Sherdog.com’s 2014 Comeback Fighter of the Year

2. Luke Rockhold

Rockhold’s Octagon debut in 2013 did not go as expected. Entering the UFC as one of the top imports from Zuffa’s Strikeforce acquisition, the former middleweight titlist saw a nine-fight winning streak snapped by a vicious knockout at the hands -- and feet -- of Vitor Belfort.

The 30-year-old Californian turned around things in a big way in 2014, propelling himself straight back into title contention with a trio of impressive finishes in a 10-month span. First, Rockhold took out Costas Philippou with a perfectly placed kick to the body in January. From there, it was on to his first main-card slot on a pay-per-view, as the American Kickboxing Academy standout forced the famously durable Tim Boetsch to tap to an inverted triangle kimura at UFC 172. Rockhold was not finished delivering “Submission of the Year” candidates, however, and his finest finish was yet to come.

Tasked with taking on Michael Bisping in the main event of UFC’s Nov. 7 card in Sydney, Rockhold weathered months of trash talk from the brash Brit. Come fight time, Rockhold wobbled the perennial middleweight contender with a head kick early in the second round and then submitted Bisping with a beautiful, one-armed guillotine choke from mount.

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