5 UFC fighters who have improved exponentially in recent years
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.
Charles Oliveira Brought The UFC Championship Back To His Hometown In Brazil And Partied In The Streets barstoolsports.com/blog/3364449/c… https://t.co/kexmUnLwep
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?
Derek Brunson has really blown me away in the UFC. He's improved so much. One of the best 185lbers in the world.
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.