The 2024 Heavies' Awards: Comeback Fighter of the Year - WINNER: Doo Ho Choi

[Gio]

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“It’s OK if you fall down and lose your spark. Just make sure when you get back up, you rise as the whole damn fire." - Kenny Florian

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Hey, how's it going, crew? We're back with the 2024 Heavies Awards!

Now, it's time to present the nominees for the 2024 Comeback Fighter of the Year Award. (NOTE: This category refers to career resurgence, not a comeback from a single fight.)

2024 was also a year when we witnessed feel-good career comebacks and resurgence. Fighters who have been counted out, been told to retire, gone through many years of setbacks, and some have been given their walking papers at one point. It's time to give them their flowers through this award for keeping the faith and not giving up on themselves. They proved the doubters wrong and gave us some remarkable, inspirational moments in the Octagon.

The Nominees:

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Dominick Reyes

After not having a taste of victory in nearly 5 years and having been viciously knocked out 3 times since losing a controversial decision against Jon Jones in 2019, Reyes has become an afterthought to the MMA world, and called for him to retire. After his fourth straight loss in late 2022, he took one-year off and came back with two emphatic KO wins in 2024. It was thrilling and truly inspiring to see him finally have a winning streak after a long time.

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Petr Yan

Former UFC bantamweight champion Petr "No Mercy" Yan had a successful comeback in 2024 (well, more of a bounceback), going 2-0 this year and turning his fortunes around after a three-fight losing streak. He looked like the Petr Yan of old, but let's not forget that he is still only 31 years young and has a lot more in him. Notable wins: Song Yadong, Deiveson Figueredo.

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Doo Ho Choi

"The Korean Superboy" Doo Ho Choi might just seem to be a myth to the younger, newer UFC fans. But after fully recovering from his past injuries and being under the tutelage of the beloved "Korean Zombie" in 2023, they somehow got a glimpse of his brilliance and what made him a fan favorite. 10 years after his UFC debut, Choi made a successful comeback in 2024, stopping both Bill Algeo and Nate Landwher by TKO.

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Charles Johnson

After going 1-3 in 2023, Charles "Inner G" Johnson went on a tear in 2024, racking up 4 wins (3 upsets), including toppling three fighters (Azat Maksum, Jake Hadley, Joshua Van) who are considered hotter prospects than himself and snatching performance bonuses along the way. He was in danger of losing his UFC roster spot a year before (2023) but now has moved from the fringes of unemployment to the fringes of the flyweight Top 10.

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Youssef Zalal

Youssef Zalal's comeback story is the kind that fight fans love to see. He was cut from the UFC in 2022 on a 0-3-1 slide. He worked his way back, putting up 3 wins outside the promotion and made his return in March 2024 to take a short-notice fight. He then went 3-0, all by way of impressive submission finishes, and won performance of the night bonuses. He is currently on a 6-fight win streak (6 finishes) and is set to face perennial contender Calvin Kattar in February.

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You have one (1) vote and the poll will be open for 5 days!

Vote for your fave comeback fighter and let us know why!
Got some honorable mentions? Post 'em here!

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A special thanks to our Sherdog.com Staff Members. Here is their pick for Sherdog's 2024 Comeback Fighter of the Year.
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[fungi]

Doo can do.

 

[Gabe]

Yan is a good choice. He was pretty much left for dead at the beginning of the year, beats Song and Fig, and now is the top contender again.

 

[Luthien]

Doo gets my vote

 

[BigTruck]

Doo gets my vote

You always get my vote luth!


My adorable tarded cat also.

 

[Substance Abuse]

Zalal.

 

[Spam On Rye]

Yan

 

[Reach4theSky]

You always get my vote luth!


My adorable tarded cat also.


View attachment 1078593

 

[Luthien]

You always get my vote luth!


My adorable tarded cat also.


View attachment 1078593

Looks cute like @HI SCOTT NEWMAN !!

 

[Mohawk Banditó]

The answer is Charles J. Yan was already well ranked and considered. He lost to 3 champs in a row before getting his 2 wins. Reyes was considered done, but not as done as the 2 guys he beat. Charles was 2-4 in the UFC on a 3 fight skid that could easily have seen him released. He got a 4 fight win streak in 2024 and put himself into the rankings

Zalal was a good one too, but his comeback has been in the making since 2022

 

[Valhoven]

The answer is Charles J. Yan was already well ranked and considered. He lost to 3 champs in a row before getting his 2 wins. Reyes was considered done, but not as done as the 2 guys he beat. Charles was 2-4 in the UFC on a 3 fight skid that could easily have seen him released. He got a 4 fight win streak in 2024 and put himself into the rankings

Zalal was a good one too, but his comeback has been in the making since 2022

+1

 

[EndlessCritic]

Doo Ho Choi.

His last win was in 2016, and he had been essentially written off as relevant to the division. He not only went 2-0 this year, he finished two tough opponents, and looked like a serious contender.

 

[Gio]

Honorable mention: Francis Ngannou

Ngannou got brutally KO'd by Anthony Joshua (boxing) in March 2024 and then later announced the devastating news of the death of his 15-month-old son. Despite all the hardships he's been going through, he still accepted and took the long-awaited match with Renan Ferreira at PFL and won the fight with an emphatic TKO finish.

He dedicated this win to his son, was crowned the new PFL Heavyweight champion, and once again he's in the conversation on who's the best MMA Heavyweight in the world.

 

[Kowboy On Sherdog]

 

[EndlessCritic]

Honorable mention: Francis Ngannou

Ngannou got brutally KO'd by Anthony Joshua (boxing) in March 2024 and then later announced the devastating news of the death of his 15-month-old son. Despite all the hardships he's been going through, he still accepted and took the long-awaited match with Renan Ferreira at PFL and won the fight with an emphatic TKO finish.

He dedicated this win to his son, was crowned the new PFL Heavyweight champion, and once again he's in the conversation on who's the best MMA Heavyweight in the world.

All true, but Ngannou had an incredible 2023. His "loss" to Fury was more than arguably the combat sports story of the year, and no doubt he came out the winner of the whole saga.

 

[dog y]

Reminiscent of Akiyama vs Shields.
Ofc one looked infinite times better doing it.

Google-Ergebnis für http://i.imgur.com/CIqJyFF.gif

 

[gentel]

I didn't really pay attention to him during the year but Charles Johnson got my vote - 4 wins in one year and a #12 ranking after almost getting cut is crazy, and Joshua Van is no joke to get a win over

 

[SenorFranko]

Gotta go with Choi. I thought he was completely washed with no comeback in sight. He looked brilliant this year.

Thanks for the thread @Gio

 

[HHJ]

The fuck happened to poster of the year??

anyway probably they should fix the forum before that.