10 Legendary MMA Bouts Where Both Fighter's Careers Never Recovered
A legendary fight can often be the beginning of the end.
At one point or another, just about every great mixed martial artist has taken part in a legendary fight that has played a major role in defining their career and establishing a legacy.
Being involved in an instant classic certainly has its benefits, which often include a Fight of the Night bonus and increased notoriety among the MMA fanbase.
However, there are also some downsides that come with taking part in such a contest, including the physical and mental toll it can take on an athlete. After all, we have seen several epic bouts in which neither fighter was the same afterward.
In some cases, when both fighters take a considerable amount of damage, it's easy to understand why these athletes never fully return to form. Of course, there are also cases in which the reason for their respective declines aren't as apparent.
To illustrate the previous points, we are going to take a look at ten iconic fights that marked the beginning of the end (or at least a significant decline) for some of the biggest names to ever set foot inside the cage.
10. UFC 195: Carlos Condit Vs. Robbie Lawler
The bout between 'The Natural Born Killer' Carlos Condit and 'Ruthless' Robbie Lawler at UFC 195 turned out to be an absolute war. Over the course of five epic rounds, both fighters landed several shots that should have been enough to put the other away.
Surprisingly, the fight somehow managed to go the distance with Lawler winning the contest via controversial split decision and retaining his welterweight strap. For their effort, the combatants received a Fight of the Night bonus.
Given the number of devastating shots both men absorbed, it's not that surprising that their careers began to trend downwards after the memorable contest.
Condit is a former interim UFC Welterweight Champion who holds wins over stars like Nick Diaz, Rory MacDonald, and Dan Hardy. However, he would go on to lose his next four fights following UFC 195 (which took place in January of 2016) and is currently in the midst of a five-fight losing streak. In truth, 'The Natural Born Killer' hasn't looked the same since the Lawler fight.
For his part, Lawler hasn't fared much better since his run-in with Condit. He would go onto to lose his title to Tyron Woodley in his next bout. Since his Fight of the Night performance at UFC 195, Robbie Lawler has gone 1-4 inside the UFC Octagon.
While their title fight at UFC 195 was a legendary affair, evidence would suggest it took a lot out of both men.