No one likes to be overlooked, but it can be one of the greatest motivators a fighter can receive. Just ask UFC welterweight Sean Brady, who feels it daily despite teetering on the precipice of title contention.
Brady, 32, has been relegated to perpetual dark horse status since his lone MMA loss in October 2022. That night, the now-champion Belal Muhammad snapped Brady's perfect 15-fight unbeaten streak with a second-round knockout few saw coming. While Brady is still ranked among the best of the best at 170 pounds, the American's ceiling in the division largely hasn't been viewed through the same lens since.