All that glitters isn’t gold. There will always be all time greats who never hoisted the ultimate prize in their sport. Imagine being a UFC fighter, a pugilist in the most competitive, respected organization in the world. Yet, when it’s all said and done, likely quickly forgotten by a rather fleeting and fickle fanbase. “You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain”. Many of these fantastic athletes are seen as neither of the above, they are hardly even remembered once their time is over. We see this happen even with those who have earned the right to hoist a UFC championship belt. There are champions from a mere fifteen years ago that are hardly recognized by a significant portion of the fanbase. And those who were not endowed with hardware? They are forgotten even faster. There have been thousands of athletes signed to the UFC over the decades. Let’s bring to light just a few of them, and shift the focus away from the kings/queens, but to those fighters who fell just shy. There are a myriad of mixed martial artists possessing championship caliber skills and mettle who did not touch undisputed gold. I’m going to give some of them their flowers by showcasing the top five UFC fighters to never win a belt, in my humble opinion. Now, this is far from the first time this sort of discussion has been had. So, for the sake of originality, I’m going to add a couple of stipulations. Firstly, the fighter must have spent their prime under the UFC umbrella. Secondly, they can not have won a championship in any premier organization, be it WEC, Strikeforce, PRIDE, etc. Just to clarify before I am crucified for not mentioning Fedor Emelianenko, Dan Henderson, etc. I feel as though it is more impactful for the purposes of this piece to emphasize those who were not champions – ever. Without further ado, and in no particular order, let’s begin.
1. Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier. I would be remiss to not begin with my personal favorite fighter, and former interim lightweight champion. Far from being just my own bias, Poirier is a surefire future hall-of-famer and is considered by some to be the best MMA fighter to never hold the unified belt. Unfortunately for myself, I am also a Buffalo Bills fan. For those who follow both sports (elite ball knowledge), there is a parallel between the two. The Bills, despite being led by the finest quarterback in franchise history, fall short year after year. They are consistently neck-and-neck with the cream of the crop, yet always lose in a nailbiter to the champion (in their case, usually the Chiefs). It is incredibly frustrating because they are almost always a hair’s breadth from the ultimate goal. Poirier is fairly similar. He has fought his entire career on maximum difficulty, with the Yale equivalent of an MMA resume. Win or lose, he battled against the best of his era, spanning multiple decades. Poirier has defeated former champions in Conor McGregor (twice in 2021), Justin Gaethje (a future interim champion), Max Holloway (twice), Eddie Alvarez and Anthony Pettis. He has also struck down Jim Miller (possessing the most fights and wins in the promotion’s history), Dan Hooker, Benoit Saint-Denis, and Michael Chandler (former Bellator champ). Poirier puts on broadway level performances with each bout, in entertaining, violent brawls. There is never a boring Poirier fight, he is tied for most knockouts in his division’s history, tying Drew Dober with nine. He has lost, yes, but only to the very best. Lightweight was and is still one the most competitive divisions. Poirier has had title fights against some of the best competition not only in the division, but in the entire organization. He has fought thrice for the belt, losing against Khabib Nurmagomedov, Charles Oliveira, and Islam Makhachev, all three of which can appear nigh unstoppable, particularly the Dagestanis. It’s not a casual take to mention how damn dominant Khabib was, though he retired prematurely. Oliveira is a submission wizard, possessing the most finishes in UFC history (20) and most submission wins (16). For his part, if Makhachev becomes champion at welterweight, he may even be in the GOAT conversation. Look at all the above names I have listed in this paragraph. How many hall of famers and champions has Dustin battled? How many accolades are collectively on that list? Nearly too many to name. Poirier is probably the best name on this list of five. Painfully, he has accomplished almost everything in the sport BUT win a belt (or learn how to defend a rear naked choke). He is a better fighter than multiple champions that have come and gone. Whether by bad luck or simply fate, it just wasn’t meant to be.
2. Alexander Gustafsson. I think we all knew “The Mauler” of light heavyweight had to be on this list. Like Poirier, he fought for the title three times, but was unable to reach the summit. He is also famous for his fight(s) with the man whom most consider to be the GOAT, that being Jon Jones. A boxer by trade, Gustafsson fought the majority of the outstanding talents in his division at the time, including Jones, Daniel Cormier (hall of famer, two-division champion), Anthony Johnson (multiple time title challenger), Glover Teixeria (future champ), Jan Blachowicz (future champ) and Shogun Rua (former champ in both the UFC and PRIDE). He did not win all of the above contests, but it just goes to show that, like Poirier, he fought the stiffest competition available. His first fight against Jones alone is nearly enough to land him on this list. Here, Gustafsson frustrated Jones in a way that would not be seen to the same extent until Jones fought Dominick Reyes (and lost, let’s be frank). Gustafsson found heavy success on the feet, with his masterful striking and comparable reach allowing him to go tit for tat with Jones in a way others could not. He stifled Jones’ wrestling and was the first fighter to take the champion down in his career. Jones defeated him via unanimous decision in what became the fight of the year (2013), but it was insanely competitive. Although Jones would go on to reveal he did not train hard leading up to the matchup, Jones is a grandmaster even at his worst. After all, he beat DC after a weekend of drug abuse, according to him. Moving on, although Gustafsson was defeated against Cormier, this too was a competitive fight. It was Cormier’s clinch work and infighting that led him to win a split decision. Cormier, if Jones does not exist, gets far more respect. He was the first fighter in the UFC to have title defenses in two different divisions, and one of the greatest of all time. So, in Gustafsson’s prime, he only lost close fights to two of the most OP fighters ever, and defeated three former/future champions in Blachowicz, Teixiera, and Rua. Win/loss records don’t speak to how marvelous of a performer Gustafsson was. Turn on the tape and you’ll see what I mean.
3. Joseph Benavidez. Not as much of a household name as the others on this list, but no less of a fighter. Benavidez has fought for titles five times (including for vacant belts) across the WEC and UFC over the course of his 15 year professional career. His losses, much like the others in this article, are only against the most magnificent. A man who has fought at three different weight classes, he spent the majority of his career at bantamweight (2006-2011) and flyweight (2012-2021). He has collected victories against Miguel Torres (former WEC bantamweight champion), Alex Perez (former title challenger), Tim Elliot (former title challenger), and Henry Cejudo (UFC double champ at Flyweight and Bantamweight, 2008 Olympic Gold medalist in freestyle wrestling, and one of the most storied combat sports athletes of all time). When I list who he has been defeated by, you will understand why he belongs on this list. He was bested by Dominick Cruz twice in the WEC, with the second loss being for the WEC bantamweight championship. Cruz is considered by many to be the greatest UFC bantamweight of all time, a former UFC and WEC champion. Like several fighters from Team Alpha Male who faced Cruz, Benavidez was felled. Benavidez’s next two losses came against Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson, each for the UFC flyweight crown. Johnson needs no introduction. He holds the record for most consecutive wins in UFC flyweight history (13), most title defenses (11), and let’s not forget his achievements in ONE during his twilight years. Johnson was so unshakeable that winning belts for him was like a child getting a toy in their happy meal, it was just a given. He is one of the, if not the best fighters in MMA history and unquestionably the greatest flyweight. Benavidez had to get past Dominick Cruz and Demetrious Johnson in order to earn a title. Can we really blame the guy for failing? Yet another phenomenal fighter who went unrecognized, not because of absence of skill, but because he had to topple the Mount Rushmore of his division and/or organization as a whole. Benavidez’s only other losses came against Sergio Pettis (former Bellator champion) and Deiveson Figueredo back to back for the vacant UFC flyweight title. Figueredo’s nickname literally translates to “God of War” and he was an absolute terror in the division. By this point, however, Benavidez was at the tail end of his years, and it was still impressive that he was even a top tier contender at this time. He was finished both times against Figgy, and ended his career on a final loss to Askar Askarov. Benavidez is probably the most tragic, frustrating tale on this list. Five championship opportunities and five losses, with four in the UFC. Good enough to be undisputed, just not quite as good as the immovable champions of his era.
4. Yoel Romero. The “Soldier of God”. A superhuman hulk of a man straight out of a comic book. Romero’s reputation precedes him, as his presence parallels that of a boogeyman. Romero is not just an excellent fighter, but a spectacular overall combat athlete. The pride of Cuba, he is a marvelous wrestler. Romero competed in freestyle wrestling at 85 kilos, and accumulated as much bling as a jewelry store. Highlights of his wrestling career include being a silver medalist in the year 2000, 2003 Pan American games world champion, and five-time Pan American champion. You’ll notice these accomplishments are all decades ago. Romero is a veteran in every facet, from time spent in the game to umbrellas fought under (UFC, Strikeforce, Bellator, PFL, boxing, etc). He did not step foot in the UFC until 2013, by which point he was nearly 36 years of age and incredibly just as excellent. What he was able to attain despite his age is impressive, even more so when we consider that he is still active at 48. A real life DBZ character. Romero has beaten Lyoto Machida (former UFC light heavyweight champion), Luke Rockhold (former UFC & Strikeforce middleweight champion), Chris Weidman (former UFC middleweight champion) and Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza (former Strikeforce Middleweight Champion). His chances to clutch the UFC middleweight championship came against Israel Adesanya, one of the most talented ever in the division, and Robert Whittaker (albeit during an interim title fight), who is nothing to scoff at. Romero did actually defeat Rockhold for the interim belt, but was technically ineligible to win it due to missing weight. Romero possessed the athleticism and talent to win gold, but his tendency to remain inactive and wait for his opponent to attack first hindered him. The Adesanya fight in particular was maddening, on both sides. A cruel twist of fate that Romero has been competing in combat sports longer than some on the UFC roster have been alive, yet has never won a championship. Not in Bellator/PFL (he lost a title matchup in Bellator), and not in the UFC. The mere fact that a man with his mileage and debut age was able to compete at the highest of levels for so long is worthy of making this list.
5. Chad Mendes. This last spot involved a lot of mental back and forth on my behalf. There are only five spots here, yet many deserving candidates. I deliberated on instead including Tony Ferguson or Justin Gaethje. Prime Ferguson was a ball of knives, and a special talent in a way that cannot be replicated. With a legendary win streak of 12, the former interim champ never got the shot he deserved at gold. Whether it was the multiple attempts at a seemingly cursed fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov, or just Murphy’s Law, Ferguson is viewed as a what-if to a large extent. Like I said, Ferguson’s prime was extraordinary and cinematic. When I re-read this, there’s a chance I wish I would have placed him here instead. Yet, Mendes was one of the first pioneers of the UFC in his division in terms of wrestling. The quality of his opponents in multiple championship bouts (including interim) also sets him ahead. Gaethje, for his part, I excluded. He is still an active fighter, and unlike Poirier (who has announced his retirement after his next bout) has a chance to become champion. So, based on the established rules of engagement, he cannot be included. Time to hone in on Mendes. Mendes is a name that is best recognized by the masses as being a stepping stone for Conor McGregor during his featherweight championship run. He is also a name that is not usually mentioned with the likes of the others on this article. This is a disservice to him. Mendes, still an active fighter to this day, is a two-time NCAA Division One All-American wrestler and Pac-10 Conference champion in folkstyle wrestling. A WEC veteran, Mendes’ prime was sensational, as he was the gold standard for wrestling in the featherweight division at the time. Going undefeated in the WEC, he did not lose until he was knocked out by Jose Aldo in his first title fight in 2012. After rattling off five straight wins, he faced Aldo again in the 2014 fight of the year, showing marked improvement and losing a competitive decision. His next loss came against Mcgregor for the interim championship, where he was finished late in round two. Aldo holds the record for most featherweight title defenses with eight, and was undefeated for about a decade. He belongs in the GOAT conversation. Mcgregor, in his prime, had an air of destiny and is one of the most talented fighters to ever exist, and unquestionably the most notorious. Mendes was right there with them as the best featherweight had to offer, just one step below. His wrestling translated beautifully to MMA, as one of the best grapplers in the world, and his striking wasn’t that far behind. “Money” never translated to gold, but he’s the next best thing.
I sincerely hope that this post has brought to light these unsung heroes. As mentioned, this list purposefully did not include former champions in different organizations. Those sort of lists have been beaten to death, and prevent us from studying others who are equally as deserving. I also recognize that no matter who is chosen, there is disagreement to be had. It’s the nature of the beast, and what makes these debates so much fun. At the very least, I hope I introduced someone/something new to the conversation. I do not believe someone’s overall success is solely determined by championships. Much like great NFL players do not all have Superbowl wins, some great fighters do not possess belts. Gold matters, as it is the ultimate achievement, but so does skill, quality of competition, circumstance, and grit. Salute to these five, and I’ll see you all in the next article.
