Sherdog’s Top 10: MMA’s Greatest Overachievers

4. Roxanne Modafferi

The longtime veteran and women’s MMA pioneer is a solid fourth place on this list. Modafferi never won a world championship or even challenged for one. However, she had a successful career in the sport for over 15 years and beat many top names, including those with considerable hype and title aspirations. This, despite Modafferi having less natural ability than anyone else on this list. Her movement was slow, she was painfully unathletic, and had average strength. Initially, she had some submission grappling skills but very weak wrestling and virtually no striking to speak of. Striking in particular didn't come naturally for Modafferi, but she never let that stop her intense passion to improve at martial arts. In fact, Modafferi may have pulled off more big upsets than anyone else not just on this list, but all of MMA history. She pulled off a giant upset of Marloes Coenen, then arguably the second-best fighter in all of WMMA, in 2007. In a rematch against Tara LaRosa, Modafferi won a split decision despite being a +500 underdog. In their rubber match in 2014, Roxy triumphed again as a +200 underdog, before winning at identical odds in her first fight with far more naturally talented Andrea Lee. With many writing her off in the late 2010s, Modafferi then won as a +300 underdog against Antonina Shevchenko and a roughly +250 underdog against Lee in their rematch. However, her biggest upset would come against then-undefeated Maycee Barber, who was anointed by many as a future world champion and literally nicknamed “The Future.” In what was supposed to be a dominant victory by Barber, it was instead Modafferi who put on the fight of her life, triumphing despite Barber being an absurd -1000 to -1200 favorite. This was Roxy showing what a lifetime of dedication to the martial arts can accomplish, even if one lacks any physical talent or natural aptitude. She out-struck Barber, beating her to the punch, took her down, out-grappled her on the ground, and demonstrated clear superiority over a fighter 16 years her junior. Modafferi isn't just an overachiever, she's an inspiration.

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