2012 was a huge year for mixed martial arts when it came to blockbuster fights that we had been wanting to see for quite some time. Whether it was with UFC or Strikeforce, Zuffa continued to establish itself as the promotion that houses almost all of the top talent in mixed martial arts as it made its presence felt on network television.
But while it was a great year for Zuffa, individual fighters within the company did not necessarily reap the benefits. In fact, some of them flat out got the shaft.
Sure, you could always say that having a fight on a Strikeforce or UFC card is good no matter who you are going up against, but that’s not always enough. In a sport like MMA where a fighter’s window to physically compete at an elite level can close at any time, there’s a sense of urgency to get to the top as soon as possible.
For one reason or another, these 10 fighters had their chance to move up the rankings stifled in 2012 and Zuffa needs to strongly consider making it up to them in 2013.