However, when sneaks start doing well, they may erode the payoffs to fighting males substantially. Together with traditional costs, reproductive success lost to cheats can put the brakes on continued weapon evolution, helping define the point where populations begin to stabilize. In fact, if cheaters start doing too well, they may erode payoffs to weapons so drastically that the direction of selection reverses; big weapons become a liability. Instead of stalling, these races collapse.

Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evoluti…, loc. 436