A panel of 10 Russian MMA journalists, including Oleg Volodin, Grigoriy Stangrit, and others, compiled a ranking of the 10 worst title fights in UFC history. The article reveals that Israel Adesanya vs Yoel Romero from 2020 placed third on the list. The author describes the fight as exceptionally boring, with Romero standing in the center while Adesanya cautiously threw low kicks, resulting in zero takedowns and minimal striking output over 25 minutes. The first round saw only 48-40 total strikes and 0-1 significant strikes to the head, with both fighters essentially doing nothing for the entire bout. The article suggests readers will easily guess which fight took first place, but claims the second-place selection is surprising.
A panel of ten Russian MMA journalists has published a ranked list of the ten worst UFC title fights in the organization's history, with Israel Adesanya's 2020 middleweight championship bout against Yoel Romero landing at number three on the list.
The panel, which included writers Oleg Volodin and Grigoriy Stangrit among others, singled out the Adesanya-Romero contest as a particularly egregious example of championship inaction. By their account, Romero spent the majority of the fight standing motionless in the center of the cage while Adesanya cautiously peppered him with low kicks. The numbers were damning: the first round produced just 48 total strikes combined and a staggering 0-to-1 count in significant head strikes. Neither fighter recorded a takedown across all 25 minutes.
Adesanya, now 36 and ranked eighth in the UFC middleweight division, carries a professional record of 24-6. The Nigerian-born City Kickboxing product averages 4.03 significant strikes per minute over his career with a striking accuracy of 48 percent, and his ground game has rarely factored in — he averages just 0.05 takedowns per 15 minutes, reflecting a style built almost entirely around distance management and striking. Against Romero, that approach produced one of the least eventful title fights on record.
Why it matters
- The list gives formal media recognition to fights long criticized by fans, adding credibility to the conversation around UFC title-fight standards.
- Adesanya's placement at third raises questions about his legacy during his middleweight championship reign, particularly for a fighter whose division billing rested heavily on exciting striking.
- The panel teased that the fight occupying second place is a surprise choice, which is likely to generate further debate across the MMA media landscape.
- First place on the list was left as an implied foregone conclusion, suggesting the panel expects broad consensus on the most notorious entry.
