by - soumya ranjan
MMA is an extremely unpredictable sport, and it doesn't matter how favourite one fighter is in the fight; things can go south real fast. Due to this, fans frequently see matches that feature upsets that nobody expects. Here's a list of some of the biggest UFC upsets in recent times.
Calvin Kattar vs. Giga Chikadze, UFC on ESPN 32 Going into the fight, Giga Chikadze was the obvious fan favourite. Chikadze was anticipated to win by spectators and pundits worldwide, with many of them underestimating Calvin Kattar's chances. Kattar shocked everyone with his ] unanimous decision victory.
Sean O'Malley vs. Petr Yan, UFC 280 It was anticipated that Petr Yan would deliver a devastating beating to overcome his opponent. Instead, the fight was much more competitive than expected. Sean O'Malley showed why he was the better striker by severely harming Yan multiple times and ultimately winning the bout via a controversial split decision.
Aljamain Sterling vs. Petr Yan, UFC 273 The first time the pair fought, Aljamain Sterling won via disqualification and got a lot of hate from fans. However, in the second fight, the American shut down his haters by successfully defending his title against Petr Yan via unanimous decision.
Israel Adesanya vs. Alex Pereira, UFC 281 Being old kickboxing rivals, the first UFC fight between Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira was much anticipated. Pereira proved his calibre and knocked out Adesanya, ending Adesanya's title reign.
Kamaru Usman vs. Leon Edwards, UFC 278 Kamaru Usman vs. Leon Edwards has to be one of the greatest upsets in the history of the sport. Going into the fight, 'Rocky' was a massive underdog. Usman had the image of being unbeatable, but Edwards just knocked out the champ in the fifth round.