10 Legendary MMA Bouts Where Both Fighter's Careers Never Recovered
7. UFC 139: Dan Henderson Vs. Shogun Rua
The legendary showdown between Dan Henderson and Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua at UFC 139 is widely considered one of the greatest fights in MMA history. The eventual Fight of the Year winner featured two outstanding combatants taking each other to the limit in knock-down, drag-out for the ages.
As great as the contest was, evidence suggests it took a great deal out of both men. Of course, given the damage inflicted during the matchup, the previous point isn't all that shocking.
After getting his hand raised 'Hendo' would lose his next three fights and go 3-7 over the course of his next 10. He would eventually retire in October of 2016.
Rua's descent wasn't as drastic and he's had some solid wins since the 2011 classic with Henderson. He continues to compete and has gone 6-5 (1) since the fight. Still, after the match, 'Shogun' wasn't the same explosive athlete that once held the UFC Middleweight Championship and never again emerged as a legitimate title contender.