Betting on the Underdog: Iconic Wrestling and MMA Upsets That Shocked the World
Betting on the Underdog: Iconic Wrestling and MMA Upsets That Shocked the World
I don’t know about you, but every time I watch two teams or athletes compete, and I don’t have a favorite, I always cheer for the underdog. There is something special about underdog wins and defying the odds.
We all want to hear how a rookie or the little guy with no champion belts beats a titan in the sport, and such victories leave fans buzzing for years.
Fortunately, there are plenty of underdog wins in wrestling and mixed martial arts, which is kind of expected. After all, anything can happen in the octagon, right? Even big-name fighters can slip and make a mistake, and one opening can be a decider on who wins the fight.
This got us wondering, which are some of the most iconic upsets in the world of wrestling and MMA that shocked the world?
WWE: 1-2-3 Kid Stuns Razor Ramon
We first start with WWE, and it is a scene that will be remembered forever in the world of wrestling. We go back to May 1993, when WWE’s Monday Night Raw was still finding its legs when Sean Waltman, as the 1-2-3 Kid, pulled off something amazing.
Everyone expected Razor Ramon to squash this skinny newcomer that just entered the sport (back then he was called the Lightning Kid).
But of course, when you are facing an underdog opponent, most favorites get too loose and start to make some cocky taunts.
Waltman dodged a charge, caught him with a moonsault press, and snagged a three-count that made the crowd erupt. That pin wasn’t just a win; it launched Waltman from jobber to star, setting the stage for his Hall of Fame career.
It’s the kind of upset that echoes horse racing’s Man o’ War losing to 100-1 shot Upset in 1919—This was a scene that shocked horse racing fans, as everyone was betting on Man o’ War to win the race. The same thing happened when Seabiscuit outrun War Admiral in 1938.
There are plenty of horse racing bet types, and certainly, many people chase the underdogs for the big win, which as you can see, happens more often than you’d think.
Darby Allin Pins Cody Rhodes
AEW was still young in November 2019 when Darby Allin, a scrappy daredevil with a skateboard and a death wish, faced Cody Rhodes, the company’s golden boy and executive VP. At Full Gear, Rhodes was favored to steamroll Allin, who’d barely scratched the main-event surface.
But after a grueling 20-minute war—capped by Allin reversing a Cross Rhodes into a roll-up—the pint-sized punk scored the pin. The Jacksonville crowd lost it, and Allin’s stock soared, proving AEW’s unpredictability.
Matt Serra Knocks Out Georges St-Pierre (UFC)
Most people say that this is the biggest shock in UFC history. At UFC 69, Georges St-Pierre, the welterweight king with an impeccable record of 13-1, was a -1300 favorite against Matt Serra, a fighter with not so good record of 9-4.
But things didn’t go as expected. It only took a crisp overhand right in the first, rocked GSP, and swarmed with punches until the ref waved it off at 3:25. Serra’s TKO snatched the belt and left jaws on the floor—still the gold standard for UFC upsets.
Buster Douglas Floors Mike Tyson
February 11, 1990, in Tokyo, is boxing’s ultimate “where were you” moment. Mike Tyson, the 37-0 heavyweight terror, was a 42-1 favorite against James “Buster” Douglas, a 29-4-1 scrapper with a shaky resume. Tyson’s aura was invincible—until Douglas, fueled by his mother’s recent death, unleashed a masterclass.
He jabbed, moved, and weathered a late Tyson flurry, then dropped Iron Mike with a tenth-round uppercut combo. The knockout ended Tyson’s reign and redefined the division. It’s a seismic upset that needs no racing parallel—it’s the benchmark for all combat sports.
Maven Drops The Undertaker (WWE)
Early 2002 saw Maven, a fresh-faced Tough Enough winner, step into the ring with The Undertaker, then a menacing heel holding the Hardcore Championship.
On a February SmackDown, the Deadman was a lock to crush the rookie—until a wild twist. With interference from The Rock and a steel chair, Maven landed a dropkick that sent Undertaker tumbling over the ropes, snagging the title via count-out.
The upset didn’t launch Maven to the moon, but it’s a fan-favorite shock—a green kid toppling a legend sounds very exciting even if you are not a fan of the sport.
Holly Holm Kicks Ronda Rousey’s Reign Apart (UFC)
Fighting sports are not only for men, and UFC is here to prove that. On November 15, 2015, at UFC 193, Ronda Rousey was MMA’s unstoppable queen—12-0, a bantamweight champ with a crossover spotlight.
Holly Holm, a 9-0 boxer-turned-fighter, was a +800 underdog nobody gave a prayer. But Holm’s footwork and timing dismantled Rousey’s rush, culminating in a second-round head kick that knocked her out cold at 0:59.
The Melbourne crowd roared as Holm claimed the belt, ending Rousey’s aura in one brutal blow. It’s a moment that rewrote women’s MMA history.
Final Words
These underdog wins are the reason why we love sports so much. The unpredictability of such events excites fans, especially if they are into betting.
So, hopefully, we will see even more underdog victories in the future that will make it into the history books.
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