Martin Kampmann and 10 Fighters That Are Never out of a Fight

There's something truly remarkable about watching an MMA fighter refuse to lose.

Driven by heart and determination, fighters like Martin Kampmann either go out on their shield swinging or somehow, someway find a way to win the fight.

Despite being in the worst of scenarios, certain fighters remain calm and almost always pull off an incredible comeback.

Just like Kampmann's proven with his amazing comebacks in 2012, these are the fighters that are simply never out of a fight.

Martin Kampmann

So far in 2012, Kampmann has had a taste for the theatrical aspect of MMA.

Starting with his bout against Thiago Alves in March, Kampmann was getting picked apart on his feet by the Brazilian Muay Thai specialist. Alves was in full form with his devastating leg kicks and crisp, clean punches.

However, he made one mistake that Kampmann would capitalize on in the third round. He instigated a takedown, and Kampmann sunk in a guillotine choke with less than a minute to go.

Following his comeback victory, Kampmann engaged in a brawl with Jake Ellenberger earlier this month. Ellenberger battered Kampmann, but Kampmann hung in the pocket and kept his punches flowing. After staggering Ellenberger in the second round, he utilized the plum and dropped him with knees.

It's very possible that Kampmann's 2012 Cinderella story could end with him earning a welterweight championship bout.

Frankie Edgar

If there ever was a Rocky movie for MMA, the lead role had better be Frankie Edgar.

Better yet, a movie should be made about the adversity Edgar has overcome in the ring in the past two years. In Edgar's last three bouts, he's been beaten, bloodied and knocked senseless, but he always found a way to get back into the fight.

His performances against Gray Maynard in 2011 was nothing short of legendary. After getting dominated in the first round of both title shots, Edgar came back and went on to score a draw against Maynard in the second fight, then knocked him out in the fourth round of their trilogy fight.

In his last bout that saw him lose his lightweight championship, Edgar was floored by a timely upkick from Benson Henderson in the second round. Though he didn't come back and win the fight, Edgar still hung in there and made the decision close.

Carlos Condit

Carlos Condit is an animal on a leash.

Greg Jackson holds that leash tight, and when things aren't going Condit's way in a fight, Jackson's grip on the leash starts to lessen.

As animated as Jackson is, I have never seen him more vibrant than the time Condit fought Rory MacDonald at UFC 115. In the middle of the second and third rounds, Jackson let Condit have it and he awoke the beast.

MacDonald won the previous two rounds, but Condit took the fight to the promising prospect in the third. Condit turned up the heat and was able to stop MacDonald via ground-and-pound with seven seconds remaining in the fight. When it comes to Condit, you have to beat him before the beast awakens.

Eddie Alvarez

Eddie Alvarez's recovery rate is unnatural.

Time and time again, Alvarez has taken a hard shot that's sent him to the canvas, and he's managed to make his way back to his feet and continue slugging it out.

Take his fight with Tatsuya Kawajiri for example. After getting clipped with a left hook that had him doing a shortened version of Rashad Evans' stanky leg, Alvarez regrouped and came back to stop Kawajiri later in the round.

This has almost become expected in an Eddie Alvarez fight. In fact, when he lost the belt to Michael Chandler last year, he had to battle adversity and nearly came back to win that one. Other fighters should take notes from Chandler because once you get Alvarez wounded, you have to turn the lights out.

If you don't, Alvarez will weather the storm and rise victorious.

Tim Boetsch

How can you not have "The Barbarian" on this list following Joe Rogan's UFC 144 color commentary about Tim Boetsch's comeback?

Rogan may never hear the end of it for his rant on Boetsch's comeback against Yushin Okami, but to his credit, it was a sight to see.

After getting out-pointed for two full rounds and dominated on the feet by what looked to be a newly improved Okami, Boetsch went for broke in the third round.

Boetsch connected with an onslaught that sent Okami reeling and connected with some tantalizing uppercuts. While it may not be the greatest comeback in UFC history, it certainly deserves to be mentioned as one of the greats.

Scott Smith

While Kampmann is well on his way to becoming the comeback king, Scott Smith has that title on lock.

After suffering beatings and nearly getting finished by some of the best strikers at welterweight, Smith has made a career by withstanding punishment and landing one of those "hands of stone."

One of Smith's best comeback victories in MMA came against Cung Le in 2009. Le threw everything but the kitchen sink at Smith, and yet he was unable to finish him. Just like it was scripted somewhere in Hollywood, Smith rallied and caught Le with a short left hook that would lead to Smith stopping Le.

And as awe-inspiring as that performance was, it wasn't better than Smith's Houdini act played at The Ultimate Fighter 4 Finale.

After getting hit in the liver with a perfectly placed body shot by Pete Sell, Smith grabbed his stomach in agony. Sell came charging in, and Smith put everything he had left in a right hook. The punch connected and put Sell to sleep, while Smith fell to his knees from the body blow.

Not even Hollywood could have written that one better.

Chris Leben

The more hurt Chris Leben is, the more dangerous he becomes.

That's not just a witty sentence used to try and paint a portait. No, it's the truth. He's proved it in his fights with Yoshihiro Akiyama, Terry Martin and Alessio Sakara in the past.

When Leben gets hit, he goes into a zombie mode that allows him to push forward, take shots and throw one power shot after another. It looks as if he's a drug addict charging toward the police with his nerves destabilized by whatever he's high off of.

Because of his rock 'em, sock 'em banging mentality and ability to withstand a lot of punishment, Leben is never fully out of a fight.

Stephan Bonnar

To be an MMA fighter, you have to have a little crazy in you, but Stephan Bonnar might be a little too crazy.

Unlike most of the fighters on this list, Bonnar doesn't have a list of comebacks, but he's as durable as they come.

Bonnar embodies the true fighting spirit, and he showcases it in every fight with his willingness to stand and trade strikes while continuously pressing forward. He's been in wars with Krzysztof Soszynski and Forrest Griffin, but the fight that showcased his fighting spirit best may be his fight against UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones.

Bonnar was getting worked by the champion, but he kept fighting and landed a few shots in the third against one of the most dominating fighters in UFC history.

Cheick Kongo

Many feel that Cheick Kongo holds the greatest comeback victory in MMA history.

Because of that, Kongo demands a spot on this list. In his bout against Pat Barry on a Versus event in 2011, Kongo was all but knocked unconscious.

Barry landed multiple haymakers, and Kongo could barely get his feet underneath him. But somehow, he managed to make his way back to his feet, and as Barry came charging in, Kongo landed a fight-altering shot.

The shot dropped Barry and knocked him clean out. It was the first KO loss of Barry's career, and it was one of the craziest series of events to take place in a fight.

Cain Velasquez

Unless you land a perfectly placed shot to the temple, Cain Velasquez will always be a tough out.

There's a reason UFC president Dana White calls him the terminator, and that's because this guy is nonstop moving forward. Kongo knows this better than anyone else.

In Velasquez's clash against Kongo at UFC 99, he exhibited his solid chin. Kongo connected with some straight rights and hooks that would stagger Velasquez, but that didn't matter.

Being dropped to one knee, Velasquez would pop right back up and successfully complete a takedown. From there, he was all work and no play. But then again, that's every Velasquez fight...well, when he's healthy of course.

Kazushi Sakaraba

Before there was Smith, before there was Leben, before there was Alvarez and before there was Edgar, there was Kazushi Sakuraba.

Retired or not, Sakuraba leads the pack when it comes to fighters who are never out of a fight. Though he had many great comebacks, Sakuraba's fight against Kestutis Smirnovas was nothing short of inspiring.

In that fight, Sakuraba was in worlds of trouble. Smirnovas was punishing Sakuraba with knees, kicks and punches, and Sakuraba looked to be on his way out.

But miraculously, a light switched on for Sakuraba and his attacks intensified. He brought the fight to Smirnovas, and he was able to stop him with strikes. Though it isn't mentioned enough when it comes to great comebacks, Sakuraba's victory against Smirnovas deserves legendary status.