Luke Rockhold

Nobody hands you anything at middleweight. Luke Rockhold has built a 16-6 record the hard way, one fight at a time since leaving the United States's regional scene.

The ground is where fights end: 8 wins by submission (50% of the total). Scrambles that look even suddenly aren't. Add the southpaw stance and a 77" reach, and the puzzle gets harder still.

He's coming off a loss to Paulo Costa. Careers aren't defined by the fall, though; they're defined by the rebound.

At 41, the window is what it is — which tends to make every remaining fight more honest, and more dangerous.