What do Shane Carwin, John Hathaway, Demian Maia and Lyoto Machida have in common? They are among the UFC’s crop of undefeated fighters. The question is how long will they remain as such? Fighters like Michael Bisping and Rashad Evans had both amassed impressive records before getting that first loss.

In a sport as competitive and unpredictable as MMA, there is certainly no shame in a loss. Three time champion and Hall of Fame inductee Randy Couture has nine losses to his sixteen wins. He is regarded as one of the best fighters the sport has ever produced. Former welterweight champ Matt Hughes’s career was pretty much written off following a loss to Thiago Alves at UFC 85. He went on to beat Matt Serra at UFC 98 in a matchup he referred to as “one last fight." His record stands at 44-7-0.

Thinning the Ranks

There are a number of fighters in the UFC who were enjoying unbeaten streaks until they finally tasted defeat. Michael Bisping for example moved steadily up the ranks after winning season 3 of The Ultimate Fighter. After a controversial win over Matt Hamill, he lost his next fight to season 2 winner, Rashad Evans at UFC 78. Without doubt, it was a contentious loss, but Bisping acknowledged the similarities with his win over Hamill. The loss to Evans brought his record to 18-1-0.

Evans himself lost the UFC Light Heavyweight title after being knocked out by Lyoto Machida who remains undefeated. Thales Leites, a fighter of undeniable talent, made a name for himself by dispatching more experienced opponents early in his MMA career. After amassing a nine match win streak, Leites lost his first MMA bout to Martin Kampmann during the finale of season 4 of The Ultimate Fighter. His second loss came to fellow Brazilian Anderson Silva at UFC 97.

Thiago Silva amassed an impressive 9 match win streak fighting in his native Brazil. This continued in is early days in the UFC with wins over such notables as James Irvin and Houston Alexander. His streak was finally broken by Lyoto Machida.

Current Unbeaten Fighters

A number of fighters in the UFC still hold unbeaten records. These include Korean Dong Hyun Kim, Paulo Thiago, Matt Veach and Lyoto Machida, just to name a few. In a sport where one knee or armbar can make all the difference the crop of undefeated fighters is likely to decline even further in the next few years.

Lyoto Machida, appropriately nicknamed “The Dragon” has confounded opponents with his unorthodox style. So far no fighter seems to have found the answer to his elusive style and undeniable striking ability. His first title defense will be against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, a fighter with excellent Muay Thai and Jiu-Jitsu skills. This should prove to be an exciting fight, and many would agree that Rua, who counts Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and “The Iceman” Chuck Liddell among his victims, poses a challenge for the champion Machida.

Heavyweight competitor Shane Carwin’s most recent victory came at the expense of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ace Gabriel Gonzaga. It has been suggested that he will next face Cain Velasquez, with the winner likely facing the winner of the Brock Lesnar, Frank Mir matchup.

It remains to be seen for how long other unbeaten fighters like Evan Dunham (8-0-0), Ryan Bader (10-0-0), and Efrain Escudero (12-0-0) can hold on to that often fleeting title. The sport of MMA is certainly not short of talent, and the reality series The Ultimate Fighter continues to introduce the world to previously unseen fighters. One thing is certain, unbeaten fighters in the UFC are an endangered lot. With a roster of roughly 200 fighters, the UFC boasts 16 who remain undefeated, with a few having no more than five wins. It is reasonable to assume that this number will continue to decline in the next few years.