The 2020 Heavies Awards - Comeback Fighter of the Year - Winner: Brian Ortega

[Lethal]

The Heavies Awards
-2020-
Comeback Fighter of the Year​

"Everyone loves a good comeback story." - Kenny Florian.​

Next up on our 2020 Heavies Awards Extravaganza is the comeback fighter of the year award, and this year many have seen a resurgence within the Octagon. You have Brian Ortega, who came back from a 2 year layoff to reenter the rankings, or Mackenzie Dern who went 3-0 in 2020 after suffering her first loss. Please choose your Comeback Fighter of the Year, and let us know why!

Candidates​

Mackenzie Dern
3-0 in 2020, back to back performance of the night awards.
Phoenix , Arizona
​

Dern suffered her first career loss in 2019, just three months after the birth of her daughter, and after a controversial win over Amanda Cooper where Dern failed to make weight. In 2020 however, she went 3-0 for the year while simultaneously putting her weigh-in issues in the past. Two of those victories came in the first round and also earned her performance of the night awards against Randa Markos and Virna Jandiroba respectively.

Brian Ortega
Returns in crazy win over Korean Zombie
Torrance , California

​

Ortega returned to the Octagon after a near two year layoff, and after suffering one of the worst beatings of 2018 and instantly inserted himself back into the featherweight title picture with the best performance of his career, dominating Chan Sung Jung in a landslide victory.

Sean Strickland
2 wins in 2 weeks, after a 2 year layoff.
Riverside , California

​

Strickland was out of action for two years after a horrible motorcycle accident and won two fights in two weeks, including a TKO of one of the middleweight division's more promising prospects in Brendan Allen. This victory also earned Strickland performance of the night.

Cub Swanson
Earned his first finish in 7 years.
Palm Springs , California

​

Swanson, a 14 year veteran under the Zuffa banner since WEC 26 back in 2007, returned from a year-long absence due to a knee injury and, at age 37, wiped out Daniel Pineda to earn his first finish since 2013.

Cody Garbrandt
Ends 3 fight losing streak, first win since 2016
Uhrichsville , Ohio
​

After a three fight losing streak, and being winless since 2016, Cody Garbrandt returned with a buzzer beater KO win over Raphael Assunção with just 1 second left on the round.

A last minute candidate has been added to the list, Tybura.

MARCIN TYBURA

Look at his record:
2018: 1-1
2019: 0-2
2020: 4-0 + fame for beating Hardy



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcin_Tybura#Mixed_martial_arts_record

A special thanks as well to our Sherdog.com Staff Members, here is a link to the article on the main site:

https://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/Sherdogs-2020-Comeback-Fighter-of-the-Year-176936

 

[Lethal]

We are live!

 

[Ares Black]

Voted Strickland just because of what he had to come back from.

 

[Zebra Cheeks]

I give the nod to Dern, but I definitely think all of these fighters had great years, and good stories as well.

 

[Cooliox]

CoGar!




I used to hate it when some Sherbro used to post 10 threads a week calling him CoGar... First of all, It's longer to type than CODY.

But yea... glad to see him back in form. Such a mad amount of talent. If he gets a good mentor, and works on his Fight IQ, I really believe he has another dominant run at the top in him

 

[RayA]

Always thought Ortega's striking was sub par and lacking, but then he comes back and walks through KZ like a new man.
Fucked up my parlay in doing so...

 

[Kryptt]

Big Mac Attack for me!

 

[I WILL CUT YOU]

Strickland.

Dern coming back from a Big Mac habit isn't inspiring.

 

[Sweater of AV]

Might have to go with Ortega. It was just one fight but he looked like a completely new fighter after the beating from Max and long layoff. Dern and Strickland had good comeback years as well.

Horiguchi also deserves a mention.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

I'd say Ortega, been off for ages and I thought Zombie was going to beat him up, but he had an exceptional performance.

 

[Cyrano200]

I went with Cub because he was gonna hang up the gloves, but stuck around and finished a much younger, hard-charger in Pineda.

 

[Askren’s chin]

Gonna vote Cody because how bad he has done in the 3 fights before this getting slept in them all (his performances were actually decent until getting buzzed) and then coming back with a contender for koty over a very good opponent in assuncao

 

[letgodiego]

I voted for cub. mad respect for the guy. hes a warrior. strickland story is super inspiring.

 

[Prologue]

Gonna roll with Dern since she's been the most active. Hard to judge a comeback on the weight of 1 fight (or 2 in the case of Strickland).

 

[H41ph_84k3d]

Strickland was rather impressive lol voting for them.

 

[Aluminati]

Gonna roll with Dern since she's been the most active. Hard to judge a comeback on the weight of 1 fight (or 2 in the case of Strickland).

I can understand that. I feel like giving credit to a fighter for making weight is a little bit of a participation trophy, IMO. Still think her downfall wasn't as bad as Cody's, and her best win wasn't as impressive as Cody's, but I can get behind the argument for activity being an important criteria.

 

[HydraCap3]

Cody Garbrandt

 

[Prologue]

I can understand that. I feel like giving credit to a fighter for making weight is a little bit of a participation trophy, IMO. Still think her downfall wasn't as bad as Cody's, and her best win wasn't as impressive as Cody's, but I can get behind the argument for activity being an important criteria.

I hear you, and much of what you said went through my mind as well. I think you could argue the quality of opponents are better for some of the guys, and some fell harder too. But Ortega beating KZ after losing his shot at the title doesn't seem that much of a fall, or a comeback. And Cody's win over Assuncao for me proved less than Dern showing steady progress after getting her shit together. I'd like to see more out of both Cody and Ortega before confirming their comeback was more than just having a solid night. And maybe Strickland's comeback is better too, but if I'm being honest, I don't really know enough about the guy to have much of an opinion on him in this moment.

I'm not sure if he's out of the running because his comeback spans both 2019 and 2020, but if I'd give the best comeback to anyone, I'd go for Glover Teixeira.

 

[Zebra Cheeks]

I hear you, and much of what you said went through my mind as well. I think you could argue the quality of opponents are better for some of the guys, and some fell harder too. But Ortega beating KZ after losing his shot at the title doesn't seem that much of a fall, or a comeback. And Cody's win over Assuncao for me proved less than Dern showing steady progress after getting her shit together. I'd like to see more out of both Cody and Ortega before confirming their comeback was more than just having a solid night. And maybe Strickland's comeback is better too, but if I'm being honest, I don't really know enough about the guy to have much of an opinion on him in this moment.

I'm not sure if he's out of the running because his comeback spans both 2019 and 2020, but if I'd give the best comeback to anyone, I'd go for Glover Teixeira.

I’ve been saying that! Glover Texeira has had a great comeback, almost out of nowhere! All of a sudden he looks so dominant, and with jones clearing out he has a real shot IMO of getting a title before the end of his career

 

[Prologue]

I’ve been saying that! Glover Texeira has had a great comeback, almost out of nowhere! All of a sudden he looks so dominant, and with jones clearing out he has a real shot IMO of getting a title before the end of his career

Man, Jan vs Glover in a test of old man strength for the LHW title would be great to see in 2021.

Also, Glover not being in the UFC during the pre-Jones era is one of the biggest misses in MMA. Him getting a shot, and potentially seeing a title around his waist would definitely make up for it.