There is simply a changeless statement successful MMA astir erstwhile fighters whitethorn participate their prime. Some radical judge it's the precocious 20s. Others consciousness it's early- to mid-30s. But nary of that stops fans from looking for the champion up-and-coming endowment to follow, and, ultimately, spot wherever they land. ESPN's 4th yearly ranking of the apical 25 MMA fighters nether the property of 25 consists of prospects who could 1 time beryllium considered among the champion successful the sport.
Last year's No. 1-ranked fighter, Song Yadong, is an illustration of that. Though helium has yet to look connected ESPN's divisional rankings, Yadong has built an awesome résumé successful the Octagon. This led to him getting a combat against erstwhile bantamweight rubric challenger Cory Sandhagen successful September. Yadong, who turned 25 past week, is nary longer eligible for these rankings.
The astir absorbing sanction whitethorn beryllium Raul Rosas Jr. He is the youngest combatant to ever look connected this list, and earlier this year, helium became the youngest combatant to motion to the UFC roster. After making past connected "Dana White's Contender Series" by earning a declaration connected the show, the rising imaginable volition adhd different archetypal to the database erstwhile helium makes his Octagon debut astatine UFC 282 this play (Saturday, 10 p.m. ET connected ESPN+ PPV).
ESPN's nine-person sheet -- Phil Murphy, Carlos Contreras Legaspi, Andres Waters, Air Broom, Jeff Wagenheim, Eddie Maisonet, Andrew Davis, Brett Okamoto and Marc Raimondi -- selected fighters based some connected accomplishment and potential. Okamoto, Raimondi, Wagenheim and Megan Anderson supply breakdowns of the fighters.
1. Usman Nurmagomedov (16-0)
Bellator men's lightweight champion
Age: 24 (turns 25 connected April 17, 2023)
Ranked No. 5 connected ESPN's 25-under-25 database successful 2021
Next fight: TBA
This volition beryllium Nurmagomedov's last twelvemonth connected this list, but support an oculus retired for him to look connected the pound-for-pound database successful the future. The Dagestan autochthonal and relative of all-time large Khabib Nurmagomedov won the Bellator lightweight rubric past month, dominating Patricky "Pitbull" Freire with his well-rounded MMA game. A ceiling for Nurmagomedov's imaginable mightiness not adjacent exist. On a squad and successful a household with blue-chip fighters, Usman stands retired and volition much than bash the Nurmagomedov sanction arrogant successful the coming years. -- Raimondi
2. Erin Blanchfield (10-1)
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Erin Blanchfield stuns the Madison Square Garden assemblage by forcing Molly McCann to pat out.
UFC women's bantamweight
Age: 23 (turns 25 connected May 4, 2024)
Ranked No. 20 connected ESPN's 25-under-25 database successful 2021
Next fight: TBA
While she presently holds the No. 2 spot, don't beryllium amazed if we spot Blanchfield astatine the apical of this database adjacent year. She is simply a combatant with an incredibly precocious ceiling. As a longtime jiu-jitsu practitioner, Blanchfield gained a batch of combat acquisition adjacent earlier joining the UFC. Blanchfield is presently connected a four-fight winning streak successful UFC, including a ascendant first-round submission triumph implicit Molly McCann successful November. By stringing those wins together, she was capable to enactment herself successful a presumption to contend soon successful a part that doesn't person overmuch prima power. -- Anderson
3. Muhammad Mokaev (9-0)
UFC men's flyweight
Age: 22 (turns 25 connected July 30, 2025)
Ranked No. 21 connected ESPN's 25-under-25 database successful 2021
Next fight: TBA
After making his Octagon debut with a first-round submission triumph implicit Cody Durden successful March, Mokaev earned 2 much wins to adjacent retired the twelvemonth undefeated successful the UFC. Now, helium is already targeting Jon Jones' grounds arsenic the youngest UFC champion of each time. While he's not the archetypal to bash so, nor volition helium beryllium the last, helium mightiness person the champion changeable astatine it. Mokaev is lone 8-0, but that grounds is misleading, arsenic helium went 22-0 arsenic an amateur. He has until March 2024 to interruption Jones' mark; if helium does, he'll inactive lone beryllium 23 years old. Impressive. -- Okamoto
4. Michael Morales
UFC men's welterweight
Age: 23
Was not connected this database successful 2020
Next fight: Dec. 17 vs. Rinat Fakhretdinov
After earning a UFC declaration connected Dana White's Contender Series successful 2021, Morales made his Octagon debut successful January and scored a first-round TKO. He followed with different knockout triumph successful July and volition look Fakhretdinov connected Dec. 17. Both are surging prospects, but if the undefeated Morales closes retired the twelvemonth with different victory, helium volition beryllium 1 of the hottest young fighters successful the sport. -- Wagenheim
5. Maycee Barber (11-2)
UFC women's flyweight
Age: 24 (turns 25 connected May 18, 2023)
Ranked No. 7 connected ESPN's 25-under-25 database successful 2021
Next fight: TBA
The days of Barber being the hottest imaginable successful the UFC, and speech of her being the youngest champion successful promotion history, are good successful the rearview mirror. But anyone who dropped their banal connected Barber aft a brace of losses successful 2020 and 2021 is missing out. Still conscionable 24, the Colorado autochthonal has won 3 consecutive and is looking astatine contender bouts coming successful 2023. It wouldn't beryllium a daze to spot Barber vie for the UFC women's flyweight rubric sometime successful the adjacent 18 months. And she's inactive improving. -- Raimondi
6. Christian Lee (17-4)
ONE Championship men's lightweight and welterweight champion
Age: 24 (turns 25 connected June 21, 2023)
Ranked No. 11 connected ESPN's 25-under-25 database successful 2021
Next fight: TBA
After a hiccup past year, Lee avenged his nonaccomplishment to Ok Rae Yoon and won backmost the ONE lightweight rubric (170 pounds) from Yoon successful August via a second-round TKO. The Canadian-born Hawaii nonmigratory of Chinese-Singaporean and Korean descent followed that up by becoming a ONE Championship treble champ. Last month, helium bushed Kiamrian Abbasov via fourth-round TKO to triumph the welterweight (185 pounds) belt. Like his sister Angela, Lee is 1 of ONE's apical talents and 1 of the champion young fighters successful the world. Their sister Victoria, 18, is close down them with a 3-0 ONE record. -- Raimondi
7. Tatsuro Taira (12-0)
UFC men's flyweight
Age: 22 (turns 25 connected Jan. 27, 2025)
Was not connected this database successful 2021
Next fight: TBA
The UFC is precocious connected Taira's potential, arsenic determination were nary "extra" circumstances astir signing him this year. The institution didn't request a replacement connected abbreviated notice. The matchmakers weren't looking to capable a spread connected "Contender Series" oregon "The Ultimate Fighter." The UFC signed Taira due to the fact that he's an undeniable prospect. And he's already disconnected to a 2-0 start. -- Okamoto
8. Khasan Magomedsharipov (7-0)
Bellator men's featherweight
Age: 22 (turns 25 connected Oct. 6, 2025)
Ranked No. 22 connected ESPN's 25-under-25 database successful 2021
Next fight: TBA
The younger member of retired UFC standout Zabit, Khasan wasn't precise progressive successful 2022, but his accomplishment acceptable and imaginable are evident. He past fought successful February, a unanimous determination implicit Jose Sanchez, but erstwhile Bellator books him against a ranked opponent, don't beryllium amazed if he's favored to win. With finishes successful each but 2 of 7 his fights, he's astir been cleanable frankincense acold successful his pro career. -- Okamoto
9. Cory McKenna (7-2)
UFC women's strawweight
Age: 23 (turns 25 connected July 7, 2024)
Ranked No. 10 connected ESPN's 25-under-25 database successful 2021
Next fight: Dec. 17 vs. Cheyanne Vlismas
McKenna missed each of 2021 owed to wounded and was defeated by Elise Reed by divided determination successful her archetypal combat of 2022, ending a four-fight winning streak. But McKenna bounced backmost with a submission triumph successful August and volition combat Vlismas connected Dec. 17 to adjacent retired the year. Although she's young, McKenna is experienced, aft starting her amateur vocation astatine property 15 and making her UFC debut astatine 21. Is it her time? -- Wagenheim
10. Yazmin Jauregui (9-0)
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Yazmin Jauregui finishes Istela Nunes connected the crushed to triumph the archetypal bout of the nighttime astatine UFC Fight Night.
UFC women's strawweight
Age: 23 (turns 25 connected Feb. 28, 2024)
Was not connected this database successful 2021
Next fight: TBA
A aboriginal pillar of the UFC women's strawweight division, the Mexican-born striker made a monolithic content successful her UFC debut with a hard-fought unanimous determination triumph implicit Iasmin Lucindo successful August and followed that up with a TKO of Istela Nunes earlier this month. Before that, the undefeated Jauregui built her sanction successful Combate Global, winning the promotion's women's tourney successful 2021, beating 3 women successful a azygous night, the last 2 via finish. Jauregui, who fights retired of Tijuana, is simply a longtime teammate of UFC interim flyweight champion Brandon Moreno. -- Raimondi
11. Maheshate (9-1)
UFC men's lightweight
Age: 23 (turns 25 connected Dec. 1, 2024)
Was not connected this database successful 2021
Next fight: Dec. 17 vs. Rafa Garcia
The Chinese combatant has won 7 fights successful a row, astir impressively a one-punch knockout of Steve Garcia successful his UFC debut successful June. The promotion would emotion to physique different prima arsenic it expands into East Asia, truthful each eyes volition beryllium connected Maheshate erstwhile helium returns to the Octagon connected the last combat paper of the twelvemonth connected Dec. 17. -- Wagenheim
12. Raul Rosas Jr. (6-0)
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After becoming the youngest-ever UFC fighter, Raul Rosas Jr. says he'll beryllium champion astatine 20 years old.
UFC men's bantamweight
Age: 18 (turns 25 connected Oct. 8, 2029)
Was not connected this database successful 2021
Next Fight: Dec. 10 vs. Jay Perrin
"El Niño Problema" volition marque UFC past this play erstwhile helium faces Perrin astatine UFC 282 successful Las Vegas. Rosas volition supplant Dan Lauzon arsenic the youngest combatant successful UFC past erstwhile the opening doorbell rings. There volition beryllium a sizeable magnitude of eyes connected Rosas, for specified an aboriginal constituent successful his vocation (and life), but that unit seemed to elevate him successful a unanimous determination triumph implicit Mando Gutierrez connected Dana White's Contender Series successful 2022. The triumph earned Rosas a UFC contract. -- Okamoto
13. Chase Hooper (11-3-1)
UFC men's featherweight
Age: 23 (turns 25 connected Sept. 13, 2024)
Ranked No. 17 connected ESPN's 25-under-25 database successful 2021
Next fight: TBA
Hooper is simply a talented Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighter, who has finished his opponents successful his 3 wins successful the UFC. However, Hooper's tally with the promotion, to this point, has been inconsistent. He is 3-3 since making his debut successful 2019. Hooper tin enactment opponents distant erstwhile helium gets the combat to the mat. If helium tin proceed to make his standup striking, helium has a accidental to marque a bully tally successful the UFC. -- Anderson
14. Nick Maximov (8-2)
UFC men's middleweight
Age: 24 (turns 25 connected Dec. 23, 2022)
Ranked No. 13 connected ESPN's 25-under-25 database successful 2021
Next fight: TBA
Maximov trains with the Diaz brothers, which means helium is simply a skilled jiu-jitsu fighter. He was undefeated done his archetypal 8 pro MMA fights, but Maximov has since mislaid 2 fights successful a row. As a young combatant with large wrestling and grappling, helium has a accidental to bash good successful the middleweight division. If helium tin support adding tools to his skillset, helium has the imaginable to spell far. -- Anderson
15. Rong Zhu (19-5)
UAE Warriors men's lightweight
Age: 22 (turns 25 connected March 7, 2025)
Ranked No. 18 connected ESPN's 25-under-25 database successful 2021
Next fight: TBA
Zhu arrived successful the UFC past twelvemonth riding an 11-fight triumph streak, with each but 1 of the victories coming by finish. But helium mislaid successful his Octagon debut, past divided his adjacent 2 fights and was chopped by the UFC successful May. The Tibet-born Chinese combatant has since bounced back, signing with the UAE Warriors promotion and scoring a TKO triumph successful his archetypal appearance. Can helium ascent backmost to the apical level of the sport? -- Wagenheim
16. Lucas Brennan (7-0)
Bellator men's bantamweight
Age: 22 (turns 25 connected June 3, 2025)
Was not connected this database successful 2021
Next fight: Dec. 9 vs. Dre Miley
All the names connected this database volition apt get tested sooner alternatively than later. Early occurrence leads to much unit and greater challenges. Brennan mightiness beryllium the champion illustration though, due to the fact that aft a blistery commencement to his pro vocation with each but 1 of his wins coming via finish, he's astir to instrumentality a measurement up successful contention precise soon. Thus far, helium has yet to look an hostile with much than 10 fights of experience, but helium is present the No. 10-ranked featherweight successful Bellator and takes connected Miley (10-6) this weekend. The adjacent aboriginal should beryllium absorbing for Brennan. -- Okamoto
17. Kay Hansen (7-6)
Invicta FC women's strawweight
Age: 23 (turns 25 connected Aug. 14, 2024)
Ranked No. 14 connected ESPN's 25-under-25 database successful 2021
Next fight: TBA
Hansen joined the UFC aft a palmy stint with Invicta FC to statesman her pro career. After making her debut with the promotion successful 2020, she spent astir 2 years distant from the sport. Hansen made her instrumentality to the Octagon earlier this twelvemonth successful January, but back-to-back losses resulted successful her being chopped from the UFC roster. Hansen has present recovered a location with Invicta FC and portion she's inactive developing, she's already a well-rounded combatant with plentifulness of potential. Can she enactment her mode backmost to the apical level successful MMA? -- Anderson
18. Christian Rodriguez (8-1)
UFC men's bantamweight
Age: 24 (turns 25 connected Dec. 17, 2022)
Was not connected this database successful 2021
Next fight: TBA
Rodriguez has been connected the radar for years, arsenic he's enjoyed occurrence astatine the amateur and nonrecreational levels. Lately he's been capable to showcase his skills connected larger platforms, having competed connected Dana White's Contender Series successful 2021 and present doubly successful the UFC successful 2022. The Roufusport merchandise has immoderate speedy finishes connected his record, including a first-round submission of Joshua Weems successful October -- his archetypal UFC victory. -- Okamoto
19. Brady Hiestand (7-2)
UFC men's bantamweight
Age: 23 (turns 25 connected April 30, 2024)
Ranked No. 25 connected ESPN's 25-under-25 database successful 2021
Next fight: TBA
Fans were introduced to Hiestand during his tally to the finals successful Season 29 of The Ultimate Fighter. During the show, Hiestand established himself arsenic a beardown wrestler with susceptible standup. When you ticker him fight, it's wide that helium has a wrestling background. Generally, wrestlers modulation into MMA precise well, but Hiestand volition person to support moving connected his striking to get it to the level of his grappling. To this point, helium has had occurrence against opponents erstwhile getting them to the mat, but arsenic helium faces much skilled competition, helium volition person to amusement a much divers accomplishment set. -- Anderson
20. Aviv Gozali (6-1)
Bellator men's lightweight
Age: 22 (turns 25 connected Nov. 29, 2025)
Was not connected this database successful 2021
Next fight: TBA
Gozali won the archetypal 5 fights of his pro career, getting first-round submissions successful each of them, earlier taking a beating from Bobby King successful February. He suffered limb injuries successful that bout and has not fought since. When Gozali does get backmost successful the Bellator cage, it volition beryllium absorbing to gauge however good helium bounces backmost and whether his standup skills volition drawback up to his grappling. -- Wagenheim
21. Simeon Powell (7-0)
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Simeon Powell connects with a vicious genu to drawback the triumph implicit Clinton Williams.
PFL men's airy heavyweight
Age: 23 (turns 25 connected Feb. 6, 2024)
Was not connected this database successful 2021
Next fight: TBA
The PFL was assertive successful scouting and signing young endowment from the United Kingdom this year, and that radical included Powell. Powell comes from a Muay Thai background, and his athleticism and stature marque him a carnal standout astatine airy heavyweight. The England autochthonal has power, and he's putting distant opponents with style. He needs much experience, of course, but helium could marque a sanction for himself successful 2023. -- Okamoto
22. Iasmin Lucindo
UFC women's strawweight
Age: 20 (turns 25 connected Jan. 8, 2027)
Was not connected this database successful 2021
Next fight: TBA
Expect Lucindo to beryllium a fixture connected this database for a agelong time. Just 20 years old, the Brazilian striker made her UFC debut successful August against chap imaginable Jauregui. Lucindo didn't get the win, but she was awesome successful a adjacent unanimous determination loss. She showcased a slick standup game, immoderate powerfulness successful her hands and seasoning good beyond her years. Some of that is owed to the information that she already had 18 pro MMA fights and has been a pro since she was 17. No, that is not a typo. -- Raimondi
23. Norbert Novenyi Jr. (5-0)
Bellator men's middleweight
Age: 23 (turns 25 connected Oct. 6, 2024)
Was not connected this database successful 2021
Next fight: Feb. 25 vs. Andy Manzolo
Novenyi didn't combat astatine each successful 2022 aft suffering a torn ACL successful precocious 2021. The Hungarian-English middleweight hasn't seen enactment since October 2020, erstwhile helium bushed Laid Zerhouni by first-round submission, but there's inactive intrigue successful Novenyi's potential. He needs to combat much frequently, oregon astatine a precocious capable level, to genuinely gauge his accomplishment set, but finishes successful 7 of his 8 vocation fights (amateur and pro) speaks to his precocious ceiling. -- Okamoto
24. Darragh Kelly (2-0)
Bellator men's lightweight
Age: 24 (turns 25 connected April 6, 2023)
Was not connected this database successful 2021
Next fight: Feb. 25 vs. Dorval Jordan
A apical imaginable retired of SBG Ireland? Yeah, we've heard that 1 before. Kelly mightiness not beryllium the benignant of hyped aboriginal prima that Conor McGregor was erstwhile upon a time, but "The Moville Mauler" volition triumph plentifulness of MMA fights earlier he's done. Training nether John Kavanagh and Dave Roche, Kelly is undefeated crossed 11 fights, pro and amateur, with a bully premix of knockout and submission finishes. He's a three-time Irish amateur champion and Bellator was omniscient to fastener him up this early. -- Raimondi
25. David Martinez (9-1)
Combate Global men's bantamweight champion
Age: 24 (turns 25 connected Aug. 3, 2023)
Was not connected this database successful 2021
Next fight: TBA
Following successful the footsteps of his sister Melissa, who is present successful the UFC, Martinez is 1 of Combate Global's champion fighters and biggest stars. After suffering the archetypal nonaccomplishment of his vocation successful April 2021, the Mexican-born striker has won 5 straight, including 4 via flashy knockout and 2 successful a one-night tourney past year. "Black Spartan" became the Combate Global bantamweight champion successful October, stopping Axel Osuna via fourth-round TKO and the Bonebreakers MMA merchandise lone has much large fights ahead. -- Raimondi
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