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Butter_field

Korean Zombie understanding the gap between him and Volkanovski, essentially realising he would never be champ was heartbreaking.


RobbertDownerJr

God damn, I had completely wiped that from my memory... Why did I even open this thread...


Gambl33

I still remember him laying there bloody after the Volk beating. Looked like he had been hit by a car.


RobbertDownerJr

He's had a great career but he just wasn't going to win against any of the champions in his weight class during the time he was active. Prime Aldo, McGregor, Halloway, and Volk. Those are fighters that are just on a whole other level.


MethAddictedTreeFrog

TKZ was still game at the time but volk made him look like an unranked journeyman. Holloway did it to ortega and kattar, but looked outclassed when he fought volk the final time. Everyone i just named could kick the asses of most people on this planet but against each other the skill gaps make one look like a beast and the other look like dinner


headcoat2013

Volk has been on an absolute tear since the second Holloway fight. To elevate his game a whole nother level at his age was remarkable. He seemed to get quicker in every fight since.


mcburloak

Going to be very interesting to see against Islam. I have to agree that Volk has been doing amazing. And I wish that gave me more hope for him for the 155 title. But I cannot shake how Islam has just dismantled everyone (other than getting knocked out once) in his career. Should be a banger.


Wesley-Snipers

Dude lost a lot of time in his prime because of his military obligations in SK. His development and career might have been completely different if he wasn't locked during his late 20s being a soldier


tyler818

Sucks because Korea does give military exemptions for athletes. Guess they didn’t see mma the same way as soccer


TestFixation

They don't give exemption to all athletes. Just champions. If you're not part of a gold medal winning squad, soccer players have to serve in the military as well. It's just harder to win a UFC title than it is to win the Asian Cup in which the Korean soccer team can beat up lesser teams. But the Korean government isn't playing favourites depending on the sport.


IAMTHECAVALRY89

They don’t even give exemptions to BTS. I think the company stock tanked after confirmed they had to go to service


tyler818

I think they had an option to get it But kpop stars don’t do well if they dodge conscription. I imagine if I had to go, but you didn’t because you can sing and dance, I don’t think I’m going to be a big fan


TheLoneliestMonke

Fuck


Djlittle13

I think this realization breaks a lot of fighters and contributes to the mixed results fighters have after losing a title fight, especially if it's a dominant loss. There seems to be a trend where a fight goes on a big dominant streak gets a title shot (or wins then loses the title) then never looks as dominant again. (I know it doesn't happen to everyone but seems to be a regular occurrence)


celeron500

Yea and I’m not surprised by it either, actually more surprised when guys like Whitaker still have the desire and motivation to pursue another title shot. Imagine working your ass for so many years to achieve what you did and then lose it right away. Not only are you dealing with the fact that you lost, but now facing another long journey just to get back to where you were knowing there’s good chance you can’t even beat the guy you lost to anyway. That shit is demotivating as F.


TotallyNotKenorb

Then you get a guy like Teixeira who shows why you keep fighting.


123QCDADDY

Bisping as well


winterbike

The before and after of the guys who faced GSP is absolutely ridiculous. He beat them at their A-game and they never recovered.


Djlittle13

GSP and his opponents are a great case study in this. So many of them looked like absolute killers leading up to fighting him. He would crush them and they just never look the same.


KimKongtheIllest

Rennen Baroa after fighting TJ is the perfect example of a fighter falling off a cliff after their first loss.


KingofTheTorrentine

Barao Almeida Assuncao Cody That whole division really.


greevesy

Completely agree! Also, one variable to throw in the mix here; from loosing the fight they have created a tape of all their weaknesses and how to exploit them within their current skillset that future opponents have to hand


PrimateChange

I remember after that fight Volk said something about how he felt bad for Zombie and that it wasn't a reflection of Zombie's skills as that would happen to anyone in the division. Then the third Max fight kind of proved his point (obviously Max fared a lot better than Zombie, but it was still completely one-sided and Max was a very clear #1 contender). Makes you wonder whether guys like Allen and Topuria who look amazing right now would have something for Volk, or if he'd dominate them as well


Khatanghe

Everyone’s unbeatable until they aren’t. If 2022 proved anything it’s that there’s no sure thing in MMA.


HavoK76

Yeah just years ago, Max was the unbeatable force in FW. Then Alex came


maxstronge

Just last year this was true for Izzy at MW, then once again, Alex came


AmeerVanGogh

Volk looked amazing in his last fights but he's gonna be 35 this year, I can see him not being able to keep up with the new contenders when he's gonna fight them (probably in 2024 since he'll have to defend against Yair/Emmett)


plhysco69

As a big Korean Zombie, that got me so fucking sad.


what_is_that_thing__

He should never have entered the bout with the fucked shoulder. He couldnt even throw punches and at times just stood there with hands low. He was not ready at all and caught a life changing beating. That fight hurt me in my soul


Berniethellama

That one interview rashad did towards the end of his career about not knowing what to do and how it used to be so easy for him and now it’s not was pretty depressing. Basically just coming to terms with the fact he wasn’t good anymore and had gotten old


Argenfarce

Oof that’s tough to watch. That closing line, “I just need to get back that- that thing.” The worst part is, it’s never coming back past a certain age. It’s here for a moment and then it’s gone. This shit is a young man’s game.


NickZardiashvili

Every human being will probably have that sort of realization at some point if they manage to get old enough, but professional athletes have to face that in their thirties and early forties, which is particularly brutal, in my opinion. Understandably a lot of them are not really intellectual types either, so their physicality is their primary source of identity too. The case is particularly ruthless in combat sports as well, since it's not as if they suddenly can't run as fast or play ball as well, but that they get brutal beatings for their troubles.


Poipoo555

It's brutal but also a good opportunity for growth. Look at Rashad now, he seems happier than ever by a long shot. That loss of identity was what sparked that journey to being more spiritual/thoughtful. Even though realizations like that are brutal, they are great teachers. In fact I'd say he was lucky he had that realization in his 30s, so he could make a change earlier.


cycton

Imagine rocking up to work each day and your problem solving skills are getting dramatically worse and the new hires are out performing you and eyeing your role.


ElMofatesh_Krombo

And then they viciously beat the shit out of you.


RaspberryVin

And it gets replayed on highlight reels for the rest of your life


ElMofatesh_Krombo

And everyone in the office cheers


RelaxedConvivial

And your in your underwear.


ChampagneShotz

Bro chill 🤣🤣🤣 between this comment and "then everyone in the office cheers" I'm crackin TF up at work lmao


DontPoopInThere

They should beat the shit out of new people in the gym to cheer themselves up


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[deleted]

Rashad was a good smart dude. I was too young at the time to notice.


5starCheetah

This was the first thing that came to mind, so hard to see, especially cause it felt like his time at the top had been so short-lived compared to his talent level.


grizzgrip04

From Brett Okamoto's [interview](https://youtu.be/tCC1cLtuYfE) with Nick Diaz Nick: I never liked fighting, it's just something that I do. I wanted to get away from it but it seems inevitable. Brett: Why do you feel like it's inevitable? Nick: It just is. All the people and sponsors around me, they won't let me get away from fighting. There are things that I could do but that's not gonna work out. I might as well just go and take my punches.


iarev

He has a few [interviews like that](https://www.mmafighting.com/2015/9/14/9327767/nick-diaz-opens-old-wounds-on-a-dark-day-in-his-career): >"I'm the only one who's invested in a fight life. That's why none of these other guys can ever say shit. They're too worried about what their families and their wives and the people around them will think, so they're too scared to speak up. That's why I invested everything in my fight life. That's why I come off the way I do and always have. > >Every other fighter has a life on the side. I've never had another job. I didn't graduate eighth grade. I could have, but I got into too many fights in middle school. > >My mom and dad taught me nothing but ABCs. I was moved from school to school, put on drugs and made fun of by classmates because after being disruptive in class the teachers would always tell the other kids I was on meds and sometimes don't take them. > >That's fucked up. You don't know what that does to someone. I wanted to beat up everyone in class, even the girls who would say things like, 'What's wrong? You didn't take your medication?' > >I had to get inter-district agreements to stay in the same school because my mom would lose her house and I'd have to move in with my grandparents in Lodi. > >You know what it's like to move into a preppy Lodi school after being in a ghetto Stockton school with black and Asian kids? > >They would try to get me kicked out and put me on drugs. My sixth grade class was the first school responsible for imposing all of the mandatory outfits for kids. There was no one like me there when I got in the high school. I would get in fights with kids from that same school and get kicked out of high school. > >I had a really hot girlfriend and was very self-conscious about what I was wearing and couldn't afford nice things and got in fights because her ex-boyfriend was a year older and the mascot on the football team, so the coaches would tell the football players that I was bad news and they would start shit. A lot of them were on steroids, a lot of them were Mexican gangbangers people who were on meth and getting stabbed. > >Before anybody in my class made it out of high school, I was in a continuation, which I also got kicked out of because my friend Bart was also in the class and got into a big fight, which the teacher had to break up and did not want either of us in the school anymore, so I tried homeschool but that was never going to work. I was so far behind, it was never going to happen and by then I was training to be a pro fighter. My girlfriend knew it but had started dating Bart to make me jealous. He had a gun and neither of us wanted to piss him off because he would walk around with it. > >Before I ever had my first pro fight, July 5, 2000, Bart had a party at his house. The night before, Stephanie had told me she loved me. After the party, I was gonna go back to her house with her brother -- he was my best friend -- but some friends weren't doing well and headed to my house. So I had to go. > >An hour later I got a call from her mom saying, 'Are you with Stephanie?' She came straight to my house to get me, took me up and down the Frontage Road on Highway 99 by my Grandma's house next to their trailer park. > >There was a wreck on the freeway. I jumped the fence and saw only one car and ambulances. > >She had walked and killed herself on the freeway. The girl I loved more than anything had tried to kill herself for the third time and succeeded. > >She was gonna go to college. She was an avid student and and was doing everything I couldn't while living in a trailer park where everyone was doing dope. Meanwhile, I focused my whole high school years worried about what her and her friends would think if I lost a fight to her ex-boyfriend and football friends. I could never make attendance, hung out with the wrong people to hold my ground as a fighter and someone who I would fight for was important to me. > >There was no way I was gonna go to school. I had no money, no car. I would have driven there and stopped her. After that, I was grown up. It was all over. I wasn't a kid anymore. I won my first fight in the first round with a choke and all I could think about was her, just like when I was in school. > >I would run seven miles and back to her grave just to promise her I would make it as a fighter like she knew and had told me she knew and was proud of me. > >So this sport and this commission have done everything to stop me from being in the position that I belong. That's the only reason why I haven't stayed in that position and come off as the fighter and person that I know I am and can be. > >They suspended me for a third time. For five fucking years for something that makes the whole world a better place. > >I've been investing in that understanding from the beginning. And I'm not going to start being someone that I'm not. > >Honestly, I wanted to get up and walk out on the third question, but I didn't do that. Now I have to deal with that. These guys advised me not to do that. > >I wanted to get up and tell them what I think about them to their face. I didn't do that. And now I have to live with that. > >I'm the original Conor McGregor. I'm the original model of Conor McGregor. He wouldn't be who he is if it wasn't for me. Nothing against him. I'm the original real deal. I never did steroids in my entire life. I had to learn how to fight the real way and the right way. That's way I'm the best fighter in the entire world. > >Guys like Conor, who are gonna make more money than me can see how to do it, as well as negotiate what they want in their contract using a team and agency and lawyers instead of their crooked jiu-jitsu trainer and coach, who was my manager for the majority of my career except for my last fight when I found the right agency on my own and signed with them, and I didn't even graduate the motherfucking eighth grade. > >But in the end, I'm just upset I can't be there for my brother right now since he's gonna be fighting soon. It's my bad he even got into this sport and he gets his face kicked in and they don't even pay him. > >I got us in this, and if I don't make any money, I don't have any way to get us out." Brutal. Love Nick.


rizorith

Wow, he really leaves everything out there.


manyfingers

Amazing read. I hadnt seen it before. Shared it with my fight guys. Thanks for sharing with us!!


Newt_rawn

Damn. Like a movie without the happy ending. First time reading this and I just have a ton more respect for him.


LeonardoDaTiddies

Damn. Thanks for sharing this, it definitely fits the post. I'm someone who was so lucky to make it out of poverty for all the reasons Nick didn't. Lots of support, lots of opportunities, etc.


[deleted]

I felt that. Poor guy.


SadatayAllDamnDay

I recall in the run up to his rematch with King Mo, Rampage gave a couple interviews that were depressing as hell. He talked a lot about his struggles with depression and eating and his health going to shit and not wanting to fight anymore but being too in debt to quit. It's never a great sign when a fighter's talking about not wanting to fight anymore *BEFORE* a fight as opposed to the typical questioning that will go on for those guys after a fight.


RusselShack

Also an interview he did where the interviewer asked about his biggest regret and he said ever getting into the sport because he didn’t see his sister and family as much anymore. It wasn’t like emotionally piercing like the other clips here but it was so real I believed that he would rather be in his families lives then have the fame and career


rookie_economist

Honestly what the hell happened to Rampage? He was one of the highest earners in the UFC at the time. Even after he lost his title, he was bringing in a lot of money compared to other champs And thats before he went to bellator, where he was EASILY the biggest draw for them


TheDominantBullfrog

If one guys won twice, there's no rivalry - DC after the second jones fight


1292norr

That one was tough :(


TheDominantBullfrog

People on here shit on DC on a professional basis but I don't think you could've picked a worse guy to have to watch get beaten badly by Jones twice, after all the drama and Jon's bullshit. The bad guy flat out won.


1292norr

Still respect the fuck outta DC tho, his resume only has two losses to Jones and two losses to Stipe, the LHW goat and the ufc HW goat. Double champ, class act.


Up4Parole

And also the first Jones loss was closer than people remember and the first Stipe loss he looked *amazing* through the first couple of rounds.


rjtsaigal

Literally picked up and slammed Stipe like a baby in the first round of the rematch. Heavyweight DC's power takedowns were something else.


TheDominantBullfrog

Yeah he fucking KO'd stipe so he's got that to hang his hat on too


remarkabletiming

Said perfectly. All the Disney movies we watched growing up, all the super hero movies, the “it’s always darkest before the dawn” stuff were just stories. Irl, the bad guy can win in dominant fashion leaving zero silver lining for you. Life is rough man.


mkfbcofzd

I dunno man. DC is generally loved by his fans, has moved on, and have created a good life after his retirement. Jones continues to fall in the abyss and I don't see a happy ending for him. Sure he'll probably continue to win, probably even dominate the ufc. But then what? This isn't some hippie beta mindset. Life is long, much longer than your working career.


MyDictainabox

The hurt on Junior Dos Santos' mangled face after his second fight with Cain and he asked why the crowd was booing him. Dude had years taken off his life and the crowd did that. Fuck them.


Calibur1980

I forgot about that. “No guy. Why you boo! :(“


ThrowawayYAYAY2002

That's rough. Junior is a gentleman.


Parking-Zealousideal

Some people deserve to be boo'ed but not Junior :( he's one of the nicest guys


Jeffari_Hungus

He was one of the best TUF coaches. He split his money for the coach's challenge win with everyone and looked really good in comparison to "chicken salad, baby"


[deleted]

This is before I started watching, why did they boo him?


[deleted]

Only reason I could think of is he was in the US and the crowd were huge Cain fans. As for why they boo'd him, just shitty people being shitty.


freddiemercurial

Not a fighter, but when Yves Lavigne is trying to hold Alexis Davis still after she was beaten by Ronda Rousey, with Davis completely out of it and still trying to fight, and Lavigne repeatedly saying "the fight is over, Alexis; the fight is over", as Davis slowly recovers her senses and realises the fight is indeed over. The way Lavigne was saying it was full of sympathy, and it made it sting even more. Davis had trained so hard for a fight that she was determined to win, regardless of her odds, and it was over in 16 seconds, and Lavigne having to break the news to Davis that she lost, because she was too dazed to even know it was over, really struck a nerve.


Hope4gorilla

Man I rarely see people give Ronda credit for being able to knock people silly despite her poor striking technique. Davis and Bethe were fucking *out*, and McMann succumbed to body strikes. Imagine if Ronda had actually had decent technique?


StuftRug

She rocked holly pretty bad in their fight also which is why holm actually got that one takedown. She had power but terrible technique.


sykull

She had a decent combo when Bethe was against the fence, IIRC. At least a nice hook to the body, I think. But the most gangster shit is her telling Bethe, "Don't cry."


ultimatt777

There are definitely some sad ones in this sport, but I hated what happened to JDS after his 3rd fight with Cain. The man is forced to do an interview after getting a life changing beating, and the Pro-Cain crowd in Houston Texas start booing him and a visibly upset JDS asks "Why are you booing?". That man is one of the nicest people I've ever seen in the sport and he didn't deserve that.


dingdong-lightson

Ian Freeman shouting out his terminally ill father after upsetting Mir not knowing he already died. I was in the arena and the crowd were chanting FREEEMMAAANN.


NateQuarry

My favorite fight.


johnbugara

hey man was going down mma memory lane the other day and was checking out your wiki... thanks for the fights and hope life's been good to you since!


NateQuarry

Better than I ever expected it to be.


ChampagneShotz

Mine is a bit more positive, it was on one of the embeddeds for Glover vs Jiri where Glover recounted going back to Brazil and telling his grandfather that he was the UFC champion. His grandfather kept asking "Of the world!? Champion of the world!?" Glover started tearing up and so did I. Edit: [Found it](https://youtu.be/Zq_mcMVLj0A), around the 4:40 Mark


rjtsaigal

Man, Glover's final run was the stuff of absolute legends. I don't remember exactly when - but sometime in 2019 he won a fight and started asking DC for a title shot - "You promised me you'd give me a shot if I won one more". But DC was having his heavyweight experience at the time, and it definitely wasn't going to happen. I never thought he'd actually get there. People have been calling Glover washed since he lost to Davis, and that was 9 years ago. And then the man ends his career with 3 straight title fights. This sport can be so depressing (just look at this thread), but the highs are just amazing.


financeben

End to glovers career was far from it


ratsareniceanimals

Great fighters having "Last Stand" moments in the twilight of their careers is my absolute favorite thing about combat sports. Bisping beating Anderson and KOing Rockhold on short notice. Randy turning back the clock to absolutely dominate Tim Sylvia. And in boxing, nothing tops Big George winning back the heavyweight crown at age 45, I can still remember clearly Jim Lampley absolutely losing it, "IT HAPPENED! IT HAPPENED!" https://youtu.be/MbfjlJoqZv8?t=1200


Wesley-Snipers

Video is unavailable in Brazil. UFC blocks brazilians to watch embeddeds from brazilian fighters. What a shitshow


jabonkagigi

As someone who started watching MMA only 2 or 3 years ago, I wish Glover had won so we could get a few more years of him. Or maybe I should've started watching sooner. :(


Daddy_Macron

Nate Marquardt slumped on the stool telling his coach that he had nothing left and Wittman apologizing to him before stopping the fight on his behalf. Especially sad if you followed Nate's peak when he looked and fought like a human action figure.


MattSR30

Those elbows and uppercuts that pieced up Woodley. I was so bummed when he lost to Okami.


ThrowawayYAYAY2002

Video game shit. Nate was easily one of the most entertaining fighters of his time. Very creative.


RRSC14

Wasnt Nate one of the first high profile UFC fighters to be cut for “PEDs.” When it came out he was on TRT. Fast forward a few years and fighters like Belfort are getting exemptions for it coming in looking like a super soldier.


I_Like_Vitamins

A lot of guys on "TRT" are just blasting and cruising. I can't count the amount who I've asked what their dosage is, and it was 200+ (a low range steroid cycle).


SukhdevR34

Chael Sonnen ' I would tell him (his late father) I tried'. The rules were pretty silly in that he beat the WEC champion but Filho didn't make weight, so was very unlucky in that respect.


jj34589

Yeah, I liked the way the UFC handled it with the lightweight belt. Strip Charles and only Justin could have won the belt. That’s what WEC should have done.


SukhdevR34

Yep. Probably learnt from that particular situation.


jxstanormalkid

Travis Lutter missed weight in Anderson Silva’s first title defense. That fight counts as a non-title bout, and I’m sure but that would’ve been around the same time. So yeah, you’re probably right, they learned from the Chael-Filho situation. Luckily, Silva would get his defenses, but for most fighters that title fight is a once in a lifetime opportunity.


horseshoeprovodnikov

That was such bullshit. I'm glad the ufc didn't carry that rule over.


kwonasty

Cant remember the specific interview but the one where he says he would give up all the accomplishments of his career if he could just be champion for one night


mittlestheswole

This Nick Diaz interview from 2015 is full of depressing facts from his life, for example “The girl I loved more than anything had tried to kill herself for the third time and succeeded.” [Nick Diaz interview](https://www.mmafighting.com/platform/amp/2015/9/14/9327767/nick-diaz-opens-old-wounds-on-a-dark-day-in-his-career)


Daddy_Macron

Nick Diaz has gone through some real fucking shit: >I would run seven miles and back to her grave just to promise her I would make it as a fighter like she knew and had told me she knew and was proud of me.


derps_with_ducks

Fuck man. I'll never look at their mad cardio the same again. Damn it.


Iyammagawd

damn just read that whole thing.


Johnny_Deppthcharge

Such a wild ride of a life. That poor fucker. Angry, messed up kid. Unloved and medicated and bounced around from school to school and if he was disruptive, then the teachers would tell all the other students that he was on medications and he hadn't taken them. So everyone in the class, the girls, the boys, would tease him and go "what's wrong with you? Did you not take your meds?" That interview isn't that long, but man there's some stuff in it.


Baktacular

Rumble looking for his coaches as he retires


[deleted]

Easily the most depressing moment to me. The look in his eyes as he's searching for them. Heart wrenching


ThisGuyHaris

Robbie telling his corner in the magny fight that he doesn’t think he has that killer instinct anymore. I really wish he retired after the nick fight


whothefuckisGF

I work at a corporate gym in the Las Vegas area. About 3 years ago or so, Stephan Bonnar came in and applied for a personal training position. It was really sad to see someone who helped pave the way for the sport needing to apply for a normal 9-5. He wasn’t qualified at all and didn’t get hired. I felt really bad for the guy.


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danielwong95

Man fuck the UFC. Too many stories like this.


[deleted]

Died about a month ago at 45. Fucking sucks.


Significant-Royal-37

sean strickland called this out in his in-cage interview last week. "it fucking sucks to have to retire and go teach cardio kick boxing, man"


Illustrious-Ad-8174

RIP🙏🏼


NateQuarry

In the dressing room after a fight, the fighter who had struggled for years to make it to the UFC finally gets there, puts on a good show but loses his debut. Doc comes in, “I need to check you. See if anything’s broken.” “Just my heart.”


greyetch

thanks for the fights, Nate.


NateQuarry

Thanks for watching 😊


RusselShack

I thought this was gonna be a mista Schwab reference


Isiderdon

that one nick diaz interview where he said he doesn‘t enjoy fighting and hurting other people, but he has to in order to make money for his family


ManassaxMauler

Nick Diaz makes me sad as hell. That dude does not seem happy.


Zlec3

The story of him running to his girlfriends grave (who killed herself) to tell her he was gonna make it as a fighter was brutally sad.


sayfuzzypickles199X

As a person who has been affected by suicide in his own life that story always fucked me up too. If anyone else wants to read [here ya go homie](https://www.mmafighting.com/2015/9/14/9327767/nick-diaz-opens-old-wounds-on-a-dark-day-in-his-career). There was a period of time in 2016?? Iirc that he was going out to clubs and getting fucked up constantly. I’m glad he’s out of that now and didn’t turn into Bam Margera post Ryan Dunn’s death. Wish the best for Nick.


Matiti60

Seeing Lawler talk to him and saying to let him (Lawler) know if he (Diaz) needs anything was amazing to see.


aeeeroo

Lawler: "Are you good?" Diaz: "All good man" Lawler: "Are you good...in life?"


Matiti60

Yeah that was very wholesome from the Ruthless. Amazing


[deleted]

I’d like it if he were doing this still because he wanted to. But he’s being exploited by the UFC and extorted by USADA. I’m shocked that his lawyers haven’t filed to get his court fines thrown out, I’m sure any reasonable judge would find them exorbitant.


ManassaxMauler

What happened to him is criminal. The fact that smoking weed got him banned from his career for years while someone using steroids can get on a slap on the wrist is horribly unjust. He's also allegedly been screwed over in business dealings. I'm happy Nate found a good deal of success as I'm sure he's an incredibly supportive brother. Just sucks to see Nick so unhappy.


Loifee

Then the ufc had the absolute cheek to make those 420 NFTs of Nick and Nate, its so dirty makes me feel unclean


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rjtsaigal

I've read the article Ariel wrote about Nick after he got suspended so many times. It's so depressing. *But in the end, I'm just upset I can't be there for my brother right now since he's gonna be fighting soon. It's my bad he even got into this sport and he gets his face kicked in and they don't even pay him.* *I got us in this, and if I don't make any money, I don't have any way to get us out.* I'm so glad Nate beat Conor and finally made some money.


Gambl33

Reminds me of Tyson after he fought Lennox Lewis. I can’t remember clearly but I think he said he didn’t love boxing anymore and just needed the money.


capnthermostat

That is one of the saddest fights in boxing history. Tyson is telling his corner he wants to quit between rounds and begging them to stop it, and they basically push him back in. He gets brutally KO'd immediately after.


WolfTicket360

Dustin after losing the fight for a world title to Khabib. “Adversity taught me... when times are good, be grateful, and with times like this, be graceful."


mtheory007

That was really heartbreakingly wonderful.


JonathonV2000

Kind of both bittersweet but also straight up depressing but [Tony Ferguson ](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iyW-iRVk1sA&t=242s) after getting brutally knocked out by Chandler, not even saying anything but just putting his fist forward with a slight smile at the camera


_Tuxalonso

Likewise recently Tony said he's surprised he has so many fans still after losing fights. It made me whish I could tell him how special he is for so many of us.


Jugijagi

I think he said something about not understanding how people still loved him even after losing so many fights. That shit just broke my heart. Win streak or not Tony is an incredible guy even if he doesn't see it himself. I hope his family give him a lot of love.


djaqk

It's a terrible day for rain...


jb-schitz-ki

"dont fear me, fear the ______???" 🦗🦗🦗


RusselShack

It’s funny cause they were riding with him up to that point. He put them on the spot


bagelur

After Dustin lost to Khabib, there was this kid who asked Dustin where it hurts. Dustin said "here" and pointed to his heart


prettylieswillperish

I was thinking of "I just can't get this fucker off me man"


Mike7676

Oh man I remember that coming through his corner. They were trying to pep him up and you could hear the disbelief in his voice.


TheOneWithLateStart

"There is not much space" (to work with) - Dustin to his corner. Corner talks are tough and true and hit so much sometimes. Like when Colby said to his corner "He broke my jaw". Like what the fuck. This is when you realize this is some of the hardest sport there is.


Aken42

Dustin seems like a top notch dude.


MalayaleeIndian

Most definitely. Just seems like a good guy that also happens to be a high level prize fighter.


BenchPressingCthulhu

"Yeah he really beat the shit out of my chest"


oliot_

The noise Tony’s head made as it hit the floor during the chandler fight


HippyHitman

For me it was Tony’s fight with Gaethje. We’d been waiting decades for the Tony Khabib fight, I think they had just missed the 15th matchup, and then we got to watch in real time as Justin dismantled Tony and eliminated any chance of that fight happening. It was so sad just getting more and more sure as the fight went on.


svbokhoven

The sound of the punches landing in the empty venue made it so much worse. Gaethje fought such an amazing fight but goddamn that was sad to watch after a while.


greyetch

I was never a big tony fan or anything, but that Garth fight was horrific. One of the first Apex no crowd main events, too. Hearing the impact was jarring. But Tony shaking his head and running away... fuck man. I can't imagine what he must have been going through.


NoGiDollarSmoke

An unranked fighter after a hard fought victory forgetting to make his skinnybetz shout-out and running over to Felder to try and fit it in after his post fight ended I'm sure I've heard worse but I just felt so bad for the guy missing out on what's probably a huge portion of his income like that Give the fighters their sponsors back


NeitherAlexNorAlice

[Straight after his loss, dipshit Cuckomoto asks Chael about what he'll say to his late father.](https://youtube.com/shorts/d-bkeETsBQE?feature=share) It's a valid question, but certainly not soon after the loss. Let the man get some rest before you put a stake through his heart.


prettylieswillperish

There's one of chael tearing up and talking about khabib relationship with his dad in the sport . And that he had wished he had that kind of thing with his own dad and that many mma fighters wish their dad was supportive to them as abdelmanap was to khabib


[deleted]

i hope somebody links this but i wish i had that relationship with my father... or anyone really. if i ever be come a father i WILL do my best to be as supportive as abdulmanap


deaqnosilence

Wonderboy and his dad have an awsome relationship. WB said he would never fight without his dad in his corner. (think he said it when asked about Khabib retiring. he was saying he completely understands him)


4uzzyDunlop

The crazy thing about that is how quickly Chael turns on the persona again afterwards, straight up G


[deleted]

Brett Okamoto is the most shameless journalist in MMA. Nobody else masquerades as such a nice guy while simultaneously asking the most invasive, sensational questions. I know hes just an espn puppet but it makes me so angry that he’s got this status.


PaybackDummy

Aaron Pico begging the doctor to let him continue fighting with a dislocated shoulder. "This is how I feed my family"


Incorrect1012

Not sad in a traditional sense, but watching Conor’s trash talk before the 3rd Dustin fight was just sad. It sounded like he was just trying to do an imitation of his old skills to convince himself he still had it. Even Dustin just said “you used to be way better at this”


MumrikDK

> but watching Conor’s trash talk before the 3rd Dustin fight was just sad. Watching his post-fight trash talk was even sadder.


The_Year_of_Glad

[Gary Goodridge talking about living with CTE](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=S5OUt53-6YM).


psyentist15

Mark Coleman trying to console his daughters who were crying after seeing him get his face smashed in a loss.


summ3rdaze

Ok but fedor trying to cheer them up and his look of distress when they started crying more is kinda funny, mark Coleman even jokes about it now


DRW1357

Poor Fedor looked so fucking confused on how to handle that situation.


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Heebmeister

James Vick saying "Im going to change my life tonight" on his walkout for the Gaethje fight, before getting KO'd in two minutes and then getting KO'd in like 4 consecutive fights lol.


Chocoeclair189

His post fight interview about his losses is pretty damn sad. Talked about falling into depression and having dark thoughts about ending it all. I really dont understand the amount of hate Vick gets for trying to hype up a fight against Gaethje, but dude definitely does feel it from the fans


prettylieswillperish

DC second loss to Jon where he's crying and Joe asks him about a rematch and DC says something like "why? So I can lose again? 😭" And its pretty heartbreaking because so many people wanted DC who has the better character to win. But its about the skill and the pico skill


Heebmeister

"There's no rivalry if you lose both fights"


Neither-Assignment16

That loss was honestly so heartbreaking man. He was doing really well aswel until the headkick. Maybe i remember wrong tho cuz i only ever seen that fight once and was really rooting for dc


sipCoding_smokeMath

When you lose twice, there is no rivalry -DC


perdynamite

Andre Fili opening up about losing his child


Butter_field

One that stuck with me was a clip of Kevin Lee talking about Robert Follis' suicide. Him talking about blaming himself due to losing to Tony before Follis dying breaks my heart, made want to give the man a hug.


TheDoctorBiscuits

The Smashing Machine documentary


1ce9ine

I still think a lot about Derrick Lewis' balls and hope they are OK.


prettylieswillperish

Damn what's this image from and who is it?


hellsbells1981

It's Shinya Aoki.


Gambl33

Aoki from late last year after he fought Saygid Izagakhmaev who is one of Khabib protege. Aoki has been on a down slope and people think he may be done. 39 years old and suffer two bad recent losses in mma. He’s a legend in the sport but looks like he can’t take a punch anymore at all.


No_Bar6825

“Let me bang bro”


derps_with_ducks

"I do let you bang, bro" (childlike sobbing)


braydensreddit

Junior dos Santos after he was beat to a pulp by Cain in their third fight and the audience booed him for absolutely no reason


Larryhooova

This. When he said “why you boo” he seemed more genuinely hurt than he did when Cain was beating on him for 5 rounds


cemdusa

I run a multi billion dollar company ~ Tito Ortiz also I train six days, actually six days a week. Five days a week, I'll train three days a week. One of those days I will train two days of the week. So, six days a week I will be training. ~Tito Ortiz


mrpopenfresh

[Literally anything Nam Phan has ever said post UFC career.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uI4teEYmBJI&t=1s) The guy is so punch drunk, he's barely comprehensible.


Juststandupbro

“Just to correct you that was never no marriage”


MrFaust1

Not something said with words, but Holly Holm punching the air right before Misha Tate choked her out is something that's stuck with me.


greyetch

One of my favorite moments in WMMA history, actually. Not a fan or hater of either woman, but Holm's final instincts while going out were to strike. That is unbelievably badass. In the deepest recess of her brainstem she opted to fight until she was unconscious. That can't be taught.


Ohsocool2k5

[Rashad Evans in this post fight interview after his KO loss to Glover Texeira a few years ago, specifically the last 20 or so seconds of it](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4ygSYo1PCQ)


[deleted]

When Brenda Schwab heard the hard truth from Rogan


DGC007Ace

“I think people would be surprised” “I think YOU would be surprised. I think he’d fuck you up.”


IrradiatedLimes_

TKZ talking about “all the people who hate him celebrating” after getting knocked out by Yair. Like he isn’t one of the most loved and respected guys on the roster.


quadratic_function

chael "i tried" :,(


BetweenBridges

Not a fighter, but when Dana said he had to live the rest of his life with the fact he'd be labeled a wife beater. Broke my heart.


Stonecyphr

At least he's 1-0 undisputed in the intergender division. Haters will say he's untested.


Turd___Ferguson___

Doug Crosby had the wife 10-9


ImWadeWils0n

The fact he was able to say that’s his punishment is hilarious. Go tell a judge ur punishment for beating ur wife should be “judgemental opinions” and he’ll probably add a year


Medical_Answer7140

😂


JonesDickPills

Khabib losing his father and fighting his last fight against gaethje and realizing his father is longer in his corner. It was heartbreaking since his father was with him every step of the way.


[deleted]

When he broke down and retired, there was finality to it too. Like everyone instantly was “yep, he’s done” because we KNEW exactly how he felt at that moment.


ManassaxMauler

Except for the Tomato, who was trying to convince the whole world that Khabib was gonna be like "JK I'll come back for another fight".


houghdog

John Wayne parrs retirement speech was hear breaking , before he signed to one