For reasons good and bad, 2009 was a year to remember in mixed martial arts. We saw the rise and unfortunate fall of Brock Lesnar. We said goodbye to Cro Cop as we know him, welcomed back Tito, fell in love with Kimbo’s worth ethic and watched Carano and Cyborg usher in the mainstream era of women’s MMA.
Who was the breakout star of 2009? Cain Velazquez made his case but 2009 will be remembered as the Year of the Dragon, if you get my drift.
Who will earn that honour in 2010? Here are four fighters to consider.
Frank Edgar
“The Answer” gets little respect in the UFC’s lightweight division, perhaps because he looks more like a featherweight. Yet he’s 11-1 and has shown the ability to overcome major size disadvantages. His takedown defense and boxing were spot-on in 2009 victories over Sean Sherk and Matt Veach. A rematch may be in order against Gray Maynard, the only man to beat him, but Frankie can probably outbox the Bully. Doing so would put him next in line to face BJ Penn for the title.
Josh Koscheck
Can Koscheck qualify as a “breakout” fighter when he’s already such a prominent face in MMA? I think so. Many of us wrote off the former NCAA Division-1 wrestling champion after Paulo Thiago dropped him with an uppercut at UFC 95. But Koscheck bounced back by finishing washed-up Frank Trigg and popular breakout pick Anthony “Rumble” Johnson. We all hate Koscheck’s blonde curls, but let’s face it; he’s a phenomenal athlete and a quick learner. He now has heavy hands to complement his wrestling and will give GSP a run for his money should he earn a title shot.
Jon Jones
With his dismantling of Matt Hamill on cable TV, Jones arguably broke out on December 5. However, since he didn’t officially win the fight (disqualification), we’ll tab 2010 as the true breakout for “Bones.” The guy is a freak. He’s built like an NFL wide receiver, standing 6’4” and sporting the reach of a seven-footer. He’s amazingly athletic and unpredictable, combining his underrated wrestling with devastating takedowns and vicious Muay Thai striking. Mark my words: Jon Jones is a future superstar. He won’t lose another fight until he earns a title shot. Brandon Vera couldn’t handle a wobbly, 46-year-old Randy Couture. How do you think he’ll fare against Jones? Gulp.
Bobby Lashley
Groan. Fight purists and BJJ fans in particular probably can’t stand the thought of Lashley gracing major MMA promotions. But fighters don’t break out simply because we like them, as Brock Lesnar has shown us. Lashley is a specimen with a strong wrestling base. Don’t be surprised if he gets a date with Brett Rogers and eventually becomes another cupcake opponent for Fedor Emelianenko in Strikeforce.
By Matt Larkin
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