The Top 35 MMA Fighters Today and Their Worst Career Moments

When talking about the best athletes in any sport, there are few lowlights to focus on. However, in a sport with the extreme highs and lows that are experienced in MMA, all of the top fighters have had at least one time in their careers when something didn't go their way.

Even undefeated fighters suffer minor setbacks at one point or another.

For example, rising UFC light heavyweight Phil Davis was given an excellent opportunity when it was announced he would be fighting Rashad Evans at UFC 133. However, an injury spoiled Davis' chance to become a top contender by forcing him out of that bout.

With that in mind, here are the 35 best fighters in MMA and the worst moments of their careers.

35. Vitor Belfort

After becoming UFC light heavyweight champion due to an unfortunate doctor stoppage in his first fight with Randy Couture, Vitor Belfort was out to prove that he actually deserved the belt he wore around his waist heading into his immediate rematch with Couture at UFC 49.

Couture showed that he was the rightful champion, though, and he forced a more decisive doctor stoppage at the conclusion of the third round. With the loss, Belfort became recognized as one of the most undeserving champions in UFC history.

34. Alistair Overeem

Following a lackluster victory over Fabricio Werdum, Alistair Overeem was released from Strikeforce due to a contractual issue Zuffa was having with Overeem's camp—Golden Glory.

The release meant Overeem's withdrawal from the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix, a competition that was expected to give "The Reem" a stage to finally prove he was one of the best heavyweights in the world.

For a moment, Overeem's release from Strikeforce appeared to be a massive setback. However, it turned into a positive in the end, as Overeem was able to sign with the UFC, where he will make his debut against Brock Lesnar.

33. Nick Diaz

After becoming recognized as one of the best fighters outside of the UFC by defending the Strikeforce welterweight belt multiple times, Nick Diaz was invited back into the world's largest MMA organization.

Instead of being eased into the title picture, the UFC decided to offer Diaz an immediate title shot against Georges St-Pierre at UFC 137. However, Diaz wasted his opporunity by failing to show up for multiple press conferences—or beauty pageants, as Diaz called them.

After no-showing for the second press conference, UFC president Dana White decided to remove Diaz from the title fight with St-Pierre and offered the chance to Carlos Condit. Diaz will now fight B.J. Penn in the co-main event of the same fight card.

32. Jake Shields

Some may consider Jake Shields' loss to Georges St-Pierre the worst moment of his career. However, that was a fight that most expected him to lose. It was Shields' following appearance that has done the most damage to his career.

Despite the loss to St-Pierre, Shields likely could have made a move to middleweight, where he would have instantly become one of the top contenders in the division. Instead, Shields elected to remain at welterweight for a lose-lose fight with Jake Ellenberger.

After being knocked out by Ellenberger in the first round, Shields now has some ground to make up if he ever wants to earn another shot at a UFC belt.

31. Shane Carwin

Heading into his title fight with Brock Lesnar at UFC 116, undefeated Shane Carwin had never even had a fight reach the second round. Early on in the bout with Lesnar, it looked as if that streak would continue, as Carwin looked to be on the verge of finishing Lesnar.

However, Lesnar survived the first round. An exhausted Carwin was then taken down and submitted by Lesnar. In what may have been his best chance to become undisputed champion, Carwin's gas tank failed him.

30. Brock Lesnar

After beating Shane Carwin, Brock Lesnar was scheduled to defend his title against Cain Velasquez. Based on sheer size, many expected Lesnar to hand Velasquez.

That was far from the case, however, as Velasquez overwhelmed Lesnar for a first-round technical knockout at UFC 121.

29. Clay Guida

In March 2006, a win over Josh Thomson earned Clay Guida the Strikeforce lightweight title. However, Guida's next bout came against Gilbert Melendez, who stole Guida's belt in a split decision.

While Guida is now considered a lightweight contender in the UFC, his career may have gone in a very different direction if he had defeated Melendez. Instead of wondering how Melendez would fare against UFC lightweights, we may be talking about Guida as one of the best 155-pounders outside of the UFC.

28. Hatsu Hioki

Widely regarded as one of the top featherweights in the world, Hatsu Hioki hasn't lost in nearly two years. However, Hoki's last lost—a split decision against Michihiro Omigawa—was highly controversial.

Had the judges sided with Hioki in that fight, the recent UFC signee would have been undefeated in the last four years.

27. Nate Marquardt

Scheduled to fight Rick Story in the main event of UFC on Versus 4, Nate Marquardt was removed from the bout after failing his pre-fight medical exam with high level of testosterone. UFC president Dana White added insult to injury by releasing Marquardt from the organization.

Marquardt will now have to battle to remain relevant outside of the UFC, which is never an easy task. His post-UFC career will begin with BAMMA.

26. Yushin Okami

After years of falling just short of a title shot in the UFC's middleweight division, Yushin Okami finally got his chance at the belt at UFC 134. However, Okami went the way of so many before him and suffered a second-round technical knockout loss to Anderson Silva.

25. Dan Henderson

Dan Henderson joined the UFC with two Pride belts around his waist. Those titles earned "Hendo" back-to-back title shots in his first two UFC appearances. Henderson lost both of those bouts but his first title fight with Quinton Jackson was the more disappointing loss of the two.

At UFC 75, Henderson suffered a unanimous decision loss to "Rampage" in a matchup that proved winnable for the former Pride champion.

24. Jake Ellenberger

Losing in your UFC debut can be a major setback for a fighter. After losing to Carlos Condit in his first UFC fight, Ellenberger has bounced back brilliantly, but his path to becoming a welterweight contender was certainly slowed by the split decision loss to "The Natural Born Killer" at UFC Fight Night 19.

23. Carlos Condit

Entering the UFC as the last WEC welterweight champion, Carlos Condit also tasted defeat in his first Octagon appearance. At UFC Fight Night 18, Condit dropped a closely-contested bout against Martin Kampmann. Like Ellenberger, Condit has rebounded well and will be fighting for the UFC welterweight belt at UFC 137.

22. Brian Bowles

After going undefeated in his first eight fights and knocking out Miguel Torres to become WEC bantamweight champion, Brian Bowles looked like a fighter who could hold onto the belt for a long time. However, his run as champion ended as quickly as it began after losing to Dominick Cruz at WEC 47.

21. Kenny Florian

Kenny Florian has fallen just shy of greatness on so many occasions that it is difficult to choose one moment that stand above the others as his worst.

The most disappointing loss for Florian may have come at UFC 118, though. Fighting in his home town of Boston, Florian lost to Gray Maynard in a bout that could have earned him a lightweight title shot.

20. Chad Mendes

After getting his career off to an excellent start, Chad Mendes was expected to compete for the UFC featherweight belt at UFC 133. However, champion Jose Aldo was unable to compete at the event due to injury, so Mendes competed against Rani Yahya.

While Mendes will likely earn a title shot somewhere down the road, it had to come as a disappointment to Mendes that his title shot was taken away from him for the moment.

19. Lyoto Machida

After beating Mauricio Rua in a controversial decision, Lyoto Machida was booked for a rematch with Rua at UFC 113. In the rematch, Machida was knocked out in the first round, which put an end to a very short Machida Era.

18. Quinton Jackson

Quinton Jackson has been near the top of the light heavyweight division for his entire career. After knocking out Chuck Liddell to become a UFC champion, Jackson finally reached the peak of a mountain he had been trying to climb for years.

In his second title defense, Jackson met Forrest Griffin at UFC 86. Despite being favored to win the bout, Jackson was defeated in a unanimous decision. Whether he took Griffin lightly or not, the loss was the worst moment of Jackson's career.

17. Rashad Evans

Following Forrest Griffin's win over Quinton Jackson, Rashad Evans stepped in as the next top contender in the light heavyweight division. After winning the belt with a knockout of Griffin, Evans was scheduled to defend the belt against Lyoto Machida.

In the second round of his fight with Machida, Evans suffered an embarrassing knockout. It has taken quite awhile for Evans to make up the lost ground from this loss, but he is now next in line for another shot at the 205-pound title.

16. Mauricio Rua

When Mauricio Rua made the transition from Pride to the UFC, many expected him to take the light heavyweight division by storm. On the contrary, Rua was submitted by Forrest Griffin in his UFC debut at UFC 76.

While Rua did eventually become champion, he never fully regained the mystique that followed him into his first fight in the Octagon.

15. Jon Fitch

It's no secret that Jon Fitch doesn't possess the most fan-friendly fighting style in the UFC. For that reason, even if he has been the most worthy of another shot at the welterweight champion, Fitch's loss to Georges St-Pierre at UFC 87 has prevented him from earning another title fight.

14. B.J. Penn

At UFC 94, B.J. Penn was given the opportunity to become the first ever UFC fighter to hold titles in more than one division. Penn came up short, though, as his corner called a stop to his rematch with Georges St-Pierre at the end of the fourth round.

13. Chael Sonnen

Heading into UFC 117, Chael Sonnen had gone off on one of the most impressive trashtalking tirades in MMA history. Although he talked a good game, many predicted Sonnen wouldn't be able to back up his words against Anderson Silva.

However, Sonnen was on his way to ending Silva's long reign as middleweight champion before he got caught in a triangle choke. Less than two minutes away from one of the greatest upsets in UFC history, Sonnen was forced to tap.

12. Gilbert Melendez

Two years after capturing the Strikeforce lightweight title with a split decision victory over Clay Guida, Gilbert Melendez met Josh Thomson in a title fight. After five rounds of action, Thomson walked away with a unanimous decision and the Strikeforce lightweight belt.

More than a year later, Melendez avenged his loss to Thomson and became undisputed Strikeforce champion once again. However, the loss to Thomson was a definite setback for Melendez.

11. Joseph Benavidez

After a submission win against Miguel Torres, Joseph Benavidez was given the chance to fight for the WEC bantamweight title. At WEC 50, Benavidez fell just short of winning the belt after dropping a split decision against Dominick Cruz.

With the loss being his second to Cruz, Benavidez will have a tough time proving that he is worthy of another bantamweight title shot as long as Cruz is champion.

10. Urijah Faber

Looking for his sixth consecutive title defense at WEC 36, Urijah Faber was upset by Mike Brown at WEC 36. In the first round, Faber was rocked by Brown's right hand and finished in a technical knockout. In a rematch less than a year later, Faber was once again was defeated by Brown.

9. Junior dos Santos

Junior dos Santos has been flawless since joining the UFC. However, he did suffer one loss prior to fighting inside the Octagon. In November 2007, dos Santos was caught in an armbar by Joaquim Ferreira and forced to tap.

8. Cain Velasquez

Cain Velasquez's career has been about as flawless as it gets in MMA. However, Velasquez's shoulder injury suffered in his beatdown of Brock Lesnar at UFC 121 has taken a lot of momentum away from the UFC heavyweight champion.

Now, Velasquez time away for recovery could play a factor in his first title defense, which will be against Junior dos Santos at the first network-televised event in UFC history.

7. Gray Maynard

At UFC 125, Gray Maynard had the chance to become UFC lightweight champion after rocking Frankie Edgar in the first round. However, Edgar somehow survived and fought his way back to a draw on the scorecards.

6. Frankie Edgar

Just as Gray Maynard's most disappointing performance came against Frankie Edgar, Edgar's msot disappointing performance came against Maynard. However, Edgar's worst moment came in his first meeting with Maynard at UFC Fight Night 13.

In the only loss of his career, Maynard's size and strength gave Edgar problems in the wrestling department during that fight.

5. Jon Jones

While it is recorded as an official loss on his record, Jon Jones completely destroyed Matt Hammill at 10th TUF Finale. However, illegal elbows resulted in Jones' disqualification from the fight, which tainted an otherwise spotless record for the current UFC light heavyweight champion.

4. Dominick Cruz

In the only loss of his career, Dominick Cruz was submitted by Urijah Faber at WEC 26. Recently, Cruz avenged that loss, though, and defended his UFC bantamweight title with a unanimous decision win over Faber.

3. Jose Aldo

Jose Aldo does have a loss on his record, but that loss wasn't nearly as disappointing as Aldo's performance in the final round of his title fight with Mark Hominick at UFC 129.

In a bout that Aldo was expected to dominate, the Brazilian was forced to hang on for the final bell as Hominick pounded away with ground and pound in the final frame.

2. Georges St-Pierre

At UFC 69, Georges St-Pierre met Matt Serra in a title fight that the Canadian was expected to win fairly easily. However, in an incredible upset, Serra caught St-Pierre and finished the fight in the first round.

The loss turned St-Pierre into a much more cautious fighter and could be the main reason St-Pierre is often criticized for not finishing fights.

1. Anderson Silva

In December 2004, Anderson Silva fought Ryo Chonan under the Pride banner. In the final minutes of the fight, Chonan secured a flying heel hook and forced the eventual MMA legend to tap. Aside from a disqualification loss to Yushin Okami, this was the last loss on Silva's record.