Epic Comebacks: Fighters Who Overcame Adversity in the Octagon

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is famous for its brutal wars and fighters with hearts. Inside the octagon, it is not all about the physicality of a sport; how much calmness and character one shows or has inside them to deal with tough situations is as important. Some of the most enduring moments in UFC history are monumental comebacks where a fighter, seemingly down and out on their luck, somehow dug deep inside themselves to win. In honor of such bravery and commitment to never giving up, this article takes a look at some of the UFC’s best ever comebacks from defeat.

Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen (UFC 117)

The Context
Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen. Despite being considered one of the sport’s top competitors, Silva ran into trouble courtesy of Sonnen, a wrestler with exceptional trash-talking abilities.

The Adversity
Through four and a half rounds, Sonnen dominated Silva with his exceptional wrestling skills as he took the champion down at will while keeping him pinned to the mat, raining heavy punches. Exhausted and busted, Silva was a few seconds away from losing by unanimous decision to Sonnen.
The Comeback
With less than two minutes left in the fifth and final round of their co-main event bout at UFC 117, a near-assured victory for Sonnen turned to disaster as Silva, who had been defending his back throughout the fight, managed to catch Sonnen in a triangle armbar. The fans were starstruck when Sonnen had to tap out moments later in one of the most thrilling finishes ever witnessed inside a UFC octagon.

Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin (UFC 116)

The Context
At UFC 116, heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar was to defend his title against Shane Carwin. Lesnar was in trouble, and Carwin was undefeated and had won by knockout or submission in every one of his fights beforehand.
The Adversity
Carwin pounded him down like a freight train, battering Lesnar in the first round as he hurt him and was within seconds of drawing it to a close. Carwin was clearly on the verge of taking home the title, with the referee watching closely.
The Comeback
However, in the second round, a gutsy Lesnar weathered the onslaught and got Carwin down. Using his excellent wrestling, Lesnar locked in an arm triangle, and Carwin was forced to tap. The win also further highlighted the incredible, unbreakable Lesnar and his defying pressure.

Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard II and III (UFC 125 and UFC 136)

The Context
The first two of those fights were epically memorable wars against Gray Maynard at UFC 125 and UFC 136, respectively. These fights were essentially rematches, given the fact that Maynard had handily defeated Edgar in their prior encounter.
The Adversity
In both battles, Maynard completely outclassed Edgar in the open rounds (especially at UFC 125, where he dropped him a few periods later). Edgar appeared likely to suffer defeat again, as Maynard dominated by knocking down Edgar several times in the first round.
The Comeback
To his credit, Edgar weathered the early storm to come back strong in later rounds. At UFC 125, he fought Maynard to a draw, allowing him to keep his belt. Edgar also managed to survive and went on to knock Maynard out in the fourth round at UFC 136, their third fight together. These fights feature Edgar at his most persistent and gutsy.

4. Miesha Tate vs. Holly Holm (UFC 196)
   The Context
   Miesha Tate with Holly Holm at UFC 196 for the women’s bantamweight championship. Holm’s stock was shining through a knockout win over Ronda Rousey to become a formidable champ.
   The Adversity
   Holm’s striking was enough to frustrate Tate for most of the fight, and in fact, she entered the last round behind on the cards. Holm looked like she was on her way to a dominant win..
   The Comeback
   Tate scored with a takedown in the final round and slapped on a rear-naked choke. The submission induced Holm to eventually go unconscious, despite her effort to free herself from the hold. However, because of her never-say-die attitude and tireless pursuit to reach new heights, Tate had won her astonishing championship in a remarkable final push.

Cheick Kongo vs. Pat Barry (UFC Live: Kongo vs. Barry)

The Context
This UFC live event had the heavyweight encounter of Cheick Kone going up against Pat Barry. The two fighters are considered to be elite strikers, so a barn burner was expected between these two.
The Adversity
During the first round, Barry managed to knock Kongo down twice initially and was inches away from a TKO victory due to an inappropriate strike. Kongo wobbled and looked well on his way to being finished.
The Comeback
At this point in the contest, after being visibly hurt, Kongo managed to land a sledgehammer with his right hand that knocked Barry out cold. It remains one of the most miraculous knockouts in UFC history.

Matt Serra vs. Georges St-Pierre is on UFC 69.

The Context
Matt Serra fought against Georges St-Pierre (GSP) for the welterweight championship at UFC 69. GSP was a strong favorite, and Serra had statutory claim to the title after emerging as the winner of the Ultimate Fighter show.
The Adversity
People did not expect Serra to pose much of a threat to the gymnastically gifted GSP. Thus, Serra had the extremely difficult challenge of fighting against one of the most versatile martial arts athletes in modern MMA history.
The Comeback
Serra, on the other hand, also delivered a series of punches that dazed and overwhelmed GSP before delivering the final knockout blow in the first round. This remarkably shocking victory highlighted Serra’s chin-jumping and durability to establish himself as one of the UFC’s legends.

The fight of the year contender in the welterweight division was the bout between Nate Diaz and Conor McGregor at UFC 196.

The Context
Conor McGregor was set to fight Joe Gómez, but due to the latter’s injury, Nate Diaz took his place in the fight at UFC 196. McGregor was on hype at the time, and within the recent past, he had claimed the featherweight championship belt.
The Adversity
McGregor had the better of the first two rounds with his stand-up, leaving Diaz bloody and seemingly outclassed. From this first round, it can be clearly seen that McGregor was on the dominant side most of the time.
The Comeback
In the second round, Diaz then defended and started to throw his punches as well towards the end of the round. He stunned McGregor with a strong hit that followed with punches, and later on, he took McGregor down and submitted him with a rear-naked choke. McGregor was knocked out, and Diaz emerged strong and showed his jiu-jitsu, which saw him clinch one of the biggest shocks in the UFC.

Darren Elkins vs. Mirsad Bekti, featherweight bout at UFC 209

The Context
Darren Elkins went through his guile against the rising star, Mirsad Bektić, in UFC 209. Bektić was unbeaten and was projected as the title contender in the featherweight category.
The Adversity
Bektić controlled the fight against Elkins for the most part of the fight through wrestling and ground-and-pound. Elkins was swollen, bruised, and nearly beaten in all five rounds, a clear sign of a definitive decision in favor of the opponent.
The Comeback
In the third round, Elkins managed to display a lot of heart and desire to win by scoring a knockdown with the head kick and punches that put down Bektić. This great comeback received the ‘Performance of the Night’ award for Elkins and showed the character of this fighter.

Dominick Cruz vs. TJ Dillashaw (UFC Fight Night 81)

The Context
Dominick Cruz entered the fight with the bantamweight title against TJ Dillashaw at UFC Fight Night 81. Cruz has had a string of injuries and surgeries that kept him on the bench for several years, so his comeback elicited excitement.
The Adversity
For Cruz, it was not only the toughest fight against a talented fighter like Dillashaw but also the body and mind test of coming back after a long time away from the cage. Most people had questions about Cruz’s fitness to contend at the highest level after such a long time of inactivity.
The Comeback
Cruz and Dillashaw engaged in one of the most fluid and skillfully executed fights; however, Cruz was able to retain the bantamweight belt, defeating Dillashaw via split decision. Indeed, Cruz triumphed in this fight as a result of his mental strength and the ability to come back from severe injuries that threatened his career.

Yair Rodriguez vs. Chan Sung Jung (UFC Fight Night 139)
The Context
The main event of UFC Fight Night 139 featured Yair Rodriguez, who fought Chan Sung Jung, the Korean Zombie. The two athletes were considerably popular for their striking and their ability to hold their ground.
The Adversity
The fight was quite entertaining, and throughout the fight, Jung seemed to be outlandishing the exchanges and setting the pace. Rodriguez was trailing on the scorecards as the match entered the final stage of the fight.
The Comeback
At the last second of the fifth round, Rodriguez connects with an upward, no-look elbow strike that puts Jung out of contention. This last-second knockout is ranked as one of the greatest comebacks and one of the best highlight reel finishes in UFC history.

The UFC is a platform where the physical as well as the psychological strength of combat sports is put to the test. The following are some of the octagon fighters who have demonstrated what it takes to be called a warrior by coming back from the dead. The struggles that they portray to boot motivate fans and other athletes to acknowledge the possibility of getting back, regardless of the severity of the situation.
These epic comebacks show not only the ‘uncertainty’ in MMA and the fact that anything can happen in a fight but also the pride and determination of fighters who get to the championship level. Thus, new inspiring stories of people rising from the challenge and becoming champions will be written in the history of the UFC.