For the UFC’s champions, the last nine months have been like a game of Russian Roulette, but perhaps with more than one loaded chamber.
Since Holly Holm brutally dethroned Ronda Rousey at UFC 193 on November 15, 2015, six other heavy underdogs have become UFC champions. Call it the Rousey Curse. Not every titleholder who went down has disappeared as completely as the “Rowdy” one has since her loss, but many have been finished in just as grisly a fashion. The next champion who goes into his or her title defense as more than a slight favorite has to be sweating bullets.
Only two champions have defended their straps as more than 2-1 favorites since that November night in Australia. The first was Rafael dos Anjos. The Brazilian whipped a kick into Donald Cerrone’s liver, and followed up by pummeling “Cowboy’s” face until he could do nothing but cover up.
The second was Demetrious Johnson continuing his run at Anderson Silva’s consecutive title defenses record. “Mighty Mouse” styled on his latest challenger, Henry Cejudo, tenderizing his body with clinch knees until the former Olympian cried “Uncle”.
Other than those two instances, however, every other champion who was expected to walk through his or her challenger has been bounced from the mountaintop in shocking fashion. This piece ranks the championship upsets that have occurred since Rousey tumbled from her throne.
The post The Rousey Curse: Ranking Title Upsets Since UFC 193 appeared first on LowKick MMA.