13 Worst UFC Fighters Ever Who Gave Dana Second-Hand Embarrassment
As strange as this may sound, some of the UFC fighters who got into the Octagon should’ve never stepped in. For every Silva or Khabib Nurmagomedov, there’s a fighter whose career makes you wonder, ‘How did Dana White ever sign this guy?’
While some of these guys flopped instantly and left, others stuck around way too long and continued to rack up loss after loss. Then there were those with sky-high expectations but could never put up a winning strategy. Let’s highlight the top failures in the UFC who gave Dana second-hand embarrassment.
CM Punk
Credit: Youtube
Record: 0-1 (1 NC)
CM Punk was a former WWE star with zero combat sports experience. He was thrown into the deep end against Mickey Gall in 2016. The fight lasted a little over two minutes—just long enough for Punk to get taken down, dominated, and choked out. Dana gave him another shot, but it didn’t change the fact that Punk never belonged in the Octagon.
Mike Jackson
Credit: Instagram
Record: 1-2 (1 NC)
Mike Jackson had a bizarre UFC career, losing to Mickey Gall in 45 seconds before beating CM Punk in a lackluster fight. Dana White criticized his performance, and the win was overturned due to a failed drug test. He later lost twice—once by flying knee KO and another by disqualification.
Ben Askren
Credit: Facebook
Record: 1-2
Ben Askren entered the UFC undefeated with two world titles and major hype. The UFC traded Demetrious Johnson for him, but he delivered mixed results. A controversial win over Robbie Lawler, a record-setting five-second KO loss to Jorge Masvidal, and a submission defeat to Demian Maia proved he was more talk than action.
James Toney
Credit: Houma Today
Record: 0-1
James Toney was a boxing legend, who faced Randy Couture at UFC 118. Taken down instantly, he had no defense and flailed helplessly before being submitted by an arm-triangle choke. His lack of coping skills was exposed, and it marked his first and only fight in UFC.
Greg Hardy
Credit: Youtube
Record: 4-5 (1 NC)
As a former NFL star, Greg Hardy had power and athleticism but struggled in the UFC. After early wins against weaker opponents, he suffered multiple knockouts when he was exposed by elite heavyweights. His UFC run ended with three straight losses, including a brutal KO by Tai Tuivasa.
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou
Credit: Facebook
Record: 1-2
Sokoudjou entered the UFC with massive hype after knocking out PRIDE legends Antônio Rogério Nogueira and Ricardo Arona in under two minutes. However, he struggled in the UFC, losing to Lyoto Machida and finishing with a 1-2 record before being cut. He was a proof that hype alone doesn’t guarantee success.
Hector Lombard
Credit: Facebook
Record: 3-8 (1 NC)
Hector Lombard had a 25-fight unbeaten streak, held the Bellator title, and was feared across the middleweight division. Dana White even suggested UFC contenders were ducking him. Then he fought Tim Boetsch and lost in one of the most uneventful fights ever. Lombard went on a six-fight losing streak and eventually left the UFC.
Sam Alvey
Credit: Facebook
Record: 10-13-1 (1 NC)
Sam Alvey holds an unfortunate UFC record: the longest winless streak in promotional history. From 2018 to 2022, he went 0-8-1, somehow managing to keep his job despite losing in every possible way. Even Alvey was confused, jokingly thanking Dana White for not cutting him earlier. When the streak finally hit nine fights, the UFC pulled the plug.
John Alessio
Credit: Facebook
Record: 0-5
Alessio wasn’t terrible, but he was unlucky enough to become the only fighter in UFC history to go 0-5. His losses weren’t against scrubs, either—he fought legends like Pat Miletich and Carlos Condit. But five fights, five losses? That’s enough to earn a spot on this list.
Tiki Ghosn
Credit: Facebook
Record: 0-4
Tiki Ghosn is best known for once claiming, “I wasn’t getting hurt, I was just bleeding a lot,” after a brutal loss to Robbie Lawler. He fought four times in the UFC and was finished in all of them. At least he found success outside the Octagon as a coach and manager.
Ross Pointon
Credit: Facebook
Record: 0-2 (UFC), 6-16 (Pro MMA)
Ross Pointon made it to The Ultimate Fighter despite having a losing record. That should have been a red flag. After losing every fight on the show, he got two official UFC fights and lost both. His career record? 6-16. He might have had the heart, but he never had the skills.
Art Jimmerson
Credit: Facebook
Record: 0-1
Jimmerson fought at UFC 1 wearing one boxing glove because he thought he’d use it for jabs while keeping his other hand free for grappling. It did not go well. Royce Gracie took him down instantly, and Jimmerson tapped without taking a single strike. His one-glove experiment remains one of the weirdest moments in UFC history.
Phillipe Nover
Credit: Facebook
Record: 0-3
Dana White praised Phillipe, comparing him to Anderson Silva. However, he failed to meet expectations and lost all three of his UFC fights. He delivered nothing but underwhelming performances and proved that not every Ultimate Fighter prospect becomes a star.