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The UFC’s BMF (Baddest Mother F***er) title was introduced in 2019 as a tribute to the toughest, most resilient fighters. But since its inception, every fighter who’s won the BMF title has suffered a brutal knockout loss in a following fight. With a pattern that’s become too consistent to ignore, fans and fighters alike are beginning to suspect the BMF belt is cursed. Let’s dive into the history of the BMF title and the knockout streak that’s haunted its champions, including the most recent curse-stricken bout at UFC 308.
1. Jorge Masvidal vs. Nate Diaz (UFC 244)
BMF Title Fight Winner: Jorge Masvidal
Next Fight: Kamaru Usman vs. Jorge Masvidal (UFC 261) - Knockout Loss
The first BMF title fight took place at UFC 244 in 2019, pitting two of the sport’s most fearless competitors, Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz, against each other. Masvidal claimed victory via doctor’s stoppage and walked away as the inaugural BMF champion. However, his reign was short-lived; in his next fight, a highly anticipated rematch against Welterweight champion Kamaru Usman at UFC 261, Masvidal suffered a shocking knockout loss. Usman landed a right hand that sent Masvidal crashing to the canvas, marking his first career knockout loss and establishing the beginning of the BMF curse.
2. Dustin Poirier vs. Justin Gaethje (UFC 291)
BMF Title Fight Winner: Justin Gaethje
Next Fight: Max Holloway vs. Justin Gaethje (UFC 300) - Knockout Loss
The BMF belt was resurrected in 2023 at UFC 291, where Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje squared off in a battle of Lightweight division powerhouses. Gaethje captured the title with a jaw-dropping head-kick knockout over Poirier. But the curse struck again in Gaethje’s next fight at UFC 300, where he faced former featherweight champion Max Holloway. The two exchanged blow-for-blow until the fifth round, when Holloway’s infamous “point down” gesture led to a furious exchange that ended with Gaethje getting knocked out in the final seconds.
3. Max Holloway vs. Ilia Topuria (UFC 308)
BMF Title Fight Winner: Max Holloway
Next Fight: Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway (UFC 308) - Knockout Loss
The latest chapter in the BMF curse was written tonight at UFC 308, where Max Holloway, fresh off his win over Gaethje, took on rising featherweight star Ilia Topuria. In the third round, Topuria connected with a powerful left hook, sending Holloway to the canvas. The Georgian prospect followed up with relentless hammerfists, sealing the knockout win and extending the BMF title’s dark legacy. Holloway’s defeat confirms the haunting trend: every BMF champion has been knocked out in their next fight.
Theories Behind the BMF Title Curse
Speculation is rampant about why every BMF titleholder falls victim to a knockout in their next fight. Some fans believe the belt’s symbolic “badass” reputation pushes champions to engage in high-risk bouts, facing elite fighters willing to exploit any weakness. Others argue that winning the BMF title requires a level of toughness and intensity that could leave champions depleted, physically or mentally, by the time they return to the Octagon.
Theories aside, the BMF title now carries an aura of doom—a badge of honor with a shadow. The curse has become one of MMA’s most talked-about phenomena, drawing fans into each BMF champion’s post-title bout with morbid curiosity about whether they’ll break the cycle.
What’s Next?
With Holloway now a victim of the BMF curse, the MMA world wonders: will anyone break this streak? Or will the BMF title continue to spell trouble for its champions, leaving them vulnerable to their next opponents?
As the BMF belt’s mystique grows, so does its dark reputation. Keep following Fight.TV for updates on this cursed title and its champions. For now, the BMF belt remains both a testament to a fighter’s grit—and an ominous omen for their future.
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