8 MMA Fighters You Didn't Realise Are Still Competing

At a certain time in the mid-2000s, Roger Huerta was being positioned as the poster child of MMA, a role currently occupied by Conor McGregor. After an arduous childhood, Huerta had found his calling in competitive fighting, competing in several one-night tournaments prior to his UFC debut in 2006.

After collecting finishes in his first two UFC fights, Huerta would defeat perennial journeyman Leonard Garcia at UFC 69 and in doing so would become the first MMA fighter to be immortalised on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine. With both the looks and the skills to become a marketable megastar in the sport.

Huerta would continue his momentum throughout 2007, ultimately tying the record for wins in a calendar year with five. His final bout in that year with Clay Guida would prove most impressive, as Huerta secured a submission in the final round of a fight that was subsequently hailed as the Fight of the Year.

Unfortunately, Huerta would fail to parlay his initial successes into UFC gold. Losses to Kenny Florian and Gray Maynard would see him take a break from MMA to pursue acting opportunities only to return to the sport less than a year later.

Though Huerta's has failed to reach his massive potential in his post-UFC career, the Californian has remained active as both a coach and a fighter. His most recent bout saw him drop a decision to Sidney Outlaw at Bellator 234 in November of last year.