that next level and one of the things he'll always be remembered for is being Anderson Silva's first victim. The ugly in that he struggled with drug addiction which likely hurt his career. Leben has apparently broke his retirement but it's doubtful he'll go far.

Eric Prindle
Championship/Tournament Won: Bellator Season 5 Heavyweight Tournament

If anything, Eric Prindle is probably a classic example of why many look down at Bellator's heavyweight division during the early years. Prindle would start with a 4-1 record before signing with Bellator in 2011. After winning his debut fight, he entered the Season 5 Heavyweight Tournament to earn a title shot. After scoring wins over Abe Wagner and Ron Sparks, Prindle would meet Thiago Santos in the finals at Bellator 59 (November 26, 2011) and that's when this story gets bizarre. The fight would go to a no contest due to Santos accidentally hitting the groin and Prindle couldn't continue. As if this situation wasn't a mess already, the bout was rescheduled for Bellator 61 (March 16, 2012) only for it to be delayed due to Prindle suffering flu symptoms. When it was then scheduled for the following week, Santos came in 12 pounds overweight which resulted in Bellator washing their hands of the whole thing, cancelling the fight, and giving the tournament to Prindle in one of the most lacklaster ways to win a tournament (perhaps second only to UFC 11). With that, Prindle received a shot at Cole Konrad and the Bellator Heavyweight Championship at Bellator 70 (May 25, 2012) but was no match for the champion and submitted in a minute. After this, Prindle continued to compete in Bellator for another two years with no success. Later that year, he entered the Season 7 Heavyweight Tournament but was disqualified in the opening round against Santos due to an ax kick to the groin. Following this, Prindle would drop his last three fights against Peter Graham, Javy Ayala, and James Thompson before being released in 2014. Prindle would fight for two more years going 3-3 in various promotions including Pancrase before retiring in 2016.

Kazuhiro Nakamura
Championship/Tournament Won: DEEP Middleweight Championship

Nakamura is a protege of Olympic gold medalist Hidehiko Yoshida who is best known for his run in PRIDE where he started his career competing their from 2003-2007 where he had a misleading 11-6 record scoring wins over Murilo Bustamante, Kevin Randleman, Igor Vovchanchyn, and Yuki Kondo while losing twice to Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Wanderlei Silva, Dan Henderson, Josh Barnett, and Shogun Rua. Nakamura's first attempt at a tournament/title would be in PRIDE where he entered the 2005 PRIDE Middleweight (205 pounds) Grand Prix where he defeated Kevin Randleman in the first round at PRIDE Total Elimination 2005 (April 23, 2005) but lost to Middleweight Champion and 2003 Grand Prix Champion Wanderlei Silva in the quarterfinals at PRIDE Critical Countdown 2005 (June 26, 2005). After PRIDE was bought out and Nakamura washed out of the UFC with an 0-2 record, he bounced back in Sengoku dropping down to middleweight (185 pounds) and entered the 2008 Sengoku Middleweight Grand Prix to crown the inaugural Sengoku Middleweight Champion where he defeated Paul Cahoon at Sengoku 5 (September 28, 2008) and then Yuki Sasaki at Sengoku 6 (November 1, 2008) but would lose to Jorge Santiago in the finals also at Sengoku 6. After this, Nakamura would bounce around Sengoku and DREAM scoring good wins over his mentor Yoshida and Karl Amoussou before eventually finishing his career in DEEP. At DEEP: 61 Impact (February 16, 2013), he took on Young Choi for the vacant DEEP Middleweight Championship and would emerge victorious to win the championship. After winning three non title fights, Nakamura would attempt another title when he challenged Ken Hasegawa for the DEEP Megaton Championship at DEEP: 65 Impact (March 22, 2014) but he came up short by a close majority decision. After winning one more fight, Nakamura would lose the middleweight championship in his first defense to Yoshiyuki Nakanishi at DEEP: 70 Impact (December 21, 2014) by unanimous decision in what would be his retirement fight.   

Roger Gracie
Championship/Tournament Won: ONE Light Heavyweight Championship

A member of MMA's royal family, it's no surprise Roger Gracie would enter the sport when so many relatives have done so before. Gracie would make his debut in a win over Ron Waterman at Bodog Fight: USA vs. Russia (December 6, 2006) and then defeated Yuki Kondo at Sengoku 2 (May 18, 2008) before signing with Strikeforce. While in Strikeforce, Gracie would go 4-1 while competing at both light heavyweight and middleweight and scored wins over Kevin Randleman, Trevor Prangley, Keith Jardine, and Anthony Smith with his lone loss being to King Mo Lawal but title shots eluded him. When Strikeforce was absorbed into the UFC in 2013, Gracie went there but was one and done losing to Tim Kennedy at UFC 162 (July 6, 2013) and was cut. Gracie would then sign with ONE Championship but only fought sporadically by this point. He went 2-0 in the promotion with his last fight being a win over Michal Pasternak by submission to become the inaugural ONE Light Heavyweight Championship at ONE: Ascent to Power (May 6, 2016). Gracie would prove to be another unique one and done as he actually would announce his retirement shortly afterwards and vacate the championship without defending it. It's unknown if Gracie would've successfully defended it had he kept fighting but as it stands, he didn't so he's on the list. 

Cheick Kongo
Championship/Tournament Won: Bellator Season 9 Heavyweight Tournament

Kongo originally got his start in Europe competing for promotions such as RINGS Holland and It's Showtime as well as the indy Kings of the Ring where he won their heavyweight championship where he racked up a 7-2-1 record. From 2006-2013, Kongo then went to the UFC where he went 11-6-1 and while he scored wins over the likes of Mirko Cro Cop, he never was able to get above gatekeeper status especially coming up short against the likes of Cain Velasquez, Mark Hunt, and Frank Mir so he never came close to a title. After leaving UFC, Kongo signed with Bellator and quickly rise through the ranks as he entered the Season 9 Heavyweight Tournament and would emerge victorious defeating Mark Godbeer at Bellator 102 (October 4, 2013) and Peter Graham at Bellator 107 (November 8, 2013). With the tournament win, Kongo earned a shot at the Bellator Heavyweight Championship where he challenged champion Vitaly Minakov. The fight would go down at Bellator 115 (April 4, 2014) but Kongo would come up short by unanimous decision. Afterwards, Kongo would do very well over the next four years by going 9-1 during this time with only loss being to King Mo Lawal while he scored wins over former Bellator Heavyweight Champion Alexander Volkov and current UFC fighter Augusto Sakai to name some. By 2019, Kongo found himself back in title contention when he rematched Vitaly Minakov (who had since been stripped of the title due to inactivity) and would go on to avenge his previous loss while handing the undefeated Minakov his first defeat. With that win, Kongo got another shot at the Bellator Heavyweight Championship against Ryan Bader at Bellator 226 (September 7, 2019) but after struggling during the fight, an accidental eye poke would result in the fight going to a no contest so Kongo would come up short again. Since that time, Kongo has lost to Timothy Johnson in a rematch which sees him further slip down the ladder. Kongo is another that's still competing but is 45 years old and already come up short in two title fights. He still has time but not much.

Hideo Tokoro
Championship/Tournament Won: 2011 DREAM Bantamweight Grand Prix

Tokoro is best known for his time as a journeyman and exciting style. Tokoro spent his early years bouncing around promotions including Titan Fighting Championship (not to be confused with the American promotion), ZST, and Shooto competing in 26 fights over five years. In 2005, Tokoro entered HERO'S where he competed in several lightweight grand prixes but always came up short. In the fall of 2005, Tokoro entered the 2005 HERO'S Lightweight Grand Prix but lost in the first round to Caol Uno at HERO'S 3 (September 7, 2005). A year later, Tokoro entered the 2006 Lightweight Grand Prix but again lost the first round this time to Kultar Gill by knockout at HERO'S 5 (May 3, 2006) but was allowed back in as a substitute but lost in the quarterfinals to Ivan Menjivar by majority decision at HERO'S 6 (August 5, 2006). After racking up a four fight win streak including over Royler Gracie and Brad Pickett, Tokoro would try one more HERO'S tournament with the 2007 Lightweight Grand Prix but he again came up short in the first round as he again fell to Kultar Gill at HERO'S 9 (July 16, 2007). After HERO'S ended and DREAM formed, Tokoro would fight there where he entered their 2009 Featherweight Grand Prix. Originally, he would lose in the first round to Daiki Hata unanimous decision at DREAM 8 (April 5, 2009) but would be allowed back in after Hata suffered an injury. Tokoro would defeat Abel Cullum by submission at DREAM 9 (May 26, 2009) but lost in the semifinals to Hiroyuki Takaya by TKO at DREAM 11 (October 6, 2009). Two years later, Tokoro would enter the 2011 DREAM Bantamweight Grand Prix where he defeated Yoshiro Maeda in the quarterfinals and Atsushi Yamamoto in the semifinals both at DREAM: Fight for Japan! (May 29, 2011). Then, he would go on to defeat Masakazu Imanari in the finals at DREAM: Japan GP Finals (July 16, 2011) to win the grand prix. After having come up short in four previous encounters, Tokoro would finally win a tournament at long last. However, he's on this list as he is a one hit wonder so this was his only honor. At DREAM 17 (September 24, 2011), Tokoro would enter another bantamweight tournament but lost in the first round to Antonio Banuelos by split decision. Tokoro would then take part in a reserve bout at DREAM: Fight For Japan! Genki Desu Ka Omisoka 2011 (December 31, 2011) but lost to Yusup Saadulaev by knockout. After DREAM ended, Tokoro would bounce around Vale Tudo Japan and Bellator among other promotions before signing with Rizin. In his last bout to date, Tokoro took on Kyoji Horiguchi in the first round of the 2017 Rizin Bantamweight Grand Prix at Rizin World Grand Prix Opening Round Part 1 (July 30, 2017) but lost by knockout.

Oleg Taktarov
Championship/Tournament Won: UFC 6 Tournament

Taktarov is an early star and legend in the MMA world. He didn't have the longest career but he made his mark including being a one hit wonder. Taktarov originally debuted in 1993 racking up a 3-0 record in two White Dragon events from Latvia. By 1995, Taktarov entered the UFC and competed at the UFC 5 tournament at UFC 5 (April 7, 1995) where he reached the semifinals before falling to eventual winner Dan Severn due to a cut. Taktarov would try again when he entered the UFC 6 tournament at UFC 6 (July 14, 1995). In the tournament, Taktarov would defeat UFC 5 tournament runner up Dave Beneteau in the first round then Anthony Macias in the semifinals in nine seconds in what is the fastest submission win in UFC history. In the finals, Taktarov met another early UFC/MMA legend Tank Abbott and would defeat him by submission seventeen minutes in the fight to claim the UFC 6 tournament. This would be Taktarov's only MMA title/tournament though he did get a few more attempts to break the one hit wonder status with no success. By winning the UFC 6 tournament, Taktarov challenged Ken Shamrock for the UFC Superfight Championship at UFC 7 (September 8, 1995) but the fight went to a draw after 33 minutes. Taktarov's last chance would be when he entered the UFC Ultimate Ultimate 1995 tournament at UFC Ultimate Ultimate 1995 (December 16, 1995). He would go on to defeat Beneteau in the first round and then beat UFC 7 tournament winner Marco Ruas in the semifinals. In the finals, Taktarov would rematch Dan Severn but lightning would strike twice as Taktarov again fell to The Beast this time by unanimous decision. Afterwards, Taktarov would leave the UFC and become a journeyman for the next two years competing in promotions such as Pancrase, World Vale Tudo Championship, and PRIDE before going into retirement in 1998. From 2001-2008, Taktarov would have brief comebacks winning his last four fights before retiring for good.

Johny Hendricks
Championship/Tournament Won: UFC Welterweight Championship
Hendricks is one of those "What Happened?" type of fighter. A guy who had everything from knockout power to great wrestling that could make him a dominant fighter for years to come only to flame out. After racking a 5-0 record in WEC and the indys, Hendricks signed with the UFC where he went 4-1 in his first five fights. From 2011-2013, Hendricks then went on an awesome streak winning six fights and showing scary knockout power along the way. After scoring wins over the likes of Jon Fitch, Josh Koscheck, Martin Kampmann, and Carlos Condit, Hendricks looked unbeatable and earned a shot at UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St-Pierre at UFC 167 (November 16, 2013). In the end, Hendricks would come closer than anyone to defeat GSP but would still lose by a close split decision. Despite the loss, Hendricks was granted another shot, this time against Robbie Lawler after St-Pierre vacated the title and took a break from MMA. The fight would take place at UFC 171 (March 15, 2014) with Hendricks finally winning the championship after scoring a unanimous decision. With Hendricks seemingly having the whole package and GSP out, it looked like Hendricks would reign as champion for a long time to come. Instead, he would lose the title in a rematch against Lawler, once again, by a close split decision at UFC 181 (December 6, 2014). Despite the loss, it didn't come off like the end of the world but it would as Hendricks would nosedive after the title loss, going 2-5 over the next two years which included a failed move up to middleweight and numerous failed attempts at making weight. Hendricks' legacy has also been tainted as the UFC working with USADA for drug testing coincided with Hendricks' decline, inability to make weight, and the loss of his knockout power which has led to speculation as to whether of not Hendricks has used steroids. After dropping his last two fights to Tim Boetsch and Paulo Costa, Hendricks would announce his retirement from MMA in mid 2018.

Shane Carwin
Championship/Tournament Won: UFC Interim Heavyweight Championship

Shane Carwin is a combination of Johny Hendricks and Tarec Saffiedine in that he seemingly had everything to be big including knockout power and wrestling, came out of nowhere, and eventually flamed out. Carwin exploded onto the MMA scene in 2005 for WEC and some independent promotions where he won his first eight bouts in quick fashion be it knockout or submission in two minutes or less. He would sign with the UFC in 2008 and racked up two more quick wins by knockout. By 2009, Carwin would then move up the ladder by defeating former title contender Gabriel Gonzaga at UFC 96 (March 7, 2009) which would earn him a shot at Brock Lesnar later in the year. However, Lesnar would suffer a bout of diverticulitis thus cancelling the fight. Carwin would instead face Frank Mir for the UFC Interim Heavyweight Championship at UFC 111 (March 27, 2010) and while Mir was able to last longer than all of Carwin's previous opponents, Carwin would still score the knockout and claim the Interim Heavyweight Championship. Just when it looked like Carwin was unstoppable, he would begin a quick decline. His next fight would be a unification match against Lesnar at UFC 116 (July 3, 2010) and despite coming close to getting the knockout, Lesnar would survive and Carwin would gas out leaving him easy pickings in the second round where he would submit to an arm triangle choke. From here, it was all downhill for Carwin as injuries would mount and he would miss nearly a year due to back surgery. Carwin would then return at UFC 131 (June 11, 2011), replacing Lesnar, against Junior Dos Santos in a title eliminator bout. In the end, Carwin was no match for Cigano and dropped the unanimous decision. This would be the end of the road for Carwin as more injuries came and after pulling out of a fight against Roy Nelson in late 2012, Carwin would announce his retirement. In the years since, Carwin has teased comebacks including signing with RIZIN for their 2016 Openweight Grand Prix but injuries derailed it and then he attempted to sign with Bellator but nothing came of that.