UFC 323 was the last pay-per-view card of the 2025 calendar 12 months. Due to the promotion’s latest cope with Paramount, PPVs are officially done with in the meanwhile, and so they definitely ended on a crazy note. Two of the most important upsets of the 12 months occurred in championship bouts at UFC 323, as Alexandre Pantoja and Merab Dvalishvili each looked unstoppable before they were dethroned.
Within the UFC, anybody can win at any given time because all it takes is one punch to finish a fighter’s night. The saying that anyone has a “fighter’s likelihood” stems from this concept, and there have definitely been some massive underdog wins throughout the UFC’s history. So, try the gallery to see the seven most surprising UFC losses that happened specifically within the 12 months of 2025.
7. Reinier de Ridder vs. Brendan Allen, UFC Fight Night Oct. 18
Reinier de Ridder was potentially a win away from a title shot at middleweight. He was expected to tackle Fluffy Hernandez in a title eliminator fight of sorts, but Hernandez pulled out of the fight, and de Ridder was given a seemingly easier fight. Brendan Allen was booked as de Ridder’s latest opponent, fresh off losing two of his last three fights.
De Ridder, meanwhile, was highly acclaimed for his ability within the clinch and the killer power in his knees. De Ridder is very large for a 185-pounder, and he has loads of grappling, too. The previous ONE fighter had loads of experience under the intense lights, too, as he was a double champion in his previous MMA promotion.
Nothing that made de Ridder a overrated contender was prevalent when he took on Allen. De Ridder was manhandled for 4 rounds and eventually threw within the towel on the stool in between rounds. De Ridder became the most recent in an extended line of fighters over the past couple of years who joined the UFC after finding success in a lesser promotion, simply to learn that the UFC is a complete different beast.
6. Chase Hooper vs. Alexander Hernandez, UFC 319
Chase Hooper is among the best Brazilian jiu-jitsu technicians within the UFC. He thrives getting his opponents to tap out, and his youth and a scarcity of striking had yet to slow him down. The 26-year-old had won five straight fights heading right into a UFC 319 matchup against Alexander Hernandez.
Hooper began to achieve popularity not only for his in-octagon work, but for his youthful energy and a capability to attach with younger generations. The hype train was derailed within the closing seconds of round one, though, as Hernandez connected a straight right with Hooper’s face that sent him crumbling to the canvas floor. Hernandez is young enough that he has loads of time to bounce back, however the loss to Hernandez was definitely shocking.
5. Alexandre Pantoja vs. Joshua Van, UFC 323
Joshua Van became the second youngest UFC champion ever when he collected a win over Alexandre Pantoja. He was given a title shot because he had one of the crucial entertaining fights ever against Brandon Royval, through which the 2 fighters set the record for significant strikes in a three-round bout.
While Van definitely is an electrical boxer, few expected him to beat the more well-rounded Pantoja, especially in a five-round fight. Pantoja was coming off five straight title wins due to his ability to thrive in each stand-up and as a grappler. Nevertheless, he broke his shoulder just 26 seconds into the fight.
It was a freak injury, and it is way from a sure thing that Van was going to be the higher man contained in the octagon at UFC 323. He’s the one who currently has the belt wrapped around his waist, though.
4. Johnny Walker vs. Zhang Mingyang, UFC Fight Night, Aug. 23
Johnny Walker is a fan-favorite due to his entertaining fighting style and goofy personality, but he has perhaps develop into most well-known for being knocked out in vicious fashion. While he has had flashes at times throughout his profession, it was assumed that Walker had taken an excessive amount of damage in recent times to offer Zhang Mingyang a run for his money.
Walker hadn’t had his hand raised in three straight fights. Mingyang, meanwhile, looked like the longer term of the sunshine heavyweight division coming into his fight with Walker. He had collected nothing but first-round knockout wins dating all the best way back to 2019. Mingyang was dominating the fight in the primary round, but Walker’s calf kicks sent him crashing to the canvas. Walker then finished the deal while Mingyang was grounded.
Mingyang’s loss was all of the more shocking since it got here in home territory in what was the UFC’s first event in China in six years. Walker is not consistent enough to be a championship-level fighter, but perhaps he can find a distinct segment as a gatekeeper going forward.
3. Carlos Vera vs. Josias Musasa, UFC Fight Night March 15
Josias Musasa was an electrical prospect known for his knockout power. The KO Wizard was expected to run through Carlos Vera, an old fighter who only had one UFC fight – a loss – to his name. As an alternative, in the primary round of motion, Vera put Musasa down with a head kick. He then followed that up with a triangle choke through which Musasa was forced to tap out.
Vera’s shocking victory completely altered Musasa’s trajectory, as he’d go on to lose again after his March 15 defeat. Vera was a +600 underdog heading into fight night.
2. Raoni Barcelos vs. Payton Talbott, UFC 311
Payton Talbott’s unique tattoo and strange MMA personality helped skyrocket him into superstar status as a prospect, but he definitely has the talent to justify the hype. Nevertheless, fans needed to wonder if he was fraudulent when he lost to Raoni Barcelos at UFC 311. Barcelos was viewed by fans and oddsmakers as just one other tune-up for Talbott through which he could add one other win to his then-unblemished record.
Talbott ended up losing a call, though. He was outclassed, and his wrestling was exposed. Barcelos took him down eight times within the three-round fight to develop into the fighter with the fourth-longest underdog odds to find yourself victorious in UFC history. Barcelos was a +710 underdog, and Talbott was favored at -1,150.
Talbott has since bounced back in an enormous way with two wins in 2025, including one against a former Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling and a former UFC champ-champ in Henry Cejudo. Perhaps it just wasn’t Talbott’s night, but his loss to Barcelos was definitely a surprise.
1. Merab Dvalishvili vs. Petr Yan, UFC 323
Coming into his UFC 323 matchup against Petr Yan, Dvalishvili was already established because the bantamweight G.O.A.T. He also had a 50-45 victory over Yan already, through which he scored 11 takedowns and landed 147 strikes. Yan made it clear that a hand injury limited him in that fight, however it was assumed that it was just an excuse, and the second iteration of their rivalry was expected to finish in a similar way to the primary time they squared off.
In any case, Dvalishvili looked unstoppable during and leading as much as his title run. He was one of the crucial lively champions ever, as UFC 323 was his fourth title defense of the 12 months. Dvalishvili pursues takedowns with relentless pursuit, and he has a gas tank that never seems to empty, so everybody assumed he’d add one other win to his resume during Dvalishvili vs. Yan 2.
As an alternative, Yan dominated the fight, completely turning the tables on what all MMA fans thought they knew. He stuffed Dvalishvili’s takedowns, limited his grip strength with elbows to the forearms, and showcased a wide range of unique strikes. It resulted in Yan raising his arm and becoming the brand new Bantamweight Champion, a title he had held before, but one few fans thought could be possible again.