Sep 10, 2022; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Nate Diaz (red gloves) fights Tony Ferguson (blue gloves) during UFC 279 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

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7 UFC Stars and Their Heartbreaking Decline, feat. Israel Adesanya, Kamaru Usman

Discover the heartbreaking declines of UFC stars like Israel Adesanya and Kamaru Usman, exploring their struggles and fall from greatness!

Sep 10, 2022; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Nate Diaz (red gloves) fights Tony Ferguson (blue gloves) during UFC 279 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Mixed martial arts can be as unpredictable as life itself. One day you are on top of the world, and the next, you’re struggling to find your footing. The fight game has seen many champions rise to incredible heights only to face steep declines that left fans wondering what happened.

Here, we will have a look at seven UFC stars who experienced dramatic career shifts that shocked the MMA world!

Also Read: UFC Humor: Petr Yan Awards Former Foe An Oscar After Alleged Overreaction To Illegal Knee!

Israel Adesanya

Once seemingly untouchable at middleweight, Adesanya’s aura of invincibility cracked in 2023. After dominating the division for years, he lost his title to Sean Strickland in a stunning upset at UFC 293. He lost again to Dricus Du Plessis, and this was his chance to regain the title.

Nassourdine Imavov writes history! A devastating punch silences Adesanya ⚡🌊

Video Courtesy : UFC#UFC #UFCFightNight #IsraelAdesanya #NassourdineImavov pic.twitter.com/Uxpu456mqY
— STARZPLAY | ستارزبلاي (@STARZPlayArabia) February 1, 2025

His last fight was his first non-title fight in years against Nassourdine Imavov. However, he seemed to have lost that touch as he lost the fight via TKO in the second round. His recent record shows four losses in his last five fights.

Kamaru Usman

Kamaru Usman was once considered to be a candidate for the title of welterweight GOAT. He had stacked up an impressive 15- fight win streak until his second fight with Leon Edwards happened in 2022. ‘Rocky’ landed a head kick in the last round that sent Usman in dreamland, and he hasn’t been the same since.

Kamaru Usman vs Leon Edwards 2

One of the craziest moments in MMA history. Usman was dominating the fight and Leon looked like he was fading. But in spite of that, Leon stayed patient and landed a head kick that finished Usman and shocked the world pic.twitter.com/bWw5zaUwnJ
— PantojaGOAT (@Pantoja_GOAT) December 4, 2023

He failed to reclaim his title in the trilogy fight and in 2023, lost to Khamzat Chimaev at middleweight. He has been inactive for close to 1.5 years since, and his return has been a topic of debate among fight fans. His current 0-3 skid is a far cry from his 15-fight win streak.

Cody Garbrandt

After his masterclass against Dominick Cruz in 2016, Garbrandt looked like bantamweight’s future. His movement and speed had Cruz all wound up. But, it seemed like Garbrandt gave all that he had in that one fight.

When Kai Kara-france obliterated Cody Garbrandt 😬 pic.twitter.com/oC3IKcWgdw
— MrTestoestrogen (@MrTestoestrogen) December 30, 2024

He went from an 11-0 to 3-6 in his last 9 fights, with four losses by knockout. His speed remains, but his once-legendary chin seems compromised, and now, his dreams of reclaiming that belt seem a bit far off.

Brian Ortega

Brian Ortega’s technical brilliance earned him two title shots, but injuries and brutal wars have taken their toll. He went from being 14-0 to be 2-4 in his six fights, with each loss more physically demanding than the last.

DIEGO LOPES JUST DROPPED BRIAN ORTEGA 😱

[ #UFC306 at @RiyadhSeason #NocheUFC live RIGHT NOW on @ESPNPlus PPV ] pic.twitter.com/0N8tHWW2VH
— UFC (@ufc) September 15, 2024

He has lost to Max Holloway, Yair Rodriguez, Alexander Volkanovski and recently, got dominated by Diego Lopes at UFC 306.

Tony Ferguson

Tony Ferguson was once on top of the lightweight division. He was the one that fans thought would be Khabib Nurmaogomedov’s bane. However, his 12-fight win streak feels like ancient history now.

Tony Ferguson just got destroyed by Justin Gaethje #UFC249 https://t.co/gGVuBTEYhL
— DailySportsDosage (@SportsDsd) May 10, 2020

He has lost eight straight since 2020, with each performance showing diminishing returns. The damage from his wars, especially the one with Justin Gaethje, and unique training methods seems to have caught up with the 40 year old veteran. He recently left the UFC and joined GFL.

Paulo Costa

Paulo Costa’s musclebound style captivated fans early on. His propensity for throwing caution to the wind and banging out, coupled with his sense of humor had fan favourite written all over it.

Congratulations to Sean Strickland

Sean Strickland Beats Paulo Costa By Decision at UFC 302 #strickland #ufc #mma #fightnight #ufcfightnight #seanstrickland #fight #danawhite pic.twitter.com/WUOwKbRyss
— Devin M Davis (@RealDevinDavis) June 2, 2024

However, since his title loss to Adesanya, he has struggled hard. Between weight issues and inconsistent performances, he’s 1-4 in his last four fights. His recent loss was against Sean Strickland at UFC 302.

Alexander Volkanovski

While it might be premature to call it a decline, Alexander Volkanovski’s recent losses to Islam Makhachev and title loss to Ilia Topuria have raised questions. The fighter than once dominated the featherweight division, now feels a shell of his former self.

Islam Makhachev head kicks Alexander Volkanovski

What an unbelievable KO, Volk has never been KO’d in the UFC and Islam not known for his kicking, shocks everyone with an incredible headkick.

Islam then follows up with some brutal hammer fists. pic.twitter.com/WQCC5zZB1B
— Bry The MMA Guy (@BryTheMMAguy) December 20, 2023

His incredible 11-fight win streak ended, showing even the most dominant champions aren’t invincible. He is now 1-3 in his last four fights.

Conclusion

Each fighter’s story reminds fans that combat sports careers can change drastically. Whether it’s age, accumulated damage, or evolving competition, staying at the top requires more than just skill – it needs timing, luck, and the ability to adapt.

These warriors gave fans unforgettable moments, and their legacies extend beyond their recent struggles. Their names will forever be etched in the MMA history!

(Image Credit: Joe Camporeale – Imagn Images)

Alexander Volkanovksi

Brian Ortega

Cody Garbrandt

Israel Adesanya

Kamaru Usman

Paulo Costa

Tony Ferguson

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!