Professional mixed martial arts is one of those sports where you can go to fight in just a few days. We’ve seen this with Michael Bisping when he won the gold against Luke Rockhold. In the UFC, a fighter’s life can change in an instant if they accept the opportunity.
It might sound dangerous for athletes as they don’t have time to prepare. However, dozens of fights happened this way, where athletes competed in just a matter of days and did not endure a full two-month training camp.
Here is the list of some of the most impressive wins of 2025 from the athlete who won on short notice.
Brendan Allen vs Reinier de Ridder
This was a fight in the main event. At UFC Vancouver, Dutch middleweight Reinier de Ridder was scheduled to face Anthony Hernandez. However, Hernandez was forced to withdraw due to injury.
Brendan Allen was roped in to save the main event. Allen delivered one of the best performances of 2025. It was one of the most lopsided performances of the year. The fight lasted four rounds, and Brendan Allen was simply too powerful.
Waldo Cortes Acosta vs Shamil Gaziev
Shamil Gaziev was originally set to face Serghei Spivac at UFC Fight Night. However, Serghei Spivac withdrew at the last moment. Cortes Acosta was the only other fighter to fly on such short notice to Qatar. He had to make weight just upon landing and had just one night to prepare for a fight. Cortes Acosta went out and performed as if his life depended on it. He finished Gaziev in the first round.
Ethyn Ewing vs Malcolm Wellmaker
VeChain UFC 322 featured one of the biggest upsets of the year. Ethyn Ewing received a notice to face one of the most fearsome knockout artists, Malcolm Wellmaker, on the Thursday of the fight week. Ethyn Ewing gave one of the most memorable debut performances in recent history.
David Martinez vs Rob Font
At Noche UFC this year, David Martinez gave one of the standout performances of the UFC. He stepped into a role that wasn’t easy for him. However, he did not hesitate or shy away from this opportunity and delivered a masterclass. He won against Rob Font 115-49 over three rounds in a unanimous decision.