Worst MMA fighters around the world – from failed WWE superstar to Brit with 84 defeats

Conor McGregor, Ronda Rousey and Jon Jones are three of the biggest names in the world of mixed martial arts - but there are a number of fighters who boast terrible records

Conor McGregor, Ronda Rousey and Jon Jones are names that have become household staples.

These athletes have propelled themselves to fame by establishing impressive mixed martial arts records through years of hard work and determination. Their celebrity status transcends the UFC fan base. While each of these individuals has held the Ultimate Fighting Championship title in their respective weight classes, there are other athletes who can only dream of such success. Their records are tarnished with a significant number of losses.

Some might argue that achieving championship status requires immense courage, while others believe it takes even more resilience to keep fighting when you're down on your luck and on a losing streak. However, the following MMA fighters did just that, not letting their loss count dampen their fighting spirit. Let's delve into some of the most one-sided records in mixed martial arts history...

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CM Punk - 0 wins, 1 loss, 1 no contest

CM Punk, originally known as Phil Brooks, carved out a notable career in WWE before diving into mixed martial arts. Unlike Brock Lesnar, who achieved great success in the UFC, becoming the heavyweight champion with an impressive record of 5-3-1 after victories over fighters like Frank Mir, Shane Carwin, and Randy Couture, Punk's foray into MMA was notably less successful.

Now aged 45, the Chicago-born former wrestler has had only two bouts in the UFC, neither ending in victory. His debut was against Mickey Gall in September 2016, when he succumbed to a rear-naked choke in the first round, following an early takedown by Gall. After being dominated on the ground and giving up the submission to Gall, Brook took a two-year hiatus from MMA.

He returned with renewed vigour to face Mike Jackson, a relatively unknown fighter but again lost the match after three rounds. The decision was subsequently changed to a no-contest, yet Punk's official record remains at 0-1-1 in the UFC.

Following his last appearance in 2018 against Jackson, Dana White, the UFC president, commented: "We gave him two shots and he had a lot of heart tonight in this fight, and yeah, I think he should call it a wrap."

Bruce Johnson - 9 wins, 53 losses

Bruce Johnson, who lost his first amateur fight before winning the next two, made his professional debut against Nyantu Bolo with Brutaal in September 2008 - losing via a first-round rear-naked choke. It wasn't until his seventh professional fight that he tasted victory, defeating Steve Krumrei via a first-round armbar in February 2009.

Fast forward to 2024, and Johnson's professional record stands at nine wins and 53 losses, with an astonishing 40 of those losses coming by submission. After an eight-fight losing streak spanning nearly two years, Johnson retired in October 2014 and hasn't returned to the ring since.

Craig Allen - 5 wins, 53 losses

Welsh fighter Craig Allen has had a challenging career in mixed martial arts, with a record of five wins and 53 losses. He didn't win either of his two amateur fights before turning pro in 2009, and his losing streak continued for five professional bouts before he finally won the following year.

Allen's first victory was a first-round rear-naked choke against Dale Mason at Mayhem Fighting Championships 3. However, the thrill of winning was short-lived as he then suffered a brutal 23-fight losing streak before tasting victory again in 2011, this time defeating James Fitzgerald via a second-round guillotine at Savage Fight Night 5.

In 2024, Allen's record reflects a dismal run of six consecutive fights without victory, with his last bout occurring back in May 2022. Intriguingly, it's worth noting that he has never been defeated on points during his professional career, having been stopped by KO/TKO 23 times and submitted in 30 matches.

Ted Worthington - 35 wins, 57 losses

Des Moines fighter 'Red' Ted Worthington may have notched up 57 defeats so far, yet this is somewhat counterbalanced by an impressive tally of 35 victories. At age 40, his career isn't as lopsided as the numbers suggest.

Starting undefeated in amateur bouts, Worthington had a tumultuous introduction to his professional career, suffering a first-round armbar defeat to Bryan Bresler in 2004. However, he recovered quickly, winning his subsequent two fights before facing Jeremy Stephens in 2005, where he lost by first-round knockout.

Stephens would go on to compete in the UFC and PFL, famously calling out Conor McGregor, which prompted the now-iconic retort from McGregor, "Who the f*** is that guy? ". Moreover, throughout his eventful career, Worthington has squared off against notable fighters such as Michael Johnson, Abel Trujillo, and Darren Elkins, tasting victory and defeat against high-calibre opponents like Drew Dober and Joe Ellenberger, names that UFC enthusiasts will certainly recognise.

Having last fought professionally in 2019, succumbing to Patrick Delgado, Worthington appears to have called time on his fighting days after a trio of losses. Despite some standout moments, he wasn't able to ascend to the pinnacle of the sport.

Jonathan Ivey - 33 wins, 58 losses

Jonathan Ivey, also known as 'Big John', has had a varied career since his professional debut in 1998. The towering figure began his career with victories over Chad Bartlett and Sam Smith before suffering a defeat to Todd Broadaway in his third fight.

A TKO loss to Tyrone Roberts left him with a 2-2 record in 1999, but he bounced back with a win over Doug Powell. Like Worthington, Ivey has faced a host of highly-trained fighters who have gone on to have impressive careers, including losses to Jeremy Horn, Ben Rothwell, Ken Shamrock, Dan Severn, Ricco Rodriguez and Travis Fulton, all of whom have fought in the UFC at some point.

Now aged 48, Ivey can reflect on a record of 33 wins and 58 losses with pride, having shared the cage with some of the world's biggest stars in mixed martial arts. His most recent fight was a TKO loss at Jorge Masvidal's Gamebred FC in 2021.

Dennis Reed - 45 wins, 63 losses

Dennis Reed is another fighter who has faced a roll call of top talents throughout his MMA career. Now 57, the American has a record of 45 wins and 63 losses, having shared the cage with the likes of Rich Franklin, Jason Miller, Rashad Evans, Dave Menne, Evan Tanner and Dan Severn, four of whom went on to become UFC champions.

Despite his efforts, the star never quite reached the UFC, with a series of losses marking the latter part of his career. His last fight was in 2017, where he lost to Jeremiah Nelson in the first round at Iowa Challenge 127, ending a nine-fight streak without a win.

Bryan Robinson - 45 wins, 65 losses

Living up to his hardcore name, Bryan Robinson didn't throw in the towel when things got tough. The 40-year-old began his professional career with a loss to Ed Boyd at Sunday Night Fights in October 2001 but secured his first victory just a week later against Shawn Nolan under the same promotion.

Despite being defeated in the cage an astonishing 65 times, Robinson can find solace in the fact that he triumphed over UFC favourite Jason 'Mayhem' Miller in 2003, defeating the athlete via TKO. However, Miller would eventually reclaim the loss five years later when he tapped Robinson at Iowa Challenge 46.

It appears that Robinson retired in 2013 after an eight-fight losing streak, following a defeat by Vic Hall at Iowa Challenge 93 via a TKO. With a professional record of 45-63, the fighter suffered 32 submission losses and TKOs each, only being bested on points once in his career by Brandon Eubanks.

Shaun Lomas - 27 wins, 84 losses

English fighter Shaun 'The Legend' Lomas' record doesn't quite live up to his nickname. Despite the Sheffield-born athlete boasting 27 victories, his 84 defeats are a bitter pill for any combat sports competitor to swallow.

Lomas began his professional career with a win against Abdullah Abou Hamdan at Ultimate Warrior Challenge 10 in June 2009 but suffered his first loss just a month later to Chris Greig. Due to his inconsistent performance, Lomas has spent his entire career on the regional circuit, never reaching the heights of Bellator, the UFC or the PFL.

Interestingly, Lomas is currently enjoying a two-fight winning streak, having secured consecutive victories over Nikolata Zlatev in Forza Fighting Championship last year.

Shannon Ritch - 58 wins, 88 losses

Another towering figure, Shannon 'The Cannon' Ritch, has had a remarkable career in mixed martial arts. He started his professional journey with victories over Ramone Monserrate and Tim Horton in 1998 before suffering his third fight defeat to Victor Hunsaker.

Ritch managed to achieve an impressive eight-fight winning streak in 1999, marking a turnaround in his form however, this was stopped by Yves Edwards the same year who defeated him via rear-naked choke at Armageddon 1. Fast forward to 2024, and Ritch hasn't stepped into the ring for four years his last fight was a calf-slicer loss to Glenn Sparv in January 2020.

Despite this, the heavyweight with a record of 58-88 has had the privilege of sharing the cage with several top names including Travis Fulton, Shonie Carter, Joe Riggs, Dan Severn and Diego Sanchez, among others.

Jay Ellis - 16 wins, 110 losses

Completing our list is none other than Jay Ellis, who, despite having been defeated over a hundred times, continues to show determination in the cage. The 'Hurricane' showed potential at the amateur level with a first-round knockout win over Kevin Ferguson before losing his first four professional fights.

To say that Ellis has faced a challenging line-up of fighters over the years would be putting it mildly. He was defeated by former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis in 2008, submitted by a formidable Rory Markham the same year, and put up against Colby Covington in 2014.

He went through a 27-fight losing streak between 2018 and 2021, before securing a win against Rodrigo Almeida at NEF 45, but has not managed to claim victory since. As one of the only active fighters on this list, Ellis currently has 110 losses to his name, is on a ten-fight losing streak and has fought twice this year.