Sherdog’s Top 10: MMA’s Greatest Overachievers

9. Mike Thomas Brown

Speaking of great coaches, one of the heads of American Top Team cracks a Sherdog Top 10 for the first time. It's a highly deserved inclusion, as I had him fourth on my own list. Turning pro at the age of 25 in 2001, Brown had some basic skills, but was essentially just a glorified journeyman early on. When he fought notable lower weight class fighters, it resulted in decisive defeats. When he was 28-30 years old, typically a fighter's prime, Brown was submitted by Genki Sudo, by a very young Joe Lauzon and even by leglock specialist Masakazu Imanari, who was otherwise a very limited martial artist. After that last defeat, he was 30 years old with an 11-4 record competing at lightweight and featherweight, divisions that were evolving at breakneck speed. There are hundreds of fighters in that situation in similar or even better circumstances who simply faded into the sunset, barely remembered now. But that's not what Brown did. He went on an incredible 10-fight winning streak that transformed his skills as well as his legacy. Brown vastly improved his BJJ, never losing by submission again and even developing it into an offensive weapon of his own. He also continued to better his wrestling, and developed very good, potent striking. He scored notable decision victories over Yves Edwards and Jeff Curran, two fighters that had far more natural talent than. However, he shocked everyone when he knocked out the seemingly unbeatable Urijah Faber, whom many had proclaimed as the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter, to win the World Extreme Cagefighting featherweight crown in 2008. Faber was more than a -550 favorite that night. Proving this was no fluke, Brown defended his throne with a two-minute submission of far more talented Leonard Garcia, then defeated Faber in a rematch by decision. Who finally ended his streak? Jose Aldo, whom I consider the greatest fighter of all time. An utterly extraordinary turnaround and an indication of how much one can overachieve with superb training, work ethic, endless toughness and the right mindset.

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