10 Legendary MMA Bouts Where Both Fighter's Careers Never Recovered
8. UFC 137: BJ Penn Vs. Nick Diaz
UFC 137 featured a long-awaited matchup between former lightweight champ 'The Prodigy' BJ Penn and fan-favorite, Nick Diaz, in a welterweight title eliminator.
The contest itself was fairly competitive and earned Fight of the Night honors. Diaz managed to pick up a unanimous decision victory and would eventually go on to compete for the title.
While both men landed some decent shots, it didn't appear to be the type of scrap that takes years of a fighter's career. That being said, neither man ever got back on track after the 2011 bout.
For Penn, UFC 137 would be the last time he even somewhat resembled the fighter who captured UFC gold and earned a spot in the Hall of Fame. He would go on to lose his next six fights before finally being released from the promotion.
Diaz also struggled a great deal after his victory over 'The Prodigy.' The Stockton native would lose his next three contests, one of which was later changed to no contest due to failed drug tests. Following the losses, Diaz, who hasn't fought since 2015, would essentially retire.
To be fair, his final three opponents were Carlos Condit, Georges St-Pierre, and Anderson Silva, so the losses may have had more to do with the level of competition as opposed to any sort of decline on Diaz's part.