10 Most Anticipated Returns In UFC History
Absence tends to make the heart grow fonder.
If there's one thing that the entire world of sport can agree on, it's that everyone loves a good comeback.
Whether it's a veteran coming back for one last shot at the big time or an injury being overcome against the odds, returns are part and parcel of what makes sports more than just plain competition.
UFC utilize this better than most and lean into these narratives to generate hype for the impending reemergence of one of their many talents.
That's not to say that all these returns lead to a happy ending; this is combat sports we're talking about after all.
Many long awaited comebacks haven't exactly gone to plan and some of these fighters quickly found out how time away could be a deadlier enemy than anyone facing them in the Octagon.
On the other hand, an extended absence can give a fighter time to recalibrate and lay the foundations for a victorious return to action.
Regardless of the outcome, it would be fair to say that the fuss surrounding a return can often overshadow the actual fight itself.
With all that being said, let's examine exactly what made these entries the most anticipated returns in UFC history.
10. Conor McGregor (UFC 229)
At this point it feels as though fans have been awaiting the comeback of The Mac for the entirety of his UFC career.
As we speak, Conor McGregor has just announced that he will be making yet another long awaited return to the Octagon on 18 January 2020.
That's not the comeback that we're focusing on today, though.
This entry will focus on McGregor's first homecoming, after his mammoth showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr. in August 2017.
Obviously - after that highly promoted boxing match - the Notorious One's stock had never been higher, so his next bout inside the Octagon had to be a seriously mouthwatering prospect - and it was.
Current UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov was announced as McGregor's next obstacle at UFC 229 in October 2018.
Fans were champing at the bit for this match-up, as the two both held a claim to being the top dog in the Lightweight division and the bad blood between them only sweetened the excitement.
McGregor's return wouldn't disappoint, as the two went to war for four rounds.
Even though The Mac's fans had a night to forget - with their hero tapping out to a neck crank - the carnage that followed the bell would make sure that this well hyped return stayed cemented in our minds for some time after.