2026, the year the unbeaten fell: Murphy, Chimaev, Topuria and Evloev
Four of the UFC's most famous perfect records were broken in seven months. We review each loss and who remains unbeaten, led by Michael Morales.
By Equipo La Jaula Props · · 2 min read
Photos: MMAnytt, CC BY 3.0 · Administración del Presidente de Georgia, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons, cropped)
For years, perfect records were one of the UFC's biggest selling points. In 2026 they have fallen one after another: in just seven months, four of the promotion's most famous unbeaten fighters lost for the first time.
March: Lerone Murphy
On March 21 in London, Lerone Murphy and Movsar Evloev met in a title eliminator between unbeaten fighters. Evloev won by majority decision in a controversial fight: he had a point deducted for groin strikes and 12 of 17 media outlets scored it a draw. It was Murphy's first career loss.
May: Khamzat Chimaev
On May 9 at UFC 328, Khamzat Chimaev made his first middleweight title defense against Sean Strickland. He lost by split decision, losing the belt and his unbeaten record. It was controversial too: 13 of 24 media outlets scored it for Chimaev.
June: Ilia Topuria
On June 14 at UFC Freedom 250, unbeaten lightweight champion Ilia Topuria faced interim champion Justin Gaethje. After a war, his corner stopped the fight at the end of round four: the first loss of his career and Fight of the Night.
October: Movsar Evloev (and two more)
On October 24 at UFC 333, Alexander Volkanovski knocked out Evloev in round two, ending his 20-0 run. Two more unbeaten fighters fell that night: Nurullo Aliev (12-0) to Grant Dawson and Asaf Chopurov (11-0) to Colby Thicknesse.
Who is still unbeaten?
- Michael Morales (19-0): the Ecuadorian fights Carlos Prates for the interim welterweight title on January 30, 2027 at UFC 336.
- Josh Hokit (10-0): fights Ciryl Gane for the heavyweight title on November 14 at UFC 334.
- Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev (11-0): the only unbeaten fighter to survive UFC 333.
- Also at UFC 334, Baisangur Susurkaev (12-0), Bilal Hasan (10-0), Donte Johnson (9-0) and Bia Mesquita (8-0) put their perfect records on the line.
Why are so many unbeaten fighters falling?
The explanation is simple: the higher you climb, the tougher the opposition. Murphy, Chimaev, Topuria and Evloev all lost in eliminators or title fights, against champions or former champions. Keeping a zero at the elite level is harder than ever.
Frequently asked questions
Which unbeaten fighters lost in 2026?
The most famous were Lerone Murphy (to Evloev, in March), Khamzat Chimaev (to Sean Strickland, in May), Ilia Topuria (to Justin Gaethje, in June) and Movsar Evloev (to Alexander Volkanovski, in October).
Did Khamzat Chimaev lose?
Yes. Chimaev lost for the first time on May 9, 2026 at UFC 328, by split decision to Sean Strickland, losing the middleweight title.
Did Ilia Topuria lose? Who beat him?
Yes. Topuria lost for the first time on June 14, 2026 at UFC Freedom 250 to Justin Gaethje: his corner stopped the fight at the end of round four.
Who beat Evloev?
Alexander Volkanovski, by second-round TKO at UFC 333 (October 24, 2026).
Which fighters are still unbeaten in the UFC?
Among the most notable: Michael Morales (19-0), Josh Hokit (10-0), Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev (11-0), Baisangur Susurkaev (12-0), Bilal Hasan (10-0), Donte Johnson (9-0) and Bia Mesquita (8-0).
Is Michael Morales still unbeaten?
Yes. Michael Morales is 19-0 and will put his record on the line against Carlos Prates for the interim welterweight title at UFC 336 on January 30, 2027.
