The ultimate goal for any fighter in mixed martial arts is simple: Earn a world title.
More specifically, a UFC title.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the premier organization in this sport, and the vast majority of competitors want their name on the promotion’s roster. Once that is accomplished, next comes the more long-term goal of earning a UFC title.
Some fighters will spend the entirety of their UFC career in mediocrity, never coming close to a title shot; Sam Stout is a perfect example of this. Others will take a long path to becoming contenders, and then remain contenders for a good portion of their careers. Rashad Evans is one of those fighters, having come up through The Ultimate Fighter house and won seven UFC fights before fighting for a title.
Then there is a unique bunch of fighters that rise to contention in a matter of a couple of fights, or without defeating any top competition. These are the fighters that peak too early—fighters that the UFC brought along too quickly. And we have the top five right here.