Forrest Griffin will be battling Tito Ortiz in Ortiz’s farewell bout at UFC 148. While fans are recounting the accolades of Ortiz’s career, the fight could very well be the last for Griffin as well. The original Ultimate Fighter winner, Griffin kick-started the growth of the UFC and MMA in general.
Possessing neither amazing athletic ability or a freakish physical frame, Griffin reached the pinnacle of the sport with a sheer will to win and underrated skills. When he took the title from Quinton Jackson at UFC 86, it was a big upset as Jackson appeared to be on his way to a lengthy title reign.
All of the fighters on this list can share that feeling of being the underdog en route to winning an UFC title. On the list fans will find current and future Hall of Famers but all weren’t expected to win in their title bouts.