Bleacher Report - Articles by Ryan Barnhart

Freestyle Hump Day...A Franklin/Belfort Analysis

Ryan Barnhart — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 07:12:34 -0400

**So I decided to do this analysis as if I was the white, mma blogging version of Lil' Wayne...I even wrote 16 bars about this Saturday’s main event in Dallas...and it was horrendous...thus no recording contract yet.

So here is my attempt at freestyling a fight analysis...so in true mixtape fashion, shoutouts to cagepotato), sherdog, of course BR, and I’m going in...**

Rich “Ace” Franklin cranks things out in his bid to capture the not so coveted undisputed Catchweight Champion of the Universe (which can only be contested by Nick Diaz) against Vitor “The Phenom” Belfort this Saturday in Dallas, Texas at UFC 103.

This 195-pound catchweight matchup will not settle anything for anyone really, although if Belfort wins maybe we get to see a Hendo/Belfort rematch to see who gets to lose to Anderson Silva sometime before he stops almost getting punched in the face (sorry Forrest).

Franklin is coming off what is officially an unanimous decision over Wanderlei Silva (whom Belfort ktfo’ed), though many (yours truly included) think that the fight could have went either way (I scored it 29-28 Wandy).

Before that he lost a split decision to an older Dan Henderson, who also holds a win over Vitor Belfort, albeit a longer time ago when Dan Henderson was less “too old for this sh*t”.

Franklin brings some underrated Jorge Gurgel jiu-jitsu, good kickboxing, and Anderson Silva-improved Muay Thai to the cage. In his last several fights where he wasn’t completely curbstomped by a Brazilian fighting machine, Franklin showed his willingness to stand, bang, and show off his improved stand up.

This may spell trouble for Pride of Cincinnati (because it is certainly not the Bengals).

Vitor Belfort has seemed to be reborn as a fighter as of late. A change in weight class has seemed to rejuvenate his career which had slid off from his phenomenal initial run in the sport where he pretty much waxed on and off that ass.

And he’s doing it again. Go to www.cagepotato.com right now and check out their nine-knockout video post of the recent destruction Vitor has caused (go ahead, I dare ya).

Screw that, just watch the first video. He gives Matt Lindland what the American Psychological Association has clinically termed a “near-death experience.” Thankfully, Matt Lindland’s corners were able to bring him back from the light.

On top of Belfort’s renewed efforts to be Brazil’s number one face crusher, he is also taking Machida-do karate, the preferred fighting style of 21st century uber-killers.

Couple that with Rich Franklin’s penchant for getting completely dominated by Brazilians/awkward techniques, and come Saturday I see cagepotato updating it’s “Vitor Belfort KO’s of Death” highlight reel.

Either way, there will be plenty o’ fistic friction and hands, legs and someone’s head are gonna fly, and probably someone is going to try to smoke Eddie Bravo and Joe Rogan’s secret stash.

So Joe and Eddie keep that stuff safe and entrust it with Bruce Buffer. He’ll guard it like the legend of the Buffer 360. Oh and to finish my freestyle...I’m your favorite blogger’s favorite blogger...Peace!

Shootin' The Bull With Don Chargin

Ryan Barnhart — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 09:54:52 -0400

I had the opportunity recently to shoot the bull with Don Chargin, the man who will be managing and promoting MMA badass Nick Diaz into a dual career as both MMA machine and pugilistic professional.

Here is what Don Chargin had to say:

Ryan Barnhart

Don, thanks very much for taking the time out of your schedule. First off, how did you get involved with Nick Diaz?

Don Chargin

Well Ryan, I heard through some of my people, now you know I’m always looking for boxing prospects...but no one ever really thought about recruiting guys from mixed martial arts. Some of my friends who were more versed in MMA brought up the name of Nick Diaz. I hadn’t really heard about him, but I was able to watch some of his tape (fight films), saw his natural boxing ability and his footwork, and immediately thought he has what it takes.

Then I saw him do well these last few times on Showtime (for Strikeforce) and I was really impressed. I learned from a close friend who owns a boxing gym in Oakland, CA where Nick trains and got to see him. He can really fight, and I think it’s time to put a real exciting MMA fighter in a boxing ring.

Why do you think Nick Diaz, of all MMA fighters, should be in boxing?

Few MMA fighters are as impressive as Nick is with his boxing skills, his hand speed, his footwork. I talked with Nick and his trainers, and he is very anxious to show off his skill in the ring. He is also very anxious to step in with the best fighters...to get a good fighter as an opponent. He is not getting any tomato cans...the three professionals (opponents) are all world ranked.

Nick is known as a “bad boy” in MMA, kind of a villain. Do you think that will translate to boxing, and is that a necessarily good thing?

Definitely. Nick is a great fighter with great personality...I want him to be comfortable in the ring, to act natural. Nick is not a phony, he doesn’t put on an act for the hype. We want to make sure his opponents have the same kind of personality. That will make for exciting fights.

Many promoters try to play off that image, and it’s refreshing to see you will embrace it. Finally, to wrap up, what plans do you have for Nick?

Nick is going to fight between middleweight and light-heavyweight. For boxing, that means he will fight between 160-175 pounds, but most likely he will be fighting between 168 pounds and 175 pounds, which is super middleweight.

The plan is for Nick to make a run at becoming a champion in both boxing and MMA. Between fans for MMA and boxing this is going to be a big draw. Nick wants to contend for a title, so we are going to get him good fights...turn him loose and see what happens. I’m very anxious to see him fight and very anxious for Nick to show that skill of his.

Well Don, that about does it for me here. Good luck with the first fight, and I and a lot of MMA fans look forward to seeing Nick step foot in a boxing ring and represent MMA.

You’re very welcome Ryan and I look forward to getting Nick

I'll Get You CSAC, and Your Little Pre-Fight Testing, Too

Ryan Barnhart — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 08:29:22 -0400

As the rumor mill circulates more and more about the cancellation of the Nick Diaz/Jay Hieron title scrap at “Carano vs. Cyborg” this Saturday in San Jose many fans and critics of the sport alike are more than upset with why the fight has been changed to a not-very-relevant Hieron/Jesse Taylor of TUF infamy.

For those of you that don’t know, Nick Diaz was unable, for whatever reasons, to take a pre-fight drug screening (not for steroids though). Yes, Nick was going to be screened for trace metabolites of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC.

Mind you, Nick Diaz didn’t fail a test. He just wasn’t able to take, or make it to a pre-fight test (and you can imagine the kind of hectic scheduling one must have when you are six days away from one of the biggest fights in your career).

Nick, the author, and 96,999,998 other Americans make an adult decision to use recreationally, medicinally, and responsibly, the substance known as marijuana.

In the state of California there is a Compassionate Use Act, decriminalizing the use and possession of reasonable amounts of marijuana. Thirteen other states have taken the example set by the state of California.

Yet the Athletic Commission of the state, other states and international sport governance agencies still mandate that marijuana is a performance enhancing substance. It is time for athletic commissions the world over to grow up.

Can marijuana really enhance performance? I think not. It does not behoove an athlete to imbibe cannabis before a competition. Medical science proves reaction time, coordination, etc. does drop somewhat under the influence of cannabis.

And in most sports (pretty much them all) you need those skills to be successful, thus earning a payday and making a living. So, by definition, that means that marijuana really does not enhance performance.

What the CSAC and other athletic governing agencies fail to realize is that as a recovery aid, marijuana serves and could serve a greater purpose.

Instead of allowing fighters (Karo Parisyan) and other athletes (too many to name) to become addicted to painkillers, athletic commissions should encourage the responsible use of marijuana as a tool and a non-addictive medicinal aid to the aches, pains, bumps, and bruises that these athletes endure on a daily basis.

The question that also arises is why should athletic commissions involve themselves in the personal lives of those that they license? It is a person’s inherent and natural born right (so says Thomas Jefferson) to pursue life, liberty, and happiness.

If that means a fighter who gives his all every time he steps in a ring or cage, and by doing so makes the very same athletic commission that frowns upon his personal choices thousands and thousands (if not millions) in tax revenue (and the last time I looked California, you aren’t doing so hot in the bank account), the state should bite their tongue.

You don’t bite the hand that feeds you.

It’s time that the CSAC, NSAC, US Anti-Doping Agency, WADA, and everyone else including professional sport leagues remove marijuana from the list of banned substances.

It is not a performance enhancing drug. It never was.

It’s not harmful to the health of the fighters. Hell, it might even help them to extend their careers, thereby having the means to make more earnings AND increase tax and other revenues for the very same agencies that persecute it.

Hang in there Nick. You are an outspoken and exciting fighter, athlete, and warrior. You should not be punished for the foolishness of the establishment. The bread on your table should not be taken away because you choose to make a responsible adult decision.

With the Recent Signing of Fedor Emelianenko, It's Time We Say…

Ryan Barnhart — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 11:35:02 -0400

Yes, Virginia, there is another real mixed martial arts promotion, and its name is Strikeforce. It exists as certainly as Dana White uses the f-bomb and refuses to co-promote exist. Alas, how dreary would the world be without another MMA promotion?

Scott Coker, CEO of Strikeforce, has made known its existence as more than a regional SoCal fight promotion. Where other challengers to the Fertitta-White Empire have failed, epically, Coker and company seem to have their gameplan strategically in order to become the other standalone MMA promotion based in the US.

By developing the fight game in their own unique way Strikeforce seems to have the ability, fortitude, and business-savvyness to succeed as the other premiere brand of mixed martial arts.

So what sets Strikeforce apart from those left in the dust? How can it ever compete with the UFC for sponsors, fans, viewers? The world may never know, or will it?

As many may already know, this week Strikeforce landed the golden goose, Fedor Emelianenko, as talks between Fedor’s management, M-1 Global, and the UFC broke down.

The main reason: Zuffa, LLC’s unwillingness to let M-1 Global co-promote. It seems apparent that Scott Coker realizes that Fedor will not be relevant forever. And the only way to have him fight in an American organization while his title as king of the heavyweights remains relevant is to partner with M-1. Kudos to Coker.

Secondly, Strikeforce has not, as of yet, proverbially blown their load on an unsure prospect. While the Fedor signing could certainly work against them (he could lose to an underrated opponent) Emelianenko is no Kimbo Slice (no diss Mr. Ferguson, I’m pulling for you in TUF 10).

EliteXC made the folly of pinning their entire financial fortune (and network TV deal) on Kevin Ferguson, a guy who had only four fights under his belt and a questionable skill set to boot.

Strikeforce has been able to successfully land a deal on Showtime networks, providing a good, solid outlet for their program. They intend to build upon and grow that relationship further by showing the first two Fedor fights on the network.

For the third fight, Coker could possibly take it to pay per view. And if he and his executives are smart and care about MMA and its fans, which it certainly appears so, they won’t charge $49.95 plus taxes and applicable fees to watch it (set it at $25 skins and your buyrates would be through the roof!).

It is a concern, however, that Strikeforce’s heavyweight division is not all that “deep.” But with their willingness for non-exclusive contracts, and the fact that there are more heavyweights outside of those in the UFC’s big boy division that may want to challenge “The Last Emperor,” who is to say they can’t get some bigger names to face the Russian machine.

Yet still, Strikeforce has also been more progressive in other areas that the UFC has not. In a week, they will present the first ever women’s title fight that will go five rounds, of five minutes apiece. They are affording an equal opportunity in the fight game. That’s progressive thinking.

They also have yet to hold sponsors hostage for $200k a year, affording smaller, startup brands the ability to gain exposure. This also benefits the fighters, as more sponsors equal more money. And without fighters, you have no product.

No product equals no revenue.

Can Strikeforce and Scott Coker be the choice alternative to the UFC and its brand of “our way or the highway”, bottom line-only business? Will Strikeforce be the forward thinking and moving brand that defines what MMA is in society in years to come?

Will Scott Coker have the business and humanitarian skills to create comprehensive fighter salary, benefits, and insurance plans? Only time will tell, but so far, so good.

My (First) Last MMA Lecture, Part One

Ryan Barnhart — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:22:38 -0400

After getting the opportunity to read Dr. Randy Pausch’s very moving book, The Last Lecture, it dawned on me that if something were to happen to me today, how could I ever pass on the knowledge of life to my progeny? How would they get through the tough times in life? Where would they go for inspiration when the world has them down?

Would they be mad that their dad left them with no words of wisdom? Since I have been honing my college-professor chops recently, I thought what better way to leave the future generations of Barnhartia than with a little last lecture of my own?

But where does a soon-to-be 24 year old make life lessons for his great-great grandkids if he hasn’t experienced life that much himself?

The answer my friends, is mixed martial arts.

Lesson No. 1: Don’t be afraid to take chances on something unfamiliar.

Way back in 1992, a So Cal advertising exec (Art Davie) linked up with a member of the most heralded fight family (Rorion Gracie) to hatch the idea that would become mixed martial arts into the international doppelganger that we know it as today.

Almost not getting the funding or neccessary means to host the event, or almost not having fighters sign up to take part in this “style vs. style,” these two visionaries took a great leap of faith in what they believed in.

And it worked. And worked. And worked. At that time the majority of Americans didn’t know a guillotine from a garage sale. Ask any 18-34 year old in America today what a guillotine is. I bet you’re tapping out in no time.

Lesson No. 2: It’s not the size of the dog in the fight...

Royce Gracie is not Hulk Hogan. All six feet, one inch of him weighs in (soaking wet?) at 175 pounds, maybe. But in one fateful night in Denver, Colorado in 1993 Royce became the biggest man in the infancy of mixed martial arts. Every opponent he fought that night (and pretty much everybody since then) has been bigger, stronger, meaner.

But Royce has the heart of a freakin’ bull mastiff. That is what gets him through the battle. That is what will get you through, too. (See also: Faber, Urijah; Pulver, Jens)

Lesson No. 3: Sometimes you’re gonna get punched in the face. Punch back. Repeatedly.

At PRIDE 21, The Mustachioed One, Don Frye, took on the towering Yoshihiro Takayama. Within seconds of the opening bell, Frye and Takayama clinched up, hockey style. And Takayama punched Frye in the face. Then Frye punched Takayama in the face. Then Takayama. Then Frye.

And on and on it went for about a minute straight. And you know what? They did it two more times during the fight. And neither one of them quit. You know why? Because in life you get punched in the face. There are two things you can do about it. Cry or punch back. Punch back. Repeatedly.

Lesson No. 4: Every once in a while, you will lose. That’s life.

“You can’t win ‘em all” is a far too cliché expression in sports. But it rings true always in life. Life isn’t boxing, where you may get some real tomato cans and never get a blemish on your record. Mixed martial arts, and life as it were, aren’t boxing. You are going to lose. Once, twice, hell you can lose a hundred times.

Look at Rashad Evans, Miguel Torres, Urijah Faber, Georges St. Pierre and even the untouchable Fedor all have losses on their records. They all have something else in common, too. They got up, dusted themselves off, went back out there and fought. And fought. And fought.

Lesson No. 5-Go for it all or don’t go at all.

I hope you get to see the Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar from The Ultimate Fighter finale. Not only is this the MMA fight that launched the sport into the mainstream, it’s a showing of heart, moxie, mettle and any other word that you would like to substitute for guts (Joe Rogan would use the term “balls”, and I’m cool with that).

These two warriors left everything on the table. No reservations, no gameplanning, no trying to eke out a decision. They went at it. Since they were fearless in the cage the showcased the true spirit of every warrior in or out of a cage; Griffin and Bonnar showed that you have to go big or go home, and sometimes the guy who lost isn’t always a loser, either.

Hype 101-The Ten Most Hyped MMA Matches: The Good, The Bad, and The Fail

Ryan Barnhart — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:20:46 -0400

10. Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson vs. Ken Shamrock, EliteXC, 10/4/08

The prefight hype for this matchup was probably the only thing the Shaw boys over at EliteXC should be credited with.

Kimbo Slice even appeared on the “ESPN The Magazine” cover, which took him about 15 years less than it does for a mainstream, legitimate MMA fighter to accomplish. Not to mention, this was to be the capstone of ProElite’s multi-show deal with CBS to broadcast MMA to the world.

And two hours before this little scrap (which I’m not totally sure was worth the buzz to begin with, since Slice is untested, and Ken has seen WAY better days) Mr. Shamrock somehow gets cut open in a sparring session (your training partners should not GnP you on fight day).

Needless to say, the last minute replacement, Seth Petruzelli, has since made “Standgate” something to not remember. A couple days later ProElite hits bottom, and everyone gives The Shaw’s and co. a giant EPIC FAIL.

9. Anderson Silva vs. Thales Leites, UFC 97 Redemption, 4/18/09

This was to be Anderson’s biggest challenge to the middleweight crown to date (maybe). Thales Leites is a BJJ black belt who ran through such fierce competition as Floyd Sword on his way to solving the Silva riddle (maybe).

Anderson was no match for Leites on the ground (possibly). After 25 minutes of break-dancing, dead legging, and other non-fighting, this scrap made me (and many others) rethink about coughing up the 10 duckets and watching terrible UFC cards at Buffalo Wild Wings.

8. Georges St. Pierre vs. BJ Penn II, UFC 94, 1/31/09

After about 2,319 episodes of that stupid show where BJ told Faris Zahabi to “take thirty minutes and go f*$% yourself” (that was kinda funny), and all the talk about fighting to the death and everything else, this fight turned out to be what they refer to in the movie business as a "big freakin’ flop".

Basically, this was just another episode of “GSP is P4P No.1” and “BJ shouldn’t fight at welterweight”. “Rush” tore through Penn, dominating him in the first four rounds. Penn didn’t make it out for the fifth.

7. Jens Pulver vs. BJ Penn II, Ultimate Fighter 5 Finale, 6/23/07

A great season of TUF where so much drama and hate came between The Prodigy and Lil’ Evil. The hype up to this fight, following their classic lightweight war where Pulver hung tough through a Penn armbar (youtube it…that sh*t is deep) had the whole MMA world abuzz with the possibility that this fight could be the greatest display of combat on live TV.

However, instead of enthralling fight fans and providing discussion forum fodder for years, Penn easily took Pulver’s back and finished it with the rear naked choke. Great hype, but a fight that didn’t quite deliver.

6. (Three-Way Tie) Tim Sylvia/Andrei Arlovski/ Josh Barnett vs. Fedor Emelianenko, The Affliction Trilogy, 7/19/08; 1/24/09; 8/1/09

These two fights were supposed to be the ultimate test for Fedor. Finally, we could see how the UFC heavyweight division, already being called week and kiddie pool deep, would fare against the world’s greatest heavyweight.

The hype for the Sylvia/Fedor fight was through the roof. Being Afflictions first foray into the fight promotion game, and with a huge card, this fight was definitely the most hyped in 2008. 36 seconds later and Tim Sylvia proved that he belonged in a cage with Ray Mercer. Fail.

Arlovski, on the other hand, was the best technical striker Freddie Roach had ever seen, hyped up as the striking answer to Fedor’s somewhat unorthodox striking. This was a battle of Eastern Bloc boys.

Then Arlovski threw the flying knee. Good night Andrei. While Fedor lived up to all the hype that has been his since about 2003, the former UFC champs failed to deliver on their end of the hype wagon.

Barnett is the No. 2 ranked heavyweight behind The Last Emperor. He has been heralded as the most wrestling prolific heavyweight of our time. Now we get to see if the hype was worth it.

If Babyface makes it past the first round then he will have at least somewhat redeemed former UFC champs versus Fedor.

5. Jens Pulver vs. Urijah Faber I, WEC 34, 6/1/08

Billed the greatest fight in featherweight history, this is the first fight on our list that really lived up to the hype. The California Kid is perhaps the most dynamic and exciting fighter on the planet, and his 12-fight win streak was pretty impressive.

Pulver was cutting down to 145 to make this one of the superfights MMA fans have been salivating at for years. These two warriors delivered on their hype.

This is arguably the fight of the year for 2008, and saw a back and forth five-round war from both men. Urijah took the unanimous decision in the end, and helped cement this fight in the legacy and minds of MMA fans everywhere.

4. Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar, TUF Finale 1, 4/9/05

This is the fight that was going to make-or-break Dana, Frank, and Lorenzo’s fantasies of ruling the world through cagefighting and selfless sponsorship endorsements.

Riding on the ability of two reality show contestant fighters to launch your global entertainment brand is a hell of a gamble. Good thing the Fertitta’s know a thing or two about gambling.

Needless to say, the Griffin-Bonnar war at the TUF Finale lived up to the hype and beyond. You can even recreate the fight on UFC Undisputed 2009. This fight will live on in infamy, forever.

3. Matt Hughes vs. BJ Penn II, UFC 63, 9/23/06

This fight certainly lived up to its hype. While the original matchup was between Hughes and GSP for Hughes’ welterweight strap, injuries forced Rush off the card. Matt Hughes was surprisingly finished by BJ Penn in their first contest, and the rematch was driving MMA fans crazy.

Was BJ really “the Prodigy”, able to dominate a weight class above what he should be fighting at? Was Hughes beginning the decline of his career? Could he handle the striking and jiu-jitsu that Penn threw at him?

In a match that lasted three rounds, BJ may have had the nod on the judges, but a purported rib injury (or an empty gas tank) ruined BJ’s stride. Hughes showed us his guts and determination and was able to finish off Penn with some punches.

This fight delivered on its promises, and helped revitalize Hughes and Penn’s careers.

2. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Mirko”Cro Cop” Filipovic, PRIDE Final Conflict 2005, 8/28/05

Derailed from a meeting in the 2004 Pride GP, this was the talk of the MMA world for roughly three years…most assuredly a superfight for any fan. Cro Cop was the most feared and dominant striker in PRIDE FC, and possibly all of MMA. He's the guy that made Bob Sapp cry like a b*tch.

Fedor was the man who beat the unbeatable Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.

This was the showdown to end all showdowns. After trading shots for three rounds, Fedor took home the unanimous decision, and MMA fans have been buzzing about a rematch since. This fight goes beyond the hype.

1. Royce Gracie vs. Kazushi Sakuraba, PRIDE GP Finals 2000, 5/1/00

After being the first person to defeat a Gracie (Royler) in competition in many decades, Saku was elevated to rockstar status in Japan. But all the “Gracie Hunter” did was manage to piss off the most feared family of fighters.

This set the stage for the ultimate of ultimates, a no time limit, no referee stoppages deathmatch with none other than Royce Gracie himself. This bout was anticipated in legendary proportions.

Did it deliver? After 90 minutes of fighting (!!), multiple near submissions from both men, and punishing leg kicks from Sakuraba, Gracie corner was forced to throw in the towel. And this was only the second round of the tournament!

This fight is legendary, and anyone claiming to be a MMA aficionado should have at least watched it once in its entirety. This is why we love MMA.

The 10 Craziest MMA Comebacks

Ryan Barnhart — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 07:44:47 -0400

The Comeback

The Top 10 Greatest Comebacks in MMA History

10. Lyoto Machida

Your kung fu is no good here. However, your Machida-do karate is. While not technically a “career” comeback, Machida has resurrected the careers of many karate instructors across America with his dominance in the Octagon.

And by dominance I mean you can’t hit this guy. This is a comeback of style, much like the original UFC’s were come-ups of sort for Gracie Jiu Jitsu.

9. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua

After totally dominating the 205’ers in Japan and being the No. 1 ranked light-heavyweight on the planet, Shogun landed in the UFC. But fun and games it was not.

He was completely dominated and choked out by Forrest Griffin in his debut and immediately drew criticism for his sub-par conditioning. A problematic knee injury also put a damper on Shogun’s drawing power.

But the ‘Gun bounced back with a (weak) decision over Mark Coleman at UFC 93 and a highlight worthy KO of (an aging) Chuck Liddell at UFC 97. But is Shogun really back? He’ll tangle with light-heavyweight kingpin Lyoto Machida at UFC 104 and maybe then we can say Shogun has finally made “the comeback.”

8. Nick Diaz

Don’t be scared, homie. Even after all the bird-flipping, hospital fighting, blunt smoking, UFC firings, and other antics, the older Diaz has made a comeback of sizable proportions. After subbing Takanori Gomi with one of the craziest finishes ever, Nick failed the post-fight drug test for THC (boo NSAC).

Following that he lost a controversial cut-stoppage in EliteXC to KJ Noons. Then Nick and brother Nate end up in a brawl for all against Noons and his pops.

All authoritarian run-ins aside, Nick has definitely made major waves lately in the Strikeforce promotion, ripping off a five-fight win streak including a headline TKO of Frank Shamrock and a dominant submission win over comeback artist Scott Smith.

7. Forrest Griffin

Not only is he mainly responsible for launching the recent successes of the UFC with his now infamous battle with Stephan Bonnar, but Forrest Griffin also checks in at number 8 on our list. After much hype and buzz Griffin fell off the wagon after a split decision loss to Tito Ortiz and a vicious knockout loss to Keith Jardine.

Many felt Forrest was just a reality star, but that all changed as a new, focused, hard working Griffin re-entered the Octagon and choked out Shogun, then coached on TUF against his next opponent and biggest challenge, Rampage Jackson.

Forrest etched out a decision in what was a Fight of the Year candidate and claimed the light-heavyweight crown. Even though his loss to Rashad Evans at UFC 92 made him relinquish the strap Forrest is one of the more remarkable comebacks in UFC history.

6. Evan Tanner

While he may not fit onto everyone’s list, Evan Tanner was a comeback of a different kind. No formal training, learning techniques from basement tapes, winning the UFC Middleweight Title, defeating alcoholism.

Whether you were a fan or not, Evan Tanner proved many things, most importantly you can always make a comeback. No matter what. Rest in peace my friend.

5. Matt Serra

If you win an MMA-themed reality show dubbed “The Comeback”, you should make the list, right? Matt Serra won the Ultimate Fighter 4, overcoming his Shonie Carter backfisted demons and eventually upending Georges St. Pierre for the welterweight title. If you look up “comeback” in Miriam Webster, you’ll find “…ex. See: Serra, Matt.”

4. Rich Franklin

Thai. Plum. Clinch. These three words became the bane of existence for “Ace” for an almost full calendar year. However, ditching the fall off the face of the earth strategy, Franklin upped his game (and weight class) and has since come to terms with the fact that Anderson Silva will kill you in the Thai Clinch.

The fact the Franklin has been able to pull off some impressive and dominating wins since his Silva-induced destruction (against some notable competition) brings him onto the list.

Rich has also not been afraid to shy away from good competition, and this Saturday he will try to be "The Comeback" as he squares off with Wanderlei Silva at UFC 99 in Germany.

3. Ultimate Fighting Championship

Once relegated to places like Biloxi, MSand programming that is worse than the DREAM schedule on HDNET, the UFC has revitalized itself and MMA in recent years. The success of The Ultimate Fighter, live events on cable television, and some of the most memorable fights of the past seven years have earned the UFC a spot on this list.

2. Randy Couture

Do I even need to explain this one? Captain America aka the Natural aka Mr. Comeback himself. Just look at his wikipedia page and you will know why we love Randy Couture.

When you make your pro debut at the age of 34, dominate guys that are way younger than you (Vitor Belfort), fall off (losses to Barnett and Ricco Rodriguez), come back and have the most insane trilogy of fights (check out Couture vs. Liddell I-III), retire, come back at age 43 and destroy and reclaim the heavyweight title (sorry Big Tim), resign and then come back TWO YEARS LATER at age 45 to dominate (for a round at least) quite possibly the largest and most powerful fighter EVER.

Well, like I said, do I need to explain this one?

1. Frank Mir

Usually when a champion loses his belt, it’s to a better, stronger, faster opponent. Not Frank Mir. After snapping Tim Sylvia’s arm, being the most hyped heavyweight in a long time and winning the UFC heavyweight strap the only thing that could beat Frank Mir was a car that hit him while riding his motorcycle.

The man broke his femur (yeah that’s the big ass bone in your leg) in TWO places. The fact that he even fought professionally after that is reason enough to be on this list.

In his return fight he lost to Marcio Cruz, looked fat and gassed against Dan Christison, and then got KTFO’d by someone who isn’t a heavyweight (Brandon Vera). But Mir wasn’t done. He resurged on the UFC scene, tapping out Antoni Hardonk and then weathering the ham-hocks that are Brock Lesnar’s fists to coax the tapout in probably the slickest transition from getting your face smashed-to kneebar you’ve ever seen.

Not to mention the fact that he is the first person to finish Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Ever. Mir now seeks to cement himself as one of the greatest heavyweight champions of all time in the UFC by squaring off with Brock Lesnar again at UFC 100.