5 most impressive calendar years from a single fighter in UFC history
Winning multiple bouts in the UFC in a year is difficult for any fighter. Winning multiple big fights, including title bouts, is almost impossible.
Over the decades, though, we've seen some fighters produce true magic across a calendar year, often becoming legends.
While it's true that other fighters who aren't on this list managed to win more fights in a year, the following five are almost untouchable in terms of the quality of their wins and achievements.
With this in mind, here are the five most impressive calendar years from a single fighter in UFC history.
#5. Cody Garbrandt - Former UFC bantamweight champion (2016)
It's largely been forgotten due to his sudden fall from grace, but Cody Garbrandt's 2016 belongs among the best calendar years in UFC history.
Over 12 months, 'No Love' went from being an unranked prospect to dethroning the legendary Dominick Cruz for the bantamweight title. He won four fights, ending the year at the top of the 135-pound mountain.
Garbrandt had debuted on the first pay-per-view of 2015 and had won two bouts in the octagon coming into his first fight of 2016, against grappler Augusto Mendes.
'No Love' easily beat Mendes via TKO, but his second win of the year opened his eyes.
Faced with unbeaten prospect Thomas Almeida in what was the first UFC headliner for both men, Garbrandt upset the odds and destroyed 'Thominhas' in the first round.
From there, a knockout over veteran Takeya Mizugaki gave him a shot at Cruz, and once again, 'No Love' surprised everyone with his performance.
Garbrandt beat 'The Dominator' down over five rounds, completely outstriking him in one of the best title fight showings in octagon history. To make things even more special, he was the first member of Team Alpha Male to beat Cruz, with three of his teammates previously failing.
Garbrandt's time as champion was brief and he's never truly regained his form since, but nobody can take his 2016 away from him. It stands as one of the best calendar years in UFC history.
#4. Ilia Topuria - UFC featherweight champion (2024)
In terms of this list, Ilia Topuria is the exception to the rule. That's because the UFC's current featherweight champion will likely end 2024 with just two wins to his name, while the other fighters named here all won three or even four bouts.
However, quality trumps quantity here, and it's hard to argue with the quality of Topuria's wins. In fact, 'El Matador' has probably produced two of the best performances we've ever seen in title fights this year.
Also, the two fighters he has beaten in the past 10 months - Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway - are two of the three greatest 145-pound fighters in MMA history.
Remarkably, few fans gave Topuria much of a chance when he squared off with 'Alexander the Great' in February. Sure, he held an unbeaten record of 14-0 and had crushed all his previous foes, but Volkanovski had never lost at 145 pounds.
Instead, 'El Matador' ended the Aussie's night with a crushing right hand in the second round.
At the time, many observers theorized that Topuria had simply capitalized on Volkanovski not having fully recovered after his knockout loss to Islam Makhachev at 155 pounds just four months prior.
However, that theory was blown out of the water this month when 'El Matador' incinerated Holloway, becoming the first fighter to stop the Hawaiian with strikes.
Whether Topuria goes onto the same legendary status as his two victims this year remains to be seen, but it's hard to argue with his stellar 2024.
#3. Alex Pereira - UFC light-heavyweight champion (2024)
Not many UFC champions have defended their title successfully on three occasions, but fewer still make three successful defenses in a single year. Only seven fighters have managed it in the history of the promotion.
While it could be recency-biased talking, it's arguable that of those seven, Alex Pereira's 2024 stands above the rest.
'Poatan' claimed the vacant light-heavyweight title in late 2023 in just his second fight at 205 pounds, downing former titleholder Jiri Prochazka in somewhat of an upset.
The Brazilian kickboxer's 2024 started thrillingly, as he finished off Jamahal Hill in just three minutes in the headliner of UFC 300, knocking him out with his trademark left hook. From there, he rematched Prochazka on late notice just two months later - saving a major pay-per-view in the process - and used a head kick to knock out 'BJP' in the second round.
Finally, he destroyed the tough Khalil Rountree Jr, stopping him with strikes in the fourth round. So what puts 'Poatan' above the other fighters to achieve the same? Not only did he take out two former titleholders, but he also violently finished all of his foes.
Right now Pereira has promised to take a short break, and after this incredible year, nobody can say he hasn't earned it.
#2. Robbie Lawler - former UFC welterweight champion (2014)
Robbie Lawler is the only fighter to make this list despite losing a fight in his banner year.
'Ruthless' started the year in the worst possible fashion in many ways, by losing a title bout. However, by the end of 2014, not only did he right the wrong, but also proved himself as the world's best welterweight, bar none.
To be fair to Lawler, he came up short in his first title bout against Johny Hendricks by the smallest of margins. Their five-round thriller went to the judges, with many fans believing he'd done enough to win. In the end, though, 'Bigg Rigg' was awarded the crown.
It didn't take 'Ruthless' long to bounce back. Two months after that fight, Lawler took on top-10-ranked Jake Ellenberger on late notice and violently stopped him in the third round.
Two months later, Lawler headlined a big event on Fox against arguably the hottest contender in the division - Matt Brown - and halted his win streak at seven by outworking him over five rounds.
With 13 rounds in the books for the year, many other fighters would've waited for the next year to return.
Lawler, though, ended up headlining 2014's final pay-per-view, and, overcame Hendricks to realize his destiny and claim the gold.
For competing in 18 rounds, and climbing back up the ladder so quickly to win a UFC title, 'Ruthless' definitely belongs on this list.
#1. Jon Jones - UFC heavyweight champion (2011)
While there's a fair debate over whether Jon Jones is the GOAT as the UFC brass would currently have fans believe, it's hard to disagree that his 2011 was one of the best calendar year in the promotion's history.
At just 23 years old, 'Bones' went from being the hottest prospect in the light-heavyweight division to a dominant champion with two title defenses to his name, all in 11 months.
Jones' year started with a fight against the division's other hot prospect, Ryan Bader. The fight was seen as a pick-em going in, but it quickly became clear who was better, and Jones dispatched 'Darth' with a guillotine in the second round.
Things changed instantly after that fight when it was announced that Rashad Evans had been forced out of his planned title fight with champ Shogun Rua - and Jones was being offered the fight in his stead.
Jones shocked the world by dominating Shogun, despite the bout being just six weeks after the Bader fight. He eventually stopped him, mercifully, in the third round to claim the title - looking like a 10-year veteran, not a relative rookie.
'Bones' remarkable year continued as he dispatched two former champions in 'Rampage' Jackson and Lyoto Machida, both via submission, to end his year in incredible style.
It was only the beginning of Jones' dominant run as champion, of course, but the fact that he finished four incredibly difficult opponents while also becoming the UFC's youngest-ever titleholder puts him firmly on top of this list.