5 UFC fighters who enjoyed outstanding runs in 2021

A year can make a huge difference in a UFC fighter's career. It's part of what makes the sport of mixed martial arts so engaging. Watching a fighter unlock new levels of potential within himself/herself is a truly inspiring sight to behold.

Some fighters transcend from being just another name on the roster to emerging as household names with a string of solid performances. Others might transition from being popular and well-known fighters to future Hall of Famers.

Even future Hall of Famers can effectively change their lives in a year, potentially inserting their names into the 'Mount Rushmore of MMA' and 'GOAT' debates as they continue to cement their legacies.

With that said, we thought we'd take a look at five UFC fighters who enjoyed incredible runs in 2021. Honorable mentions include Julianna Pena, Ciryl Gane, Glover Texeira and Valentina Shevchenko.

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#5. Max Holloway (2-0 in the UFC in 2021)

Max Holloway has enjoyed a stellar 2021. The Hawaiian sensation was coming off back-to-back losses to Alexander Volkanovski and returned to winning ways with a bang earlier this year.

Holloway took on rising featherweight contender Calvin Kattar in the first UFC event of 2021. The former UFC featherweight champion put on a masterful display of striking against Kattar, cruising to a comfortable unanimous decision victory. The judges scored the lopsided contest 50-43, 50-43 and 50-42 in favor of ‘Blessed’.

The Hawaiian broke multiple striking records in the bout. He landed 447 strikes out of 746 attempts on Kattar, at a 60% accuracy rate. The volume striking proved to be too much for his opponent, who could hardly mount any offense in the fight. Holloway even started showboating in the final few rounds, landing no-look punches and shouting at the cageside commentary team.

Max Holloway could have fought for the UFC featherweight title once again following the sensational win over Kattar. Instead, he opted to take on another rising contender in Yair Rodriguez. The duo locked horns at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, where Holloway came away with yet another unanimous decision victory.

His bout with Rodriguez was one of the best bouts of the year. Both fighters enjoyed moments of success over the course of the 25 minutes with Holloway eventually coming out on top.

Holloway went 2-0 in 2021 with two huge victories over tough contenders in the 145 lbs division. ‘Blessed’ is set to have a huge year in 2022 as he gears up to either take on Alexander Volkanovski in a trilogy bout or finally move up to the lightweight division properly.

#4. Islam Makhachev (3-0 in the UFC in 2021)

Islam Makhachev ripped through the UFC lightweight division in 2021. The Dagestani prodigy started the year as an unranked fighter in the 155 lbs weight class and will be going into 2022 as one of the top lightweights in the world.

Makhachev took on Drew Dober at UFC 259: Blachowicz vs. Adesanya in March. He made light work of the American, submitting him with an arm triangle in the third round. It was hardly a contest for the Russian fighter, who was in control throughout the bout.

He was subsequently booked to take on Thiago Moises in his first five-round bout in July, securing yet another comfortable victory. He submitted Moises in the fourth round and called out Rafael dos Anjos after the bout.

Makhachev got his wish and was set to take on the Brazilian at UFC 267 in October. Unfortunately, dos Anjos had to pull out of the fight after picking up an injury and lightweight contender Dan Hooker stepped in on short notice.

Unlike his two previous bouts, Makhachev wasted no time in getting Hooker to the ground before securing a Kimura hold on the Kiwi in the very first round.

By the end of 2021, Makhachev had broken into the top 5 in the UFC lightweight rankings. In his three fights this year, the formidable Russian secured just as many submission finishes and is an ominous presence in the 155 lbs division.

Currently ranked No.4, he is set to take on Beneil Dariush in a title eliminator bout in February next year.

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#3. Rose Namajunas (2-0 in the UFC in 2021, both championship bouts)

Rose Namajunas emerged as the new queen of the UFC women’s strawweight division in 2021. She had previously won the title in 2017, but famously struggled with the pressures of being a world champion.

The women’s flyweight, bantamweight and featherweight divisions have had long-reigning champions for quite some time now, with Valentina Shevchenko dominating the 125 lbs weight class and Amanda Nunes doing the same at 135 lbs (until her recent defeat to Julianna Pena at UFC 269) and 145 lbs.

The 115 lbs title, however, has been constantly changing hands. Rose Namajunas won the title in 2017 and defended it once. She then lost the belt to Jessica Andrade in 2019. Chinese ace Zhang Weili defeated Andrade later that year and reigned as champion till 2021.

Weili took on Rose Namajunas at UFC 261 in April this year. Many believed that the Chinese fighter would be too powerful for the TUF alum and that she would continue her reign as the strawweight queen.

However, Namajunas produced one of the most memorable moments of the year as she caught Weili with a clean head kick in the first round. She finished the fight with a series of ground-and-pound strikes to become a two-time UFC champion.

The duo squared off in a rematch at UFC 268 in Madison Square Garden, New York. This time, Namajunas secured a split-decision victory over her Chinese foe to further solidify her status as the best in the division.

2021 has seen ‘Thug’ Rose Namajunas truly come into her own. With a few more title defenses in 2022, she could become a long-reigning champion alongside her idol, Valentina Shevchenko.

#2. Charles Oliveira (2-0 in the UFC in 2021, both championship bouts)

Charles Oliveira joined the UFC in 2010. The Brazilian endured a tumultuous run in the promotion which culminated in spectacular fashion at UFC 262 earlier this year.

Oliveira took on Michael Chandler for the vacant UFC lightweight championship following the retirement of Khabib Nurmagomedov. Throughout the course of his career, ‘Do Bronx’ was accused of giving up in fights and not showing the heart of a champion. This was tested at UFC 262 as Chandler hurt Oliveira on numerous occasions in the first round of their bout.

However, the 32-year-old mounted an admirable comeback in the second round, knocking out his American counterpart 20 seconds into the round to win the belt.

Charles Oliveira took on Dustin Poirier in his first title defense at UFC 269, the final UFC pay-per-view of the year. The Brazilian was the betting underdog going into the bout as many believed he would struggle against the power and pressure of 'The Diamond'.

However, Oliveira made a resounding statement with a stunning victory over Poirier. Adding to his record for most submission wins and finishes in UFC history, 'Do Bronx' sunk in a rear-naked choke in the third round of the bout. Poirier was forced to tap and Oliveira secured his first title defense.

2021 saw Charles Oliveira go from being a top contender in the toughest division in the UFC to becoming an undisputed world champion. Moreover, there were a lot of lingering doubts surrounding the Brazilian's willingness to fight through adversity. He silenced his critics in style, producing two come-from-behind victories against top contenders in the 155 lbs division.

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#1. Kamaru Usman (3-0 in the UFC in 2021, all title defenses)

Going into 2021, Kamaru Usman wasn’t regarded the same way he is now.

‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ had an impressive run in 2019 wherein he won the belt against Tyron Woodley and subsequently defended it against Colby Covington. He fought just once in 2020, cruising to a unanimous decision victory over Jorge Masvidal in a lackluster affair.

2021 saw Usman emerge as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

He took on former teammate Gilbert Burns in the main event of UFC 258 in February. The Brazilian presented a tricky stylistic matchup for Usman. Burns’ elite-level Brazilian jiu-jitsu deterred the champion from imposing his wrestling skills onto the challenger. The duo traded heavy blows on the feet instead of engaging on the ground.

Usman showcased his much-improved striking skills to knock Burns out in the second round to retain his belt.

Following his win over Gilbert Burns, Kamaru Usman called for a rematch with Jorge Masvidal. He believed that Masvidal accepted the first fight only because he had a “built-in excuse,” considering ‘Gamebred’ stepped in on short notice the first time they squared off.

Usman and Masvidal locked horns for the second time in the main event of UFC 261 in Jacksonville, Florida. The consensus opinion was that Masvidal possessed the superior striking acumen, and that Usman would have to use his wrestling in order to win the fight.

However, ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ produced one of the most sensational knockouts of the year, landing a flush right cross straight onto the jaw of 'Gamebred' to defend his title.

With two successful title defenses in 2021, nobody would’ve batted an eyelid if Kamaru Usman opted to take some time away from the sport and return in 2022. This wasn’t the case, as he squared off against bitter rival Colby Covington in the main event of UFC 268 in New York.

The duo fought in 2019, with Usman coming out on top after a sensational back-and-forth encounter. UFC president Dana White stated on numerous occasions that the first bout between Usman and Covington was one of the best fights he’d ever seen. The rematch was booked to headline the promotion’s return to the most iconic arena in combat sports history, Madison Square Garden.

Usman emerged victorious over Covington once again, solidifying his status as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world to cap off an incredible year.