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UFC fighters are advised to train as frequently as possible. MMA is an ever-evolving sport with new techniques and gameplans emerging every other day. Sometimes, a new approach to an existing fighting style is introduced to the masses and it quickly becomes a prominent feature of the era.
Calf kicks, for example, aren't new. They've been around for years in the kickboxing scene and even the MMA world. Recent retiree Benson Henderson was a prolific calf-kicker. But as the years passed and fighters became better boxers, calf kicks emerged as perfect counters to jabs.
Fighters must evolve with the sport or risk being left behind. Some fighters evolve, while others don't. This list focuses on the fighters who showed improved versions of themselves.
#5 Jon Jones, UFC 285
Much of the talk before UFC 285 revolved around the decline in Jon Jones' abilities as a wrestler. Prior to defeating Ciryl Gane, 'Bones' hadn't outwrestled anyone in years. Instead, he became more well-known for surgical kickboxing bouts that involved him slowly breaking his foes down.
Jones was no longer known as the overpowering wrestler who flung opponents through the air via wild suplexes. At UFC 285, he turned back the clock and showed an improved version of himself compared to the plodding kickboxer he became.
Not only did he outwrestle Ciryl Gane, it was one of his fastest-ever finishes. No one could have predicted that 'Bones' would look that much better after a three-year layoff. Not since his TKO win against Vladimir Matyushenko has he finished someone so quickly. This time, however, he finished a former interim champion.
#4 Islam Makhachev, UFC 284
The results of UFC 284's headline bout are still a hot topic among MMA fans. Some believe that Alexander Volkanovski was on the wrong end of an unjust decision by the judges. Regardless, Islam Makhachev's efforts during their bout cannot be dismissed.
During the leadup to their matchup, everyone predicted that the Dagestani phenom would have a clear advantage in the grappling department. Meanwhile, 'The Great' was predicted to enjoy a significant advantage in the striking exchanges. Instead, Makhachev shocked everyone in attendance.
Makhachev dismissed all talk of him being nothing more than a wrestler and exhibited a much-improved striking game by consistently punishing Volkanovski with check-hooks for the latter's shifting combinations. The Aussie athlete is widely regarded as one of the best strikers in the world and Makhachev more than matched him.
#3 Henry Cejudo, UFC 215
When Henry Cejudo made his UFC debut, he was a wrestler who embodied the typical wrestler-boxer's profile. It was a tried-and-tested approach for wrestlers since the days of Urijah Faber. After dropping back-to-back losses to Demetrious Johnson and Joseph Benavidez, 'Triple C' made a change.
At UFC 215, he squared off against Wilson Reis. During that bout, the future double champion exhibited a karate stance and a new striking style. He darted in and out of range, bouncing back and forth. Once Reis' lunged forward, Cejudo countered him with a straight-right, dropping him.
Several follow-up blows later and the Olympic gold medalist was awarded the TKO win. It was a significant departure from the skills he displayed prior to the bout and has remained a staple since.
#2 Alexa Grasso, UFC 285
Prior to UFC 285, hardly anyone gave Alexa Grasso a chance at defeating Valentina Shevchenko. Perhaps no one but the Mexican dynamo's own coaches believed in her, with good reason given that no one had been able to outstrike 'Bullet', not even former Muay Thai champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk.
But the moment Grasso stepped inside the octagon, she stunned her foe. She exhibited an extraordinarily sharp one-two combination and a blistering ability to dart in and out of range. She looked much better than she ever had prior, prompting Shevchenko to resort to wrestling.
Towards the end of the bout, 'Bullet' tried a spinning back-fist with no setup, exposing her back to Grasso, who quickly mounted it en route to a face-crank. It was one of the slickest back-takes in recent MMA history and marked the second-ever submission win for a fighter who has been widely criticized for her grappling.
#1 Kamaru Usman, UFC 258
For the longest time, Kamaru Usman was a pure wrestler with a low finishing rate. Prior to his recent transformation, 'The Nigerian Nightmare' earned most of his finishes in his first six fights. He was largely a wrestler who specialized in clinch sequences with an overhook-underhook grip.
Usman pinned his opponents against the fence and battered them with knees to the thigh and short punches to the body. The Nigerian star even captured his first UFC title using that approach. His striking was often derided as sloppy and consisted of looping punches that lacked knockout power.
During his bout with Gilbert Burns, however, 'The Nigerian Nightmare' showed one of the best jabs and right hooks in MMA history. He brutalized his teammate and stepped forward with each punch to commit all of his weight to his blows. Furthermore, he exhibited stance-switching en route to KO'ing his foe.
