5 of the biggest upsets in UFC history
![UFC 293: Adesanya v Strickland UFC 293: Adesanya v Strickland](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_3651,h_2053,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/GettyImages/mmsport/505/01h9z0ee32yesxs3j0w3.jpg)
5. Sean Strickland def. Israel Adesanya - UFC 293
At UFC 287, Israel Adesanya recaptured the UFC middleweight championship with a knockout of Alex Pereira. It was the first time in the four fights the pair had in combat sports that Adesanya scored a win. Many wondered what would happen in a second Adesanya title reign at 185.
After a win over Robert Whittaker at UFC 290, Dricus Du Plessis was expected to be the one to get a crack at the gold — especially after verbal barbs were traded between him and "The Last Stylebender." But when DDP was unable to be ready in nine weeks to fight at UFC 293 in Australia, in stepped Sean Strickland — who had most recently defeated Abus Magomedov (who was competing in just his second UFC fight) that July.
Many expected that the fight would be a one-sided win for Adesanya before going on for his hot-blooded showdown with Du Plessis. And the fight was one-sided...for Strickland, that is.
Strickland rocked Adesanya late in the first round and pretty much took control from there. While Adesanya had his moments, Strickland did a masterful job of avoiding Adesanya's attack and landing some noteworthy punches on him, wobbling Adesanya again in the fourth and fifth rounds.
Strickland's hand was raised in a unanimous decision. As a +460 underdog, Strickland pulled off the largest betting upset in UFC middleweight title fight history.