10 Major UFC Signings That Failed Miserably
6. Hatsu Hioki
Once considered one of the most talented prospects to come out of the Japanese MMA scene back in the early-2000s, Hatsu Hioki was an extremely exciting grappler who quickly made a name for himself among hardcore fans. His ability to scramble to advantageous positions and lock in submissions was as impressive and as effective as any of his peers.
He really started to gather hype during his solid run in the Sengoku Featherweight Grand Prix and enhanced it by winning their featherweight title and the Shooto 132.2lb belt too. So when the UFC signed him up, all signs pointed towards Hioki quickly becoming a force in the featherweight division and taking on then champion, Jose Aldo, at some point in the future.
However, if that was the plan, then Hioki clearly wasn't aware of it. His first two wins inside the Octagon left plenty to be desired and following that he went 1-5 before the UFC gave him his pink slip.