The window of opportunity for a fighter to compete at an elite level of Mixed Martial Arts is an ever closing one. In a sport where just a few losses can often derail a career, it is rare that we see a fighter get a second chance in the UFC – even rarer we see them succeed. Recently, however, we have seen a resurgence of storied fighters who have all seen setbacks almost end their careers only to have fought their way back to the top.
In lieu of Fabricio Werdum dethroning Cain Velasquez to become the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion at UFC 188, we explore the biggest career turnarounds in UFC history.
#5 – Anthony “Rumble” Johnson (19-5)
#2 UFC Light Heavyweight Age: 31 Camp: Blackzillians
There may not be another fighter in MMA, outside of Diego Sanchez, that believes in himself more than Anthony “Rumble” Johnson. After going 3-0 outside of the UFC Johnson made his debut in 2007 at UFC Fight Night 10 knocking out Chad Reiner in just 13 seconds.
Though he would go on to amass a respectable 7-4 record during his time in the UFC, his inability to consistently make the 170 pound mark would lead to his eventual walking papers. His weight cutting woes, however, would continue to haunt him as Johnson would again miss weight in his first post-UFC fight. It was after this fight Rumble made the conscious decision to move up to his more natural weight class of light-heavyweight. Upon making the leap up in weight Johnson would go on to win five straight, with four coming by KO/TKO, earning himself a second chance in the UFC.
In 2014 “Rumble” made his return at UFC 172 beating Phil Davis by unanimous decision. He would follow it up with two vicious KO wins over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Alexander Gustafsson, earning himself a shot at the Light Heavyweight Championship. Though he would come up short in his title shot, losing for the vacant belt to Daniel Cormier at UFC 187 this past May, Johnson is still the #2 ranked light heavyweight and has become one of the most feared strikers in the UFC.
#4 – Andrei “The Pitbull” Arlovski (24-10)
#4 UFC Heavyweight Age: 36 Camp: Jackson-Winkeljohn
After winning the M1 Global Heavyweight Championship in 2000, “The Pitbull” signed with the UFC making his debut at UFC 28 with a submission victory over Aaron Brink. Going 0-2 in his next two fights Arlovski would then go on a six fight win streak that included beating Tim Sylvia for the UFC Interim Heavyweight Championship in 2005 – when then Champion Frank Mir was involved in a motorcycle accident and left unable to defend his belt.
Arlovski would become the undisputed champion after defending the belt twice, before losing the title in a rematch with Sylvia at UFC 59. After a second loss to Sylvia in a rubber match, Arlovski fought three more times for the UFC going 3-0 — including a notable win over current champ Fabricio Werdum — before signing with Affliction upon his contract ending. Arlovski would win his next two fights, the first against Ben Rothwell, before becoming the first person to ever knockout Roy Nelson in his second. In his third fight he would fall victim to a Fedor Emelianenko knockout that would set off a four-fight losing streak –- three of four by brutal KO — that had many calling for “The Pitbull” to be put down.
Instead of hanging up his gloves, Arlovski took the advice of friend Greg Jackson and moved to Albuquerque to begin training at Jackson-Winkeljohn MMA. Since making the move, “The Pitbull” has shown that this dog still has some fight in him. After going 6-1 (1 no contest) outside of the UFC — his only loss a decision to Anthony “Rumble” Johnson — Arlovski, after more than six years outside of the UFC, earned another shot on the big stage. Now coming off his third straight win since coming back, and almost fifteen years since he first made his debut, Arlovski is ranked #4 in the world, and knocking on the door for a title shot.
#3 – “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (25-10)
UFC Welterweight Champion Age: 33 Camp: American Top Team
Taken under the wing of Pat Miletich at just 16 years old, many had big expectations for Robbie Lawler upon making his professional debut in 2001. He didn’t disappoint. Winning his first four professional fights by KO/TKO Lawler subsequently signed with the UFC before making his debut in 2002.
Though at first, it looked as though he would exceed the expectations placed upon him after winning his first three fights, he would go on to drop three of his next four and finish with a mediocre 4-3 record before leaving the UFC in 2004. He would find success in smaller promotions, winning both the EliteXC and ICON Sport middleweight Championships, but Lawler would struggle again at a higher level of competition when he signed to Strikeforce in 2009.
Putting together a dismal 3-5 record, with losses to the likes of Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, Tim Kennedy and Jake Shields it looked as though the Lawler hype train had been derailed. However, in 2011 the UFC purchased Strikeforce, absorbing their fighters into their roster, and wanting to stay with the top organization, Lawler admittedly started taking his career more seriously. The results speak for themselves.
Eleven years had passed since his debut when Lawler returned at UFC 157, knocking out Josh Koscheck in the first round to set off a win streak that would propel him towards a title shot against Johnny Hendricks, following George St. Pierre’s vacating of the title at UFC 171. Though he would come up short — losing a close decision in what would become the 2014 Fight of the Year — Lawler remained undeterred from becoming champion, rattling off two more wins over Jake Ellenberger and Matt Brown before earning another shot and avenging his loss to Johnny Hendricks by becoming the current UFC Welterweight Champion at UFC 181.
#2 – Fabricio “Vai Cavalo” Werdum (20-5)
UFC Heavyweight Champion Age: 37 Camp: Kings MMA
Having been a two-time International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJFF) Champion and two-time Pan American Jiu-Jitsu Gold Medalist prior to ever stepping foot in the cage, much hype surrounded Fabricio Werdum upon his transition to MMA in 2002. After gaining wins in smaller promotions, Jungle Fight and Millennium Brawl, the BJJ specialist would sign with Pride in 2005 going 4-2 (including a submission win over Alistair Overeem) before making the jump to the UFC.
It would not be his time. “Vai Cavalo” (Go Horse) made his debut at UFC 70: Nations Collide suffering a knockout loss to Andrei Arlovski. Despite the loss Werdum would win his next two fights with TKO’s over Brandon Vera and Gabriel Gonzaga, before running into a Junior Dos Santos (in his first UFC fight) uppercut in the first round of a fight that he was a heavy favorite to win and would subsequently have his contract terminated.
Undeterred, Werdum signed with Strikeforce in 2009, going 4-1, and shocking the world along the way by becoming the first person to defeat Fedor Emelianenko via first round submission. It was this victory that would earn the “Go Horse” a second chance, and this time it would be different.
After three years cut from the UFC, the Brazilian made his return in 2012 at UFC 143 defeating Roy Nelson by decision. He would go on to win his next three fights to earn a shot at Champion Cain Velasquez, but an injury leading up to the fight would force Velasquez out, instead setting up an Interim Heavyweight Title fight against Mark Hunt at UFC 180. At 37-years-old and thirteen years after making his Mixed Martial Arts debut, Fabricio Werdrum realized his dream of becoming a world champion in MMA, knocking out Mark Hunt with a flying knee in the first round.
The win, however, was overshadowed by the impending return of Cain Velasquez, who despite an injury streak lasting nearly two years, was still viewed by many as the real champ. The showdown would finally take place at UFC 188 this past weekend where “Vai Cavalo” silenced the critics with a third round submission win over Velasquez, cementing his place as the undisputed champion, and in doing so becoming one of the most accomplished MMA heavyweights of all time.
#1 – UFC – Dana White, Lorenzo Fertitta and Frank Fertitta
It would be hard to do a list about career turnarounds in the UFC and not include the UFC itself. Most know the story by now of how the UFC, on the brink of collapse, was bought and taken over by the Fertitta Brothers who then brought in long-time friend Dana White, and together turned the UFC into the global organization it has become today.
Though the story itself may be old at this point, it is still hard not to admire the dedication and commitment put forth by the UFC brass who after numerous setbacks, failures and financial burdens, persevered to turn not only the UFC, but the sport of MMA into a global and mainstream sport.
To date the UFC has now staged over 300 events spanning fifteen countries and recently signed a multi-year deal with Reebok to be the sole sponsorship apparel company of the UFC. In just over twenty years the sport of Mixed Martial Arts with the help of the UFC has gone from having been written off as human cock-fighting to becoming one of the biggest sports in the world and as the push continues to enter and grow new markets, I can’t help but feel that the best is yet to come.
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