2010 Bloody Elbow Reader Awards: Fighter of the Mid-Year

I lived in Bloomington, Indiana for three years. Bloomington's a haven for all sorts of odd folks - muscians, gays, lesbians, transgenders, punks, hippies, drug fiends.

While there, I met a guy named Tyler. Tyler came from a broken home, dyed his hair all sorts of ways, and had a serious problem with alcohol. The kind of problem that involves fighting and blacking out and all sorts of general asshattery. Tyler, like a lot of spiraling degenerates, was also extremely charismatic, charming, and loyal. He had that sort of puppy dog draw that made you want to pick him up and tell him things were gonna be all right.

I've felt the same way about Chris Leben since I borrowed a friend's copy of the first season of the Ultimate Fighter years ago. So, it's nice to see a redemption of sorts for him.

The year 2009 was not a good one for Chris. He served a suspension for the first half of the year after being popped for steroids following his fight with Michael Bisping at UFC 89. Current UFC washout Jake Rosholt put him to sleep upon his return at UFC 102.

Leben returned this past January and dominated Jay Silva for three rounds en route to a unanimous decision victory. Then he took on Aaron Simpson at the TUF 11 Finale. Leben wore out Simpson in the first 8 minutes of the fight. He turned on the gas when he noticed Simpson lost the energy necessary to take him down and forced a referee stoppage in round two.

Days later, Wanderlei Silva pulled out of his UFC 116 fight with Yoshihiro Akiyama. The UFC scrambled to find a replacement with only two weeks until the event. The UFC approached Leben, who initially turned down the offer like most rational men. Leben sat around and thought to himself, "Why the hell not?" So Chris Leben fought Yoshihiro Akiyama two weeks in the co-main event of UFC 116 after beating Aaron Simpson two weeks earlier.

And he won. The fight went all over the place. Leben brawled. Akiyama tossed Leben around. Leben played off his back. Akiyama brawled. Leben found himself in big trouble in round two when Akiyama blasted him looked to have him out on his feet. Somehow, Chris survived and kept fighting. Akiyama looked to lay and pray in round three. Leben, still looking out of it, stayed more active from the bottom, but it was unclear how the judges would score the fight. With less than 30 seconds left in the fight, Leben threw up a triangle. The triangle was sloppy, but Akiyama had nothing left. Akiyama struggled to defend, lost his balance, and tapped.

Chris Leben now holds the Zuffa-era record for short time-elapsed between two victories in the UFC, and it's unlikely that anyone will ever top that.

Full results after the jump.