One-hit wonder champions in MMA

[TheBrownRanger]

Who are some one-hit woMnder champions in MMA/UFC? We all know guys like Sokoudjou, Houston Alexander, Seth Petruzelli, etc. But those guys never won major titles in MMA. Who are some fighters that got a title and didn't move forward to do much else afterwards?

Matt Serra - The prime example of a one-hit wonder in MMA. Beat GSP for the Welterweight title, coached TUF, lost the title, and that was kinda it.

Raquel Pennington - Only won the title because Amanda Nunes retired. Had the usual "Rocky Pennington" point fight performance in losing the title. I completely forgot she was champion at one point.

Nicco Montano - Probably the worst UFC champion of all time. Vacated immediately after winning TUF by missing weight for title fight against Valentina.

Brandon Halsey (Bellator) - Got a shocking 20 second submission against Alexander Shlemenko and was touted as the next big thing in Bellator. Lost his title due to weight cut issues and was out of Bellator less than two years later after losing two fights in a row. Got beat up by Jiri Prochazka in RIZIN.

Bobby Southworth (Strikeforce) - Won the Strikeforce LHW title and lost it to Babalu after getting a cut. Wasn't even brought back to Strikeforce afterwards. Known for being an asshole on the first season of TUF.

Tarec Saffiedine (Strikeforce) - Looked like a top 10 performer against a juiced-up Nate Marquardt in Strikeforce's last event and became their last WW champion. Couldn't have had a better headstart into his UFC career. Injuries happend and he ended up with an overall mediocre UFC career.

Steve Cantwell (WEC) - The last WEC LHW champion and had a pretty good path going into the UFC. Broke a dude's arm in his UFC debut and did nothing else of note in the UFC. Became a bit of a meme as he went on a five fight losing streak. In those days, a 5 fight losing streak was astronomically bad for a UFC roster fighter.

Marcos Galvao (Bellator) - Was a huge underdog against Joe Warren and subbed him handily for the Bellator BW title. Had a very unremarkable career afterwards and washed out of Bellator and PFL. Was a pretty mediocre Bellator guy even before winning their title.

 

[Kung Fu Kowboy]

Forrest...

Beat #1 Shogun and then #1 Rampage

Career was up and down after that

 

[WoozyFailGuy]

Ben Askren

ONE champion with this being his only big hit.

 

[Hymen Crusher]

Sean stickland is the one i think of. That dude maxed out with his skill set and won a championship. That guy will never beat a top 5 guy again

 

[Hymen Crusher]

Ben Askren

ONE champion with this being his only big hit.

That has to be the best combo of ko and shit talking with the speed of the ko.

 

[Tibbles]

Brandon Thatch. Jacked 6"2 WW who wrecked Paulo Thiago and looked seriously legit. Then Bendo stepped up a division and dominated him despite an enormous size difference. Ended up getting subbed 4 times in a row and retiring.

 

[Only Here for Attachments]

Cody Garbrandt

Trained by Alpha Male specifically to beat Dominick Cruz and did accomplish that, but then ran into a TJ Dilla-wall. Sputtered out big time after that.

 

[Tibbles]

Cody Garbrandt

Trained by Alpha Male specifically to beat Dominick Cruz and did accomplish that, but then ran into a TJ Dilla-wall. Sputtered out big time after that.

One of the P4P most frustrating fighters to watch. Seriously skilled but zero fight IQ - he just starts swinging wildly for no reason and gets KTFO every time.

 

[aerius]

I'd say Holly Holm belongs on the list. Had the biggest upset win in WMMA against Ronda, then lost the belt in her next fight and is an under .500 fighter since then.

 

[Rorschachxx]

Tarec Saffiedine (Strikeforce) - Looked like a top 10 performer against a juiced-up Nate Marquardt in Strikeforce's last event and became their last WW champion. Couldn't have had a better headstart into his UFC career. Injuries happend and he ended up with an overall mediocre UFC career.

Holy shit, here is a name I completely forgot.

 

[Get To Da Choppa]

I would add Marlon Sandro. He held the Pancrase and Sengoku titles at the same time. Prior to losing a decision to Hatsu Hioki, he had put three straight dudes on stretchers.



If I remember correctly he was also the favorite to win the Bellator tournament despite that loss to Hioki, and was handily winning the fight against Pat Curran in the final before his head movement led him straight to a kick to the head. From that point on he was never the same

For a brief one year period in 2009 he was the most feared FW, and there were debates about if Sandro or Aldo was the best FW in Nova Uniao and in the world. Nowadays UFC fans probably remember him from this reaction gif

 

[Shaolin Alan]

Dave Menne Bless

 

[SamuraiBro]

Gilbert Melendez went 1-6 in the UFC.

 

[joy2day]

Soko actually may be the luckiest man in MMA history since he got two lucky knockouts in a row.

But the greatest one hit wonder is none other than the greatest wrestler ever to enter MMA- world champion and Olympic gold medalist Kevin Jackson. At UFC 14, he won the tournament title for MW with two wins in one night.

But after that, he lost by armbar in consecutive fights to Frank Shamrock (in like 30 seconds) and Jerry Bohlander, and was never in the UFC again, quitting fighting shortly thereafter.

 

[Only Here for Attachments]

One of the P4P was frustrating fighters to watch. Seriously skilled but zero fight IQ - he just starts swinging wildly for no reason and gets KTFO every time.

Definitely some the worst in-cage composure I've ever seen.

 

[Mmmmmmma1234]

Luke Rocksatl.
Werdum.
JDS.
Hill & Jiri

 

[Tibbles]

Luke Rocksatl.
Werdum.
JDS.
Hill & Jiri

Seems a bit harsh, all solid careers just with a natural decline at the end.

 

[Bowel-forged Stool]

Leon Edwards

 

[Mmmmmmma1234]

Leon Edwards

He won three title fights that's more than one brah.

 

[Mmmmmmma1234]

Seems a bit harsh, all solid careers just with a natural decline at the end.

But only had one hit as UFC champion.