Every MMA fighter's dream is to win the UFC title. However, there are some who, despite being top-rated fighters, fell short of achieving this feat. UFC fans have witnessed legendary fighters miss out on the competition's most coveted prize. Below are four top UFC fighters who never won a title.
Yoel Romero
Romero is undoubtedly one of the most formidable MMA fighters. However, he's never had the opportunity to lift the UFC title. Popularly known as 'The Soldier of God,' Faber's inability to consistently make weight has been his most significant hindrance to becoming UFC champion.
For instance, weighing heavy made him ineligible to win the belt in UFC 221. Romero has been involved in three UFC titles but has never won. Nonetheless, he remains a famous fighter among UFC betting fans using online betting sites in the Philippines, as he is the division's most feared fighter. His last fight was a title defeat to Israel Adesanya, UFC's reigning middleweight king.
Alexander Gustafsson
'The Mauler' is another top UFC fighter that has never won the title. In September 2013, during the UFC 165, Gustafsson showed his talent when he took Jon Jones to the distance but lost to a really close decision.
After that, he got another chance to compete for the UFC title, where he fought against Daniel Cormier. He also took this fight to the wire before losing on the judges' scorecard. The Mauler got another chance against Cormier at UFC 232 but lost again to a TKO. Gustafsson remains one of the greatest fighters to emerge from Europe but never had the opportunity to lift the title.
Joseph Benavidez
Benavidez has had four opportunities to win the UFC title but couldn't overcome his opponents. He lost two of the UFC title fights to flyweight GOAT Demetrious Johnson and another two to Deiveson Figueiredo.
Despite not winning the UFC title, Benavidez remains one of the greatest UFC fighters. He's celebrated as a top fighter who put in top performances despite failing at the final hurdle.
Dan Henderson
Dan Henderson is a legendary fighter who held the Pride welterweight and middleweight titles. He also takes pride in the fact that he overcame heavyweight legend Fedor Emelianenko.
Despite those achievements, 'Hendo' never won the UFC title. He fought in the UFC light-heavyweight and UFC middleweight titles in back-to-back bouts. However, he needed to be better to overcome 'Rampage' Jackson and Silva. He bowed out of the MAA with a championship loss to Michael Bisping.
Final Thoughts
We all celebrate the best athletes based on their achievements, and the same is true for the UFC. Title winners usually get all the attention, while the performances of the second and third-best athletes could quickly go under the radar. This article has shed light on some of the best fighters who entertained UFC fans with their fighting skills despite missing out on the ultimate prize.
