“One Bad Night and You’re Washed”: Dominick Reyes on MMA’s Habit of Writing Fighters Off
Dominick Reyes believes that MMA fans are too quick to write fighters off after a bad performance.
One loss can turn a contender into someone the fans want to see retire, regardless of what they have accomplished before. The former UFC light heavyweight title challenger knows how that feels. After years of criticism and a difficult stretch in his career, Reyes says that the sport has made it a habit of judging fighters by their latest performance.
Reyes brought up this issue on Monday's episode of the Ariel Helwani show, just two days after knocking out Azamat Murzakabov at UFC 333. During the conversation, Helwani pointed to current and two-time UFC champions Alexander Volkanovski and Petr Yan as examples of fighters who have faced doubts after setbacks but returned to championship success.
Reyes Says MMA Fans Are Too Quick to Write Fighters Off
"The Devastator" believes that the problem starts with how losses and performances are presented to the public. A fighter can spend years building a career, only to have that reputation questioned after one disappointing fight.
“You have one bad performance, and you’re washed,” Reyes told Helwani. He went on to explain how quickly the criticism can escalate.
“You don’t have a great fight. ‘Oh, he’s done; retire.’ You lose one fight to a champion, ‘Oh, now you’re horrible.’ Like bro, it’s a joke.”
According to Reyes, clickbait headlines cause the fuel for those reactions. Fans repeat those narratives, and the attention generated by them gives those criticisms even more reach.
His frustrations have also extended towards the media covering the sport. After UFC 333, Reyes publicly criticised Daniek Cormier's commentary, accusing him of showing bias towards Russian fighters and failing to do enough research. Cormier responded that he had been honest about Reyes’ performances and praised his latest victory.
Reyes believes the way fighters are discussed can influence how fans view their careers, especially when a single result becomes the main focus.
Reyes Explains What It Feels Like to Be Written Off
Reyes came close to dethroning Jon Jones at UFC 247 in February 2020 but lost by a controversial unanimous decision. He then suffered back-to-back defeats, all by knockout, against Jan Blachowicz, Jiri Prochazka, and Ryan Spann. His career was further hampered by a serious blood-clot condition that forced him to withdraw from a booked fight in 2024.
However, after his return, Reyes rebuilt his career and defeated Dustin Jacoby and Anthony Smith. He then suffered another setback against Carlos Ulberg. Wins over Johnny Walker and Murzakanov have since put him back on track.
“I feel like I’m a very misunderstood fighter,” Reyes said.
“Because I don’t speak a lot, I don’t do a lot of interviews; they like to just pile on me and just continue to tear me down.”
The 36-year-old believes that the comments written about him go beyond his professional life, as his family also reads what the public writes about him. Thus, Reyes has stepped away from the spotlight and has described the constant negativity as "poisonous".
The health scare also changed how he now views his career. He no longer treats fighting as the only thing that matters in his life. For him, his family, team, faith, and personal beliefs carry more weight.
Reyes believes that a fighter’s career should not be reduced to one defeat, one bad performance, or a headline that is tagged on them long after the fight is over.
