Fighters come and go. Titles change hands, contenders drop off and this cycle that we tag as mixed martial arts repeats itself on cue.
But sometimes—and this doesn’t happen too often—a group of ultra-talented fighters escape divisional purgatory. They defy the odds, cultivating only the skills they need to claw their way back to the top.
Whether it is an ex-champion or the best finisher in promotional history, the line is never drawn. In association with this unpredictable track record, here are five fighters poised to regain their form.