MMA fights that marked a before and after in a fighter's career

This brutal war cemented Robbie Lawler's legacy as a 'Ruthless' champion, solidifying his career resurgence. For Rory MacDonald, many believe this fight took a significant toll, and he was never quite the same fighter afterward.

This brutal TKO loss is widely considered the beginning of a significant decline in Tony Ferguson's career. The immense damage sustained seemed to permanently alter his performance and led to a string of subsequent losses.

This fight introduced Chan Sung Jung, 'The Korean Zombie,' to a wider audience, establishing his reputation as an all-action fighter despite a decision loss. For Leonard Garcia, the brutal nature of the fight prompted him to re-evaluate his 'wild swinging' style.

This monumental upset shattered Ronda Rousey's aura of invincibility and marked the end of her dominant reign in women's MMA. Her career never fully recovered, leading to her retirement shortly after.

This massive upset ended Anderson Silva's legendary title reign and marked a turning point in his career, from which he never fully regained his previous dominance. For Chris Weidman, it was the defining victory that made him an instant legend.

This is considered one of the greatest upsets in MMA history, instantly making Matt Serra a legend. For GSP, it was a humbling loss that led him to re-evaluate his approach and come back as an even more dominant fighter.

This fight marked the dramatic downfall of Renan Barao, who was considered one of the top pound-for-pound fighters, never recovering his previous form. For Dillashaw, it was his breakout performance, launching him into superstardom and a dominant title reign.

This iconic 13-second knockout unified the featherweight title and catapulted Conor McGregor into unprecedented mainstream superstardom. It forever changed his career trajectory and the landscape of MMA.

This spectacular five-second flying knee knockout transformed Jorge Masvidal from a respected journeyman into a bonafide superstar. It led to significant pay-per-view opportunities and a massive surge in popularity.

This was the culmination of Michael Bisping's long career, finally earning him a UFC title and cementing his legacy. For Luke Rockhold, this loss marked a significant downturn, and he was never quite the same after being knocked out.

This incredible last-second submission literally saved Paul Craig's UFC career, as he was on the verge of being cut. It allowed him to continue in the promotion and embark on a successful run.

This loss put Charles Oliveira at a crossroads, with another potential loss possibly costing him his UFC contract. However, it served as a turning point, after which he embarked on an incredible winning streak that led him to the lightweight championship.

This was Dominick Cruz's only career loss for a long time and a pivotal moment. After this defeat, he moved down to bantamweight, went on a long winning streak, and became the UFC's inaugural bantamweight champion.

This loss significantly 'shook the great man's mystique' for Israel Adesanya, who was widely considered one of the greatest middleweight champions. It marked a surprising setback in his career.

This fight saw the highly hyped Darren Till suffer his first professional loss, after which his momentum vanished. He lost four of his next five fights, eventually leaving the UFC.

This fight marked the end of Tyron Woodley's welterweight title reign and the beginning of a significant decline in his career. After this dominant loss, he never won another fight in the UFC.

This fight, despite being a loss, massively boosted Alexander Gustafsson's career, as he was the first fighter to truly challenge Jon Jones. It made him a main event fighter and significantly elevated Swedish MMA.

This fight, despite being a loss, put Lando Vannata 'on the map.' His unexpected performance against a top contender earned him 'Fight of the Night' honors and significant hype, leading to a series of high-profile fights.

This spectacular spinning hook kick knockout immediately made Uriah Hall everyone's new favorite UFC prospect. It created immense hype around his career and became the 'KO of the Year.'

After a three-fight losing streak, Tai Tuivasa was on the verge of being cut from the UFC. This victory reinvigorated his career and allowed him to go on a high-profile winning streak.