5 sidelined UFC stars set to return better than ever

The path of a UFC fighter is one of the most volatile and unpredictable careers in sport . There are numerous reasons that can lead to a fighter being forced to take time away from MMA.

In the following list, we'll detail five UFC fighters who have been forced to spend a period of time out, be it because of injury, suspension or any other reason, and are looking to return with a bang. Honorable mentions go to Mark Madsen, Kevin Lee, and Yair Rodriguez.

#5. Tatiana Suarez - UFC women's flyweight

Tatiana Suarez is one of the most promising fighters on the entire UFC roster. Her wrestling skillset has aided her in amassing an undefeated 8-0 record, picking up wins against some level opposition including Nina Ansaroff (now Nina Nunes), Carla Esparza, and Alexa Grasso.

However, Suarez's UFC career has been plagued with injuries. She has not fought since 2019, initially due to a recurring bulging disk in her neck. Suarez was hopeful that she would return in September, but once again she was forced to take even more time out. She sustained a knee injury that unfortunately required surgery.

With luck, we may see Suarez compete before the end of the year, although it seems much more likely she will return in early 2022. However, when Suarez does finally return to the UFC, expect her to do great things.

She has announced she will be moving up to the flyweight division, and may well be the greatest threat that the current champion Valentina Shevchenko has ever faced.

#4. Aspen Ladd - UFC women's bantamweight

In a division that has somewhat stagnated over the past few years in terms of bringing in new talent, Aspen Ladd was looking a major threat to any of the UFC women's bantamweight top contenders.

She holds a 9-1 record and has defeated established UFC veterans such as Yana Kunitskaya, Tonya Evinger, and Sijara Eubanks (twice).

However, Ladd has been out of action ever since 2019. She was scheduled to compete against Sara McMann in 2020, but just weeks before the bout was set to take place, Ladd suffered a brutal training injury that would be a huge setback to her career. She tore both her ACL and MCL, forcing her out for an extended period of time.

She is now set to return in October and will face off against Macy Chiasson. Should Ladd overcome the No.10-ranked bantamweight, she will be right back on track towards contendership and a shot at the UFC women's bantamweight title.

#3. Nick Diaz - UFC welterweight

The return of Nick Diaz is one of the most anticipated UFC fights of the year. Stockton's finest takes on a fellow legend of the game in 'Ruthless' Robbie Lawler at UFC 266.

Nick Diaz has not competed since 2015, when he fought Anderson Silva at middleweight. Diaz initially lost the fight via the judges' decision, although it was later made a no contest on account of Silva testing positive for PED's. However, Diaz also found himself serving a suspension after testing positive for marijuana.

The suspension was initially a five-year ban for competing. It was later reduced to 18 months, which is still excessive. Rumors have consistently circled Nick Diaz since his suspension ran its course, with multiple potential opponents supposedly in the works.

It wasn't until 2021 that fans finally had an official fight announcement for the older Diaz brother. It is hard to gage how well Diaz will perform once he returns after such a long hiatus, but the hype surrounding the Diaz name alone will likely see him re-enter the rankings should he defeat Lawler.

#2. Kevin Holland - UFC middleweight

Kevin Holland was one of the biggest breakout stars for the UFC in 2020. He competed five times and won all five fights. This included the brutal KO of MMA legend Jacare Souza.

However, in 2021, Holland has been defeated twice, with both Derek Brunson and Marvin Vettori exploiting Holland's vulnerability to a wrestling-heavy approach. Rather than continue with his habit of fighting every few weeks, Holland has taken the time to work on his ground game, training with the likes of Daniel Cormier at AKA.

Holland is set to return to the UFC octagon before the year is out. He'll face Kyle Daukaus at a UFC Fight Night event in October. Daukaus is a strong wrestler in his own regard and should provide the perfect opportunity for Holland to display his improved wrestling defense.

#1. Luke Rockhold - UFC middleweight

Former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold appeared to be on the cusp of retiring from MMA after being knocked out by Jan Blachowicz at UFC 239. Rockhold suffered a broken jaw after being caught by the Pole's left hook.

Instead of retiring, Luke Rockhold took a few years away from the sport and is now making a comeback. The former champion is moving back to middleweight and will face off against Sean Strickland at UFC 268.

Strickland is ranked within the top 10 of the 185-pound division, meaning that a win here for Rockhold may well put him within touching distance of a number one contender shot.