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In today's UFC, we have become accustomed to seeing elite fighters surge to the top of the rankings and challenge for titles. For some, however, that road is a little more winding.
For these fighters, making small adjustments can lead to big steps forward in the cage. Whether that adjustment is changing their gym, their weight class, or some other factor, it often doesn't take much to give them that 'elite' edge.
While these cases may be rare, they often lead to the fighter becoming very popular as fans enjoy following the careers of warriors who take the hard road to the top.
Here are five current UFC fighters who have battled hardships and improved enormously in recent years:
#5. UFC middleweight contender Derek Brunson
Derek Brunson carried a ton of promise early in his UFC career, winning seven of his first eight fights inside the octagon. However, when he came up against elite opposition, he struggled. He lost four of his next six fights, against Robert Whittaker, Anderson Silva, Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza, and Israel Adesanya.
This led many to believe Brunson would become somewhat of a gatekeeper in the division. However, Brunson is currently riding a five-fight win streak in the UFC, where he appears to have found a new gear. In particular, his one-sided win over Darren Till showed his improvement. So, what brought about this change of fortune?
The North Carolina native suggests it could be due to a more dedicated approach to training and a change of gym – he began training under the tutelage of Henri Hooft at Sanford MMA following the Adesanya loss. Further, there is a subtle change in his approach to fights. The style is still somewhat reckless, but these days, Brunson is more inclined to pick the right time to throw caution to the wind.
Brunson is now on the verge of challenging for the middleweight championship and likely needs only one more win to secure that shot. He will get that chance at UFC 270 when he faces Jared Cannonier.
#4. UFC light heavyweight champion Glover Teixeira
Glover Teixeira looked destined for greatness when he first entered the UFC. He won his first five fights in the organization and earned a title shot against then-champion Jon Jones in the process.
His first tilt at the light heavyweight title ended in a one-sided unanimous decision loss to ‘Bones.’ Following the disappointment, Teixeira's career somewhat stalled as he went 5-4 in his subsequent nine fights. In that period, he lost to Phil Davis, ‘Rumble’ Johnson, Alexander Gustafsson, and Corey Anderson.
However, since his loss to Corey Anderson in 2018, the Brazilian has won six in a row. The latest victory was a second-round submission of Jan Blachowicz to win the UFC light heavyweight gold at 42 years old, thus becoming the oldest first-time champion in the promotion’s history.
Teixeira attributes this turnaround to a smarter approach to training, working on the fundamentals, and a willingness to learn new skills even this late in his career.
#3. UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou
Francis Ngannou's explosive potential quickly became apparent as he finished his first six UFC opponents to earn a shot at heavyweight gold. However, he then suffered consecutive losses to Stipe Miocic and Derrick Lewis, leading many to question if 'The Predator' was as good as advertised.
In his first title fight with Miocic, the big Cameroonian seemed to believe his own hype and threw everything at Miocic in the first round in an effort to knock him out. Unsuccessful with this strategy and his gas tank clearly diminished, he was unable to stop Miocic from controlling the rest of the fight and lost a clear decision. His next fight against Derrick Lewis was the most tepid performance of his career. Ngannou, perhaps still bearing the scars of the Miocic loss, was gun shy and lost another decision.
In response to these disappointments, Ngannou made the necessary adjustments and secured four consecutive first-round knockouts to earn himself a second shot at Stipe Miocic and the heavyweight championship. The newer version was more methodical and less wild, though his brutal knockout of Jairzinho Rozenstruik was a call back to his old ways.
His improvements were evident in the rematch against Miocic as a more well-rounded Ngannou showcased a vastly improved fight IQ to secure a TKO and win the heavyweight title. Composure was another factor in this particular success. Just before landing the left hook that put Miocic down, Ngannou was himself noticeably wobbled but kept his calm to spot and execute the opening.
He will now face Ciryl Gane at UFC 270.
#2. UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira
The early stages of Charles Oliveira's UFC career can best be described as mixed. While he would occasionally flash his potential, he suffered a number of losses and bounced between the featherweight and lightweight divisions.
After missing weight a few times as a featherwight, ‘do Bronx’ moved to the 155lb division, this time for good. His second fight in his return to the weight class was a loss to Paul Felder in December 2017.
Since the reversal, Oliveira has reeled off 10 successive wins. The ninth win of the streak was a second-round TKO of Michael Chandler to win the UFC lightweight title at UFC 262. It was followed by a successful defense of the title in a third-round submission victory over Dustin Poirier at UFC 269.
You could argue that the sudden upturn in fortunes was due to the move back to 155lb. At lightweight, Oliveira does not have to worry about strenuous weight cuts and his chin (cited as his kryptonite along with his will) holds up better. Also, one can't forget that the Brazilian was very young when he first came to the UFC in 2010.
With his recent successes where he had to battle real adversity, Charles Oliveira has put the doubts over his durability and heart to rest. Also, no one can deny that the current UFC lightweight champion's career turnaround is one of the greatest in MMA history.
#1. UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno
Let us not forget that current UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno was cut from the UFC in 2018 following two straight losses. Yet somehow, he has clawed his way back and now sits atop the promotion's 125lb division.
Moreno seems to be constantly improving and is yet to suffer defeat following his return to the UFC in 2019. He earned his spot back in the company and climbed the ranks to challenge champion Deveison Figueredo for the first time in 2020 at UFC 256.
The bout was a tightly contested draw, but when the rematch came around at UFC 263, Moreno appeared a much superior fighter. He was able to submit Figueredo in the third round to finally get his hands on UFC gold.
Moreno's marked improvement in his second stint in the UFC could be attributed to a better stand-up game. He has always had a good chin and reliable wrestling, but his effectiveness with the hands have gone up a notch. This was most evident in an exciting decision win over Kai Kara-France at UFC 245.
Moreno will face Figueredo for the third time in a title fight at UFC 270 in January 2022.
