UFC fighters who never fulfilled expectations.

Will Brooks - Previously beat prime Michael Chandler and was dominant in Bellator aside from a KO by Saad Awad. It was over when he struggled to get a split decision against Ross Pearson. He signed with the UFC around the time USADA came around. I legit think he was juicing in Bellator and couldn't get away with it under UFC/USADA.

Pat Healy - Was dominant in Strikeforce Beat prime Jim Miller in UFC debut and was supposed to fight Giblert in Strikeforce. Tested positive for marijuana. Went on like a 4 or 5 fight losing skid afterwards. Now only known for being takendown across the octagon by Khabib.

Brandon Thatch - Looked like a monste rbefore being beaten by Benson Henderson in ealry 2015. I think he was another overlooked USADA casualty.
 
Abubakar.

Zubaira couldn't make it out of the prelims.

I liked Tumenov but he disappeared from mainstream MMA.
 
expected more from barboza. at least he became a fan favorite tho.
 
Thought Will Brooks would've performed better instead went 1-3 & got cut.
Assuerio Silva seemed like he had some potential, ended up sucking too.
 
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IronGolem007 said:
Conor McGregor.

Had the size + ability + power to reign unchallenged in the FW division (beat Aldo, Holloway, Poirier, beat everyone, could've continued at that lower weight).

As soon as he became FW Champion, Conor vacated the FW, fell in love with himself, gained weight, and proceeded on an unprecedented losing streak ... failing to live up to his potential as a serious martial artist and FW Champ.

Completely changed his style from free-floating karateka, where he was his most dangerous, to a flat-footed, "wannabe boxer" ... where not only has he failed to get a KO ever since, but has been KO'd 3x since.

Total waste of talent.
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Good summary

Broke Conor >>>>> Rich Conor
 
KID Yamamoto said:
he had a decade long career prior which is usually the time up for guys at lower weight classes. Ironically his best performance in the UFC was a close fight he lost against Bendo.

Something funny about a Strikeforce guy coming in only to lose to WEC/Bellator/Dream vets (Bendo, Pettis and Eddie)
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A guy who had a similar bust, but plenty of time on his hands was Will Brooks.

Becomes Bellator champ, beating Chandler twice and avenging his lone loss at 17-1.

In the UFC, he decisions Ross Pearson them gets finished by Alex Oliveira, Charles Oliveira, and Nik Lentz, not exactly top performers, making him 1-3.

Weirdly, he's gone 8-1-1 since, only losing to Tibau, but becoming the Titan FC WW champ
 
Some already mentioned:
Crocop, unfortunately, but the years were behind him
Huerta, even had marketing behind him
Struve, just a personal one I thought he could string things together. In a division where everyone just had power, he had heart for days, slick submissions, and the foundation for technical striking. But it just never all clicked


Not mentioned yet:
Gunnar Nelson. Had the right skills everywhere he needed them. Except there just seemed to be a lot of missing variables, like a better weight class, better luck staying uninjured, the right opponents or a higher willingness towards violence? Idk
Tarec Saffedeine. I thought he just had the striking. Maybe not WB levels, but made up for with enough defensive grappling that Stephen didn't have.
 
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BOTTICELLI said:
Keith Jardine - The Dean of Mean
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Keith Johnson - The Dohnson of Mohnson
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gentel said:
Honestly I think he did fulfill what you can reasonably expect of him. He doesn't have any giga explosive movement or striking, not elite grappling either. Decent skills all around but nothing that really screams champion. In a division with Jones and Glover though, definitely no surprise he didn't get a title (though he could've gotten the Jones DQ ironically). Getting top-5 fights and a title fight imo is fulfilling expectations
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He was a MW journeyman who moved up and KOed legends like Rashad and Shogun(even if they were completely shot and on the way out), got a title fight against the GOAT, and has coasted as a top 10 fighter(even if its in one of the weakest divisions) so I'd say he overperformed.
 
I would say Thomas Almeida. People thought this guy was the next big thing and then he got KOed from Cody and went on to go 1-4 afterwards. Idk that I ever bought him as a future champ but I at the very least expected him to get a title shot or at least stick around as a perennial contender.
 
Mohawk Banditó said:
Some already mentioned:
Crocop, unfortunately, but the years were behind him
Huerta, even had marketing behind him
Struve, just a personal one I thought he could string things together. In a division where everyone just had power, he had heart for days, slick submissions, and the foundation for technical striking. But it just never all clicked


Not mentioned yet:
Gunnar Nelson. Had the right skills everywhere he needed them. Except there just seemed to be a lot of missing variables, like a better weight class, better luck staying uninjured, the right opponents or a higher willingness towards violence? Idk
Tarec Saffedeine. I thought he just had the striking. Maybe not WB levels, but made up for with enough defensive grappling that Stephen didn't have.
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Saffiedine was weird. Nobody expected him to be a top contender when he came to the UFC due to his boring style and didn't stand out much from the other point fighters in that 2013 era.

He was the final Strikeforce WW champ and just beaten TRT Marquardt and still didn't come into the UFC with much fanfare from what I remember. He was injured most of the time he was in the UFC and that pretty much killed whatever hype he had.

This may not be a popular take but I think the step-up in competition was a real factor in Saffiedine not panning out in the UFC and I say that as a huge Strikeforce fan during his time. He wasn't going to get surefire decisions there that he was against guys like Roger Bowling, Tyler Stinson, or a washed up Scott Smith.
 
KID Yamamoto said:
Saki had like 3 career ending injuries in K-1 already. Plus he had been chinny for years. Saw Roundtree sleep him live. Dude looks frail as glass.

Overeem did well I'd argue. A lot of big wins in big fights. Jury and Brooks being busts was always crazy to me. Both looked fantastic. I guess jury beating old Gomi wasn't that impressive in hindsight lolol.
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overreem was supposed to just walk in and become hw champion
 
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