Five Worst Fouls in UFC History

The UFC has come a long way from its no-holds-barred early days, with a modern ruleset designed to protect fighters and ensure fair competition. 

Yet, even in the last 15 years, moments of frustration or recklessness have led to fouls that shocked fans and sometimes changed careers. Here are five of the worst fouls in recent UFC history.

Five Worst Fouls in UFC History

Paul Daley’s Post-Fight Punch on Josh Koscheck (UFC 113)

Few fouls in UFC history had consequences as severe as Paul Daley’s infamous sucker punch. After being outwrestled by Josh Koscheck for three rounds, Daley lost his composure and threw a punch after the final horn. 

UFC President Dana White immediately announced Daley would never fight in the UFC again, regardless of his talent. True to his word, Daley was cut and permanently exiled from the promotion. The foul remains one of the clearest examples of how poor sportsmanship can end a UFC career overnight.

Jon Jones’ Repeated Eye Pokes

Jon Jones is arguably the greatest fighter in UFC history, but his career has been overshadowed by constant controversy inside and outside the cage. One recurring issue: his habit of extending his fingers toward opponents’ faces, leading to repeated eye pokes. 

Glover Teixeira, Daniel Cormier, and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson all suffered from Jones’ eye pokes during high-profile bouts. While many believe they were unintentional, the frequency and impact were enough for fans and fighters alike to call for rule changes and stricter officiating.

Anthony Smith’s Illegal Knee vs Jimmy Crute (UFC 261)

In one of the strangest recent fouls, Anthony Smith landed an illegal knee to Jimmy Crute’s head while Crute was clearly a grounded opponent. Though the referee missed the foul in real time, the knee appeared to contribute to Crute’s compromised leg shortly after. 

The fight ended between rounds when Crute couldn’t stand, sparking debate over whether the illegal strike played a bigger role than was officially recognised.

Petr Yan’s Illegal Knee on Aljamain Sterling (UFC 259)

One of the most infamous fouls in championship history came when Petr Yan landed an intentional knee to a downed Aljamain Sterling during their bantamweight title fight. Sterling was unable to continue, resulting in a disqualification win that crowned him champion. 

The incident sparked huge controversy, with fans divided over Sterling’s reaction, but the blame laid squarely on Yan for committing a blatant and avoidable foul in one of the sport’s biggest fights in recent years.

Greg Hardy’s Illegal Knee vs Allen Crowder (UFC Fight Night 143)

Former NFL star Greg Hardy’s UFC debut ended in disaster when he threw a clearly illegal knee to the head of a grounded Allen Crowder. The foul resulted in a disqualification loss and fueled criticism that Hardy wasn’t ready for top-level MMA.

To make matters worse, Hardy was already a polarising figure due to his past, the incident cemented his reputation as one of the most controversial fighters to step foot inside the Octagon.

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