6 Unlikely UFC Champions Who Defied The Odds

These dogs had plenty of bite!

Miesha Tate, right, chokes Holly Holm during their UFC 196 womens bantamweight mixed martial arts match Saturday, March 5, 2016, in Las Vegas. Tate won by submission. (AP Photo/Eric Jamison)
Eric Jamison/AP

No matter the sport, it's always a great deal of fun to root for the underdog. There is something very special about seeing a guy, girl, or team defy the odds and prove the so-called experts wrong.

As sports go, few have as many compelling underdog stories as mixed martial arts. In fact, several upsets manifest inside the UFC Octagon on an almost weekly basis.

An upset in and of itself can be a joy to watch. But for those who truly love a good underdog tale, there is nothing more exciting than seeing a martial artist turn their entire career around and ultimately capture UFC gold. In truth, watching fighters overcome seemingly impossible odds is the very reason many fans follow the sport in the 1st place.

With that in mind, it's time to take a look at 6 of the most unlikely champs to ever set foot inside a UFC cage.

At one point, in each of these fighters respective careers, becoming UFC champ seemed highly unlikely — if not impossible.

There are many past and present UFC title holders who rose through the ranks with relative ease, but often, we must look to the champions who traveled a rockier road to the top, to find the stories that truly inspire us.

6. Miesha Tate

Miesha Tate, right, chokes Holly Holm during their UFC 196 womens bantamweight mixed martial arts match Saturday, March 5, 2016, in Las Vegas. Tate won by submission. (AP Photo/Eric Jamison)
Jeff Chiu/AP

Back in December of 2013, in a contest for the UFC Women's Bantamweight Championship, Miesha 'Cupcake' Tate was decisively defeated by Ronda Rousey for the 2nd time. The result left Tate with, and a 0-2 record in the UFC— meaning another loss could put her future with the promotion in jeopardy.

However, the scrappy wrestler out of Tacoma, Washington managed to turn things around in a big way. Tate would go on to win 4 consecutive fights, which included victories over the likes Liz Carmouche, Sara McMann, and Jessica Eye. She had clearly earned another crack at the title — but having already lost to reigning champ Ronda Rousey twice — the UFC had little interest in promoting a 3rd fight between the rivals.

If 'Cupcake' was going to get another shot at the bantamweight strap, Rousey would need to lose it. Fortunately, for Miesha Tate, on November 15, 2015, Holly Holm knocked out Rousey with a devastating head kick, in one of the biggest upsets in UFC history.

Following the loss, the now former champ decided to forgo an immediate rematch and take some time off. In the meantime, it was Tate who would get a crack at newly crowned bantamweight queen, Holly Holm.

Heading into the fight, most experts believed Holm would defeat Tate with relative ease and move on to a highly anticipated rematch with Rousey. Of course, 'Cupcake' had other ideas.

In a fight she was clearly losing, Tate managed to gut it out and was able to secure a takedown in the 5th round. Following the takedown, the challenger was able to transition into rear-naked-choke and secure one of the most memorable victories in women's MMA.

Instead of being remembered as a footnote in Ronda Rousey's Hall of Fame career, Tate persevered and forged her own legacy as a UFC champion.

 
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From 1999-2003 Jacques performed on the Florida independent pro wrestling circuit. He also has an amateur wrestling background and currently holds a certification in Krav Maga. Jacques graduated from the University of Central Florida in 2003, with a bachelor's degree in Political Science. He currently resides in Chicago, Illinois. Follow him on twitter @goodeals79.