Are UFC video game cover stars cursed?

NFL players can breathe a sigh of relief, because it looks like the Madden curse has moved on to another sport: MMA.

Days after being announced as the cover athlete for the next UFC game by game publisher EA, the seemingly unbeatable Ronda Rousey lost her belt — and nearly her head — to striking ace Holly Holm at UFC 193. It was a stunning upset, one of the biggest in UFC history, but it’s a little less shocking when you take a look at the spotty recent history of UFC video game cover stars.

EA Sports UFC

Cover stars: Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson
Release date: June 2014

The best case for a curse can be found in the most recent UFC game, which put a pretty big dent in the careers of two of the sport’s most dominant fighters.

Jones, at the time the best fighter in the world, fell apart pretty quickly after the game launched. First he was injured in training, forcing the UFC to reschedule his anticipated bout against Daniel Cormier. That extension proved disastrous, as it resulted in a botched press conference-turned-brawl that signaled the beginning of the end for Jones. Though he’d beaten Cormier at UFC 183, Jones tested positive for cocaine in the run-up to the fight. Four months later, he was stripped of his belt and suspended from the UFC following a hit-and-run incident. He’s yet to return.

Things haven’t gone much smoother for Gustafsson. Though the mild-mannered Swede stayed out of legal trouble, he hasn’t had any success in the cage since promoting the video game. He’s gone 0-2 with losses to Cormier and Anthony Johnson.

Cursed? Yes.

UFC Undisputed 3

Cover star: Anderson Silva
Release date: February 2012

Tying Silva’s downhill slide to his appearance on the cover of UFC Undisputed 3 is probably unfair, but it’s still pretty compelling.

Owner of the longest title-defense streak in UFC history, Silva handled his business just fine after gracing the Undisputed 3 cover, trouncing both Chael Sonnen and Stephan Bonnar to round out 2012. But in July of 2013, Chris Weidman shattered Silva's aura of invicibility with a second round knockout. In a rematch later that year, Silva suffered a gruesome leg injury that would keep him out of action for two years. After a successful return match against Nick Diaz, it was revealed that Silva had tested positive for steroids. He was suspended for a year and lost his fight purse.

Cursed? Maybe.

UFC Undisputed 2010

Cover star: Brock Lesnar
Release date: May 2010

Lesnar was a force of nature for the first few years of his brief, electrifying UFC run, but after showing up on the cover of UFC Undisputed 2010, things began to unravel.

Like Silva’s, though, his downfall wasn’t immediate. He had already been battling diverticulitis when he was announced as the cover athlete, so no causation there, and he defeated Shane Carwin two months after the game shipped to unify the heavyweight titles. But a few months later, Lesnar would lose the belt to Cain Velasquez. Shortly thereafter he suffered another bout of diverticulitis, which kept him out for a year. His return at UFC 141 was spoiled when he lost to Alistair Overeem. Lesnar promptly retired from MMA.

Cursed? Yes.

UFC Undisputed 2009

Cover star: Forrest Griffin
Release date: May 2009

The curse gets stretched pretty thin here. Griffin had already lost the light heavyweight title to Rashad Evans when he was announced as the game’s cover star in March of 2009. And though the normally durable fighter was knocked out in spectacular fashion by Anderson Silva three months after the game shipped, everyone pretty much expected that would happen. He would go 3-1 in his remaining fights prior to retiring.

Cursed? Probably not.

There have been a few other UFC video games over the years — two Tapout games, Sudden Impact, and even UFC Personal Trainer — but they were all pretty forgettable, and all but one featured either a bunch of fighters or just Tito Ortiz on the cover. His career has taken so many weird turns, it's hard to say if he's been cursed or blessed the whole time.

The verdict? Frankly, it’s too early to tell if some sketchy voodoo is indeed turning UFC video game cover stars into casualties. The Madden curse spanned a good decade. Plus Rousey may well use this loss as the launch pad for another big run — she could get a rematch shortly after the game bearing her likeness ships next year — so there's still time for her to prove her version of the cover curse false.

Or maybe it’s all just one big coincidence?

For game news, free codes and more, Like us on Facebook, follow @yahoogames on Twitter and check out our Tumblr page!