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Back for year 3.

Barao captured UFC gold, which is a lot bigger breakthrough than just looking impressive in your first fight or two in the big leagues.

Cub is almost more of a comeback fighter to me. And he still hasn't quite made it back to the place in the division he's been in in the past, though now he's doing it on a bigger stage. Dude was in main events and title elimination fights in the WEC.

Barao.
That camp has two UFC champs, wow.

At the start of the year I would've though Jimmy Hettes would've been on here.

Where's Weidman? He's my pick actually. He beat 2 top 10 or so MW's, one with a dominant, well-rounded performance, launching himself into the title talk. Prior to this year his best win was Lawlor or Sakara.

Barao stomped Pickett last year. So he already broke through.

Bernman might just be bang on here.

Good call bern.

Jonny Hendricks should be up there for breakthrough fighter of the year as well. He beat Kampmann (KO of the night) and Koscheck and his win against Fitch (another KO of the night) happened a mere two days before the year started.

Bernman wrote:Where's Weidman? He's my pick actually. He beat 2 top 10 or so MW's, one with a dominant, well-rounded performance, launching himself into the title talk. Prior to this year his best win was Lawlor or Sakara.

Barao stomped Pickett last year. So he already broke through.

Weidman was one of the options last year. Not sure you can break through 2 years in a row.

Did he win last year or was he just an option?Maybe his breakout was coming last year and he did it this year?

Shaazzam wrote:Did he win last year or was he just an option?Maybe his breakout was coming last year and he did it this year?

Jake Ellenberger squeaked past Weidman and Chandler last year.