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Appreciation is something that takes time to garner; and most great artists often go unnoticed in this crazy whirlwind rigmarole of gaining mainstream acceptance. The world of mixed martial arts isn't any different, with a plethora of talent often missing the 'big time'.
Having said that, here are 10 of the most underappreciated talents in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
#1 Dominick Cruz
One of the finest pound-for-pound mavericks competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Dominick Cruz’s talent and knack for pulling-off victories has been sheerly underappreciated.
Despite his dominant 22-1 record in mixed martial arts, including victories over T.J. Dillashaw and the “Mighty Mouse” Demetrious Johnson, Cruz hasn’t quite gone the distance that he should have, with his talent and popularity.
#2 T.J. Dillashaw
This brings us to the second most under-appreciated name in the UFC today: Dillashaw. The impressive bantamweight wizard was quick to ascend the ladders of success in his initial days in the UFC.
He shot to fame following his historic win over Renan Barao, who at that time, was reigning supreme over the bantamweight division. His dominance inside the octagon continued with fights against Joe Soto, Raphael Assunção and John Lineker, but his popularity amongst the fans was a far-cry to his evolution as a fighter.
#3 Tyron Woodley
Tyron Woodley’s ascent to the top hasn’t really translated into him getting the appreciation that he truly deserves. He rose to prominence following the clinching of the welterweight title after knocking Robbie Fowler out.
Since then, he has been put to test many a times and has emerged successful after every battle. Woodley is at the twilight of his mixed martial arts career, but I honestly feel he deserves more admiration for not just his credentials, but for his stellar ascent as a fighter.
#4 Raphael Assuncao
Not much has come Raphael Assuncao’s way, despite him being an accomplished bantamweight fighter (who rose from the ranks of a featherweight).
Barring the crucial victory over T.J. Dillashaw at UFC Fight Night: Maia vs. Shields, most of Assuncao’s achievements have been largely undervalued by the media and the masses. This doesn’t however, take away his talent and his hardwork, which has assiduously resulted in him getting better with each fight of his.
#5 Tim Sylvia
The world hasn’t been quite fair to Tim Sylvia, who was once, the equivalent of a raging “prima-donna” of the Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight division.
The former two-time heavyweight champion with his behemoth-built was reigning supreme before fate came crashing down on him. His forfeit of the title to Randy Couture brought about his impending downfall in the UFC. From then on, it didn’t get any better for him.
#6 Clay Guida
A valuable product of the UFC’s lightweight division, Clay Guida has had some impressive submission wins in his career. A valiant worker with a cardio of a beast, Guida’s prowess inside the octagon has been thoroughly under-rated.
With numerous “Fight of the night” laurels to his name, Clay “The Carpenter” Guida surely deserves more praise than he’s currently receiving.
#7 Josh Thomson
Josh “The Punk” Thomson has had two UFC-runs, but despite impressive performances, he was never hailed as a dominant force inside the octagon. While his initial run was lukewarm, his sophomore stint with the UFC is what he’s mostly hailed for.
His comeback fight was against Nate Diaz, whom he knocked out with a head kick! Post that fight, three back-to-back losses were enough to pull the plug on his UFC career. He then forged a career with Bellator.
#8 Darren Elkins
Nicknamed “The Damage”, Darren Elkins is one fighter who deserves all the accolades for being an explosive competitor in the featherweight division.
With a solid background in wrestling in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and a striking game which he utilises to utmost effect, Darren has pulled off some amazing feats inside the octagon, notably against Mirsad Bektic and Michael Johnson.
#9 Jon Fitch
Jon Fitch’s career, for the most part, has been a bittersweet symphony. Despite being a classy fighter, the fans never found him “entertaining enough” to be the numero-uno. One of his most notable fights was against Georges St-Pierre, which ended in a loss for Fitch.
Had he managed to win that, he would have broken Royce Gracie’s record of 8 successive wins with a ninth (the record being later broken by Anderson Silva). The UFC too didn’t find him particularly deserving as they released him post his loss to Demian Maia.
#10 Chris Weidman
The final entrant on the list is none other than the middleweight/welterweight stalwart, Chris Weidman. Despite holding the championship belt on 4 occasions and defending it successfully thrice, Weidman has never garnered much respect from the fans.
He has had some high-profile matches to his name, defeating Anderson Silva on two occasions (title conquest and defence) and his saga with the fans and the media has been a little unfortunate.
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