Sherdog.com’s 2014 Comeback Fighter of the Year

5. Cat Zingano

Many fighters have endured serious injuries and personal tragedies during the course of their MMA careers, but few have been forced to overcome both in such a short span as Zingano.

Entering the UFC in 2013, unbeaten Zingano was viewed as one of the few competitors who could give Ronda Rousey a run for her money. “Alpha Cat” officially earned her shot at the UFC women’s bantamweight belt by winning her Octagon debut in April of that year with a third-round knockout of Miesha Tate. Just one month later, Zingano bowed out of the title fight -- and her slot opposite Rousey as a coach on Season 18 of “The Ultimate Fighter” -- after sustaining an ACL injury which required surgery. In January, still sidelined from the cage, Zingano suffered an even greater loss when her husband and longtime coach, Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Mauricio Zingano, took his own life.

Determined to fight on and reclaim her position as the No. 1 challenger to Rousey’s crown, Zingano returned to the cage in September for her first fight in 17 months. Powering through a tough first round against Amanda Nunes, Zingano turned the tables in the second frame and bloodied the Brazilian with elbow strikes. In the final round, the Coloradan finished Nunes with heavy ground-and-pound, once again asserting herself as the top contender in the women’s 135-pound division.

Zingano’s long-awaited chance at Ultimate Fighting Championship gold will come at UFC 184 in February. Despite champion Rousey’s renowned submission skills, it is hard to imagine anyone making Zingano quit after what she has already endured.

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