5 UFC fighters who enjoyed outstanding runs in 2021

UFC strawweight champion Rose Namajunas [image credit: @ufc on Twitter]

A year can make a huge difference in a UFC fighter's career. It's part of what makes the sport of mixed martial arts so engaging. Watching a fighter unlock new levels of potential within himself/herself is a truly inspiring sight to behold.

Some fighters transcend from being just another name on the roster to emerging as household names with a string of solid performances. Others might transition from being popular and well-known fighters to future Hall of Famers.

Even future Hall of Famers can effectively change their lives in a year, potentially inserting their names into the 'Mount Rushmore of MMA' and 'GOAT' debates as they continue to cement their legacies.

With that said, we thought we'd take a look at five UFC fighters who enjoyed incredible runs in 2021. Honorable mentions include Julianna Pena, Ciryl Gane, Glover Texeira and Valentina Shevchenko.

#5. Max Holloway (2-0 in the UFC in 2021)

Max Holloway has enjoyed a stellar 2021. The Hawaiian sensation was coming off back-to-back losses to Alexander Volkanovski and returned to winning ways with a bang earlier this year.

Holloway took on rising featherweight contender Calvin Kattar in the first UFC event of 2021. The former UFC featherweight champion put on a masterful display of striking against Kattar, cruising to a comfortable unanimous decision victory. The judges scored the lopsided contest 50-43, 50-43 and 50-42 in favor of ‘Blessed’.

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The Hawaiian broke multiple striking records in the bout. He landed 447 strikes out of 746 attempts on Kattar, at a 60% accuracy rate. The volume striking proved to be too much for his opponent, who could hardly mount any offense in the fight. Holloway even started showboating in the final few rounds, landing no-look punches and shouting at the cageside commentary team.

We still can't get over that Max Holloway performance at #UFCFightIsland7 last night!? 😱

https://t.co/vLxqo8Qkrr

Max Holloway could have fought for the UFC featherweight title once again following the sensational win over Kattar. Instead, he opted to take on another rising contender in Yair Rodriguez. The duo locked horns at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, where Holloway came away with yet another unanimous decision victory.

His bout with Rodriguez was one of the best bouts of the year. Both fighters enjoyed moments of success over the course of the 25 minutes with Holloway eventually coming out on top.

After their fight, our cameras captured this moment between @BlessedMMA and @panteraufc 🤝

Stream UFC Destined: Holloway vs. Rodriguez (Part 2) on @ESPNPlus ▶️ ES.PN/DestinedMHYRP2 https://t.co/esbfD1nK9y

Holloway went 2-0 in 2021 with two huge victories over tough contenders in the 145 lbs division. ‘Blessed’ is set to have a huge year in 2022 as he gears up to either take on Alexander Volkanovski in a trilogy bout or finally move up to the lightweight division properly.