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One of the most contentious topics within the world of MMA and the UFC is that of ring rust and how well a fighter can come back off an extensive layoff. UFC fighters often compete between one and four times per calendar year, and a break from the cycle is relatively rare.
However, injuries are prone to occur due to the nature of the sport, and this can leave fighters sitting on the sidelines for extensive periods of time. There are also other factors that can force a fighter into a short hiatus, such as bans, visa issues and more.
Yet injuries are undoubtedly the biggest limitation to many fighters' careers. The following list details five examples of UFC athletes who returned to the octagon after spending multiple years out injured.
#5 Anderson Silva leg break at UFC 168
Anderson Silva's infamous leg break injury against Chris Weidman at UFC 168 is the stuff of nightmares. Silva's shin clearly broke upon a checked leg kick.
Silva did not return to the UFC until 2015, two years after the initial injury. However, he was never the same fighter, only winning one more fight in his whole career.
#4 Cain Velasquez's knee injuries
Cain Velasquez's career was constantly marred by debilitating injuries. Recurring issues with his knees forced to take repeated extended layoffs away from the sport.
The longest stretch was between his 2016 victory over Travis Brown and his 2019 loss to Francis Ngannou. Velasquez had initially planned to return in 2016, but was not medically cleared by officials. When he finally did return against Ngannou, replays showed Velasquez's knee gave way in a horrific, career-ending manner.
#3 Tatiana Suarez's bulging disc
One of the biggest prospects in all of women's MMA, Tatiana Suarez was forced to take over two years out from mixed martial arts, due to a bulging disc in her neck. The last time she competed was in 2019 against Nina Ansaroff, who is now named Nina Nunes.
However, Suarez has revealed she has now been medically cleared to return to the octagon and will now move up in weight in an attempt to mitigate any chance of injuring herself again.
#2 Dominick Cruz's multiple injuries
Dominick Cruz's injury layoffs have become near legendary at this point. The former UFC bantamweight champion has a storied history of repeated injuries that have seen him forced onto the sidelines for multiple extended periods.
His longest layoff followed a decision loss to Cody Garbrandt in 2016. Cruz picked up a plethora of injuries in the aftermath of that fight, including extreme damage to both his subcapularis and supraspinatus. He did not return to the UFC until 2020, when he was TKO'd by Henry Cejudo.
#1 Khabib Nurmagomedov's meniscus and rib injuries
Whilst Khabib Nurmagomedov's layoff was by no means the longest on this list, it was at such an integral time in his UFC career that the fact he came back and went on to achieve such greatness elevates him to the top of this list.
Following a unanimous decision victory over Rafael Dos Anjos in 2014, Nurmagomedov suffered a torn meniscus that forced him out of two fights scheduled against Donald Cerrone. The meniscus tear was followed by a rib injury that further delayed Nurmagomedov's return, also leading to one of many Nurmagomedov vs Tony Ferguson cancelations.
Nurmagomedov would eventually return in 2016, where he picked up a TKO victory over Darrell Horcher. 'The Eagle' would later go on to pick up the lightweight belt and retire with an undefeated record of 29-0.
