9 UFC Fighters on the Cusp of Breaking Out
Fighters break out all the time.
Sometimes, they pan out; other times, they come up short.
But whatever the outcome may be, the process of breaking out is not one full of sunshine and sugarplums.
It is a tough road traveled—one that may very well push a fighter to the absolute brink.
In order for a fighter to escape mediocrity and reap the benefits of full-blown mixed martial arts stardom, he must meet a variety of requirements, including skill, finishing ability, marketability and appetite for success.
Once those fall into place, the rest is history.
Here are nine fighters on the cusp of reaching their potential and busting out onto the forefront of their respective divisions.
Myles Jury
1 of 9
As arguably the most underrated fighter in MMA without tasting professional defeat, lightweight Myles Jury has all the right tools to make a push for the title one day.
He's young, rangy and well-equipped on the feet, encompassing his own mixture of ground-and-pound and submissions techniques that no other fighter has.
With a track record stretching from a stint on The Ultimate Fighter Season 15 (after tearing his ACL in the first episode of TUF 13) and keys victories over Diego Sanchez and Michael Johnson, you would think the 25-year-old would possesses more divisional attention than he does.
But with a fight against the legendary Takanori Gomi this Saturday at UFC Fight Night 52, Jury is one step closer to testing an opponent within the division's Top Five.
Amanda Nunes
2 of 9
One look at Brazilian sensation Amanda Nunes and it's easy to gauge her evolving potential.
As someone who can stand and deliver with the best female strikers in the world, the heavy-handed 26-year-old is as dangerous as they come.
Add in an ultra-savvy ground game and the tenacity to finish fights, and you may very well be looking at the perfect candidate to one day dethrone divisional queen Ronda Rousey.
Now while that may be a gigantic leap in faith, Nunes could have her shot to prove herself should she upset undefeated top contender Cat Zingano at UFC 178 later this month.
Yoel Romero
3 of 9
Yoel Romero's wrestling game is downright filthy.
With a powerful base, perfected technique and the explosiveness to secure a takedown at any point in a fight, the 37-year-old Cuban is a tough man to control.
Not to mention his punching power is starting to resemble that of fellow countryman Hector Lombard.
However, at 37 years of age, Romero's window of opportunity is quickly closing.
A highly anticipated showdown with Tim Kennedy at UFC 178 should shed some light onto how competitive Soldier of God can be at the top of the pecking order.
It may very well be his only shot to break out.
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Dennis Bermudez
4 of 9
In a world determined by winning streaks and a "what have you done lately" mentality, featherweight rising star Dennis Bermudez is king.
Since 2011, after losing in the finale of The Ultimate Fighter Season 14 to Diego Brandao, the 27-year-old New Yorker has posted a 7-0 record inside of the Octagon, earning four Performance of the Night awards in the process.
His ascent up the 145-pound ladder has been intriguing to watch, which in part is why Bermudez is a victory away from a full-fledged breakout.
Another dominating performance opposite former title contender Ricardo Lamas at UFC 180 could finally give The Menace the push he needs to enter the UFC's hottest spotlight.
Tarec Saffiedine
5 of 9
It seems like Tarec Saffiedine gets no respect.
But on a welterweight battlefield draped with explosive athletes and bruising knockout artists, can you blame the masses for skipping over a former Strikeforce champion who hasn't secured a finish since 2010?
You really can't.
But because Saffiedine is such an intelligent veteran who inflicts the most damage he can while staying out of harm's way, he'll soon command the respect he deserves.
People are going to realize his overall potential when he takes on consensus future titleholder Rory MacDonald next month.
That's not to say the Belgian will get past the Canadian, but a hard-fought defeat is not a bad thing in his case.
John Lineker
6 of 9
Demetrious "Might Mouse" Johnson may very well be the best pound-for-pound fighter in the sport today.
But despite his fearless speed and perennial perfection, the UFC has still found it difficult to successfully promote the division he resides in.
Enter rising contender John Lineker.
With hands for days and a chin of a lightweight, the bruising 24-year-old may very well be the bridge to finally join the flyweight fight scene with a knockout-driven fanbase.
As long as the Brazilian can maintain his weight cuts and properly train in order to have the energy for five rounds, there's no telling how important he may become.
Conor McGregor
7 of 9
Irish phenom Conor McGregor is already one of the most popular fighters in the world.
The young and eager featherweight has done so by moving his lips more than knocking off top names.
Now while McGregor has posted an undefeated UFC record of 3-0, his self-proclaimed status as the best 145-pounder on the planet will not come full circle until he moves his way up the divisional rankings.
Until then, and only then, The King of Dublin will never fully cash the check his mouth continues to write.
He certainly has the talent and bravado to one day sell more pay-per-view buys than any other fighter under 170 pounds, but he needs to finish Dustin Poirier at UFC 178 first and foremost.
Bobby Green
8 of 9
Bobby Green is a very sneaky lightweight.
Not in the sense of the way he fights because he's an in-your-face, hit-me-if-you-can type of fighter, but more along the lines of his current divisional seeding.
Out of nowhere, Green has burst onto the UFC scene. He racked off four straight victories over the likes of veterans Josh Thomson and Pat Healy and has remained a company player in the process.
All of that has culminated into Green commanding the No. 7 spot in one of the toughest weight classes around.
The next opportunity for the slick 28-year-old to move up the chain could come against either Rafael dos Anjos, Benson Henderson or the winner of Donald Cerrone vs. Eddie Alvarez.
Gunnar Nelson
9 of 9
Iceland's own Gunnar Nelson is slowly turning into the welterweight version of Lyoto Machida.
Obviously, the 26-year-old has a long road ahead of him, but with black belts in karate and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, it may not be long until we see Nelson fighting for a title.
As one of the more unorthodox strikers in the division, one who possesses tumultuous scrambling ability, Gunni is on the cusp of something spectacular.
He's scheduled to headline his first UFC event ever in October opposite the very tough and gritty Rick Story at UFC Fight Night 53.
If Nelson can secure a finish, he would have to be considered a bona fide title threat entering 2015.
For more UFC news and coverage, Follow @DHiergesell
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