By now we’ve all heard the takes about how 2017 was a down year for the UFC.
With all of its biggest draws either easing into semi-retirement, suspended for one reason or another or out chasing big-money boxing matches, the world’s largest MMA promoter had to make do with what it had on hand.
The results—with a few notable exceptions—were largely forgettable. As the year comes to a close, combat sports fans are more likely to remember 2017 for Conor McGregor’s wild boxing match with Floyd Mayweather Jr., than anything that actually happened inside the Octagon.
Not that it was all bad.
Some people made the best of it. In fact, some of the UFC’s top up-and-coming talent had themselves great years.
Here’s a look at which fighters took the Octagon by storm during 2017 and what might be ahead for them in 2018.