10 Times UFC Fighters Won In Defeat
The winner isn't always the winner, you know?
When two fighters make the decision to meet inside of the cage, two things are usually guaranteed.
There will be a winner and there will be a loser... also, sometimes there's a draw but we don't need that kind of negative energy in this list.
Victory can bring with it riches beyond your wildest dreams and widespread fame to go with it, whereas defeat can send a contender into a tailspin, one that some are never able to fully recover from.
Yet, on a few rare occasions, a loss in the Octagon has come with a certain silver lining.
Just because you didn't have your hand raised this time doesn't mean that people will forget about your valiant efforts in an epic war of attrition.
Also, a fatal blow to your MMA career can open up a whole new world of opportunities for a fighter outside of the world of combat sports.
Unfortunately, this group of formidable warriors didn't have enough to come away with the 'W' on the night. However, they did manage to earn the respect of their peers or forge a successful new path after tasting defeat in a UFC contest.
10. Joanna Jędrzejczyk (Vs. Weili Zhang, UFC 248)
Everybody expected something special to go down when Strawweight Champion Weili Zhang met Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 248. However, it's probably fair to say that nobody was counting on seeing a 'greatest fight of all time' contender come to life, but that's exactly what we got.
Weili was landing devastating flurries at will and Joanna's head quickly began to swell up after one particular exchange. A large hematoma may have been too much to deal with for a lesser fighter. Not this contender, though, as Joanna continued to push forward, precisely dissecting the champ with lethal kicks and stiff rights/lefts.
As the swelling on her forehead grew in size, so did Joanna's spirit and after the bout had gone the full five rounds the fans in the arena (and all around the world) were finally given a chance to catch their breath after one of the most exhilarating and even clashes in recent memory.
Weili would be announced as the winner and retain her crown. Yet, Joanna completely covered herself in glory and almost certainly kept her place at the front of the queue for the next shot at Weili's belt.
Joanna was unfortunate not to have the split decision go her way, but her courage and toughness here will be remembered for years to come.