15 Signings That Could Improve the UFC Next Year (Patreon)

Salahdine Parnasse (18-1) is my favorite fighter outside the UFC which is saying something. He's the current KSW featherweight and lightweight champion. Crazy enough, he's going for three titles going for the welterweight title in December. If he can pull that off that's history being made there. I'm not sure of his contract with KSW but he has nearly nothing else to prove. His striking/kickboxing is high level and his ground game has grown by miles. I already view him as a top 15 featherweight and lightweight. The most insane thing is he's this good at only 25 years old.

Muslim Magomedov (12-0) is a major prospect at 205. He's currently fighting in ACA but hasn't fought in about a year. He's really going to waste in ACA so it would be a shame to spend another year there getting a fight or two a year. Magomedov is at his prime at 28. He may not be fully put together but he's an excellent wrestler. He's no doubt a top 15 light-heavyweight in the UFC. He'd have no issues beating guys higher in the ranks like Johnny Walker, Ryan Spann, and Anthony Smith.

Johnny Eblen (14-0) may seem far-fetched but there is a chance it could happen with Bellator being bought out. He did get into a little scuffle in the with the champ Leon Edwards after beating his brother recently. Eblen sits on top of the Bellator division as champion. In all honesty, I view Eblen as a top three-five middleweight. He's so good that I would pick him to beat Leon Edwards.

Eldar Eldarov (14-1) has a lot going for him as he’s the head coach for KHK MMA Team. It’s a reason he doesn’t fight as much and probably why he isn't in the UFC. He has impressive wins over some really good fighters and his only loss was thirteen years ago to no other than Khabib Nurmagomedov. He hasn’t lost since being on a current 13-fight win streak. Eldarov was a former World Cup of Sambo champion and a former European sambo champion. Eldarov in the UFC would be a huge deal.

Fabricio de Andrade (9-2) is a lot of wishful thinking. Id love to have him in the UFC but it could be tough for ONE to let him go. That being said Andrade doesn't fit the ONE mold as a Brazilian so they could let him walk if it's an option. He is their featherweight champion and is going for the kickboxing title next month. Andrade is a top-notch striker and he showcased that picking apart John Lineker twice. He is only 25 and is so elite already so we need him in the UFC sooner rather than later.

Fatima Kline (4-0) is the best female prospect in the world in my opinion. If Invicta ever decides to let her go I believe she will walk right in the front door of the UFC. Kline came to MMA with an extensive jiu-jitsu background. Kline is a BJJ black belt with much success in the sport. She may be new to MMA bet she’s looked outstanding. Not only is her BJJ good her striking has checked a lot of boxes as well. Kline has championship material all over her.

Losene Keita (11-1) despite losing his last it was due to an injury really early in the fight. He is already healthy and apparently has fight news. If the injury didn't happen there is a good chance he's not in the UFC by now. He probably just needs at worse two more wins to get in the UFC. He's one of the most improved prospects that's excelled at a rapid pace. I'm confident he will reclaim his Okatgon title and hopefully sign with the UFC in 2024.

Islam Omarov (14-0) is a legit prospect and a possible champion one day in a big promotion. He's currently under contract with ACA but he's fought there for almost four years so he has to be close to fighting out his contract. It's no surprise Omarov is from Dagestan because his wrestling is so damn good. His wrestling, cardio, and ground game is extremely legit. Omarov is the guy nobody would sign up to fight because he's a danger to beat about anyone in the cage.

Austin Bashi (11-0) is the best prospect out of the US in my opinion. No prospect in the US has a better resume than Bashi. Bashi has beaten good regional guys like Askar Askar, Pipe Vargas, Chris San Jose, and Erion Zekthi while being the Lights Out Championship bantamweight champion. The wrestling is top-notch and he has solid cardio. Bashi is already so good now he's gonna be great in the future.

Eduard Vartanyan (25-4) seems likely to sign with the UFC and that would be a fantastic signing. It's been reported that Vartanyan has obtained his US work visa and is supposed to fly to the UFC and negotiate a deal with the UFC. Hopefully, the deal gets done and the UFC doesn't miss out on another top Russian fighter like they have before. Vartanyan has been a staple of Russian MMA for years. He's currently at his peak on an eight-fight win streak. He's a top-notch fighter and is one of the most exciting guys to watch.

Paul Hughes (9-1) seems like a lock for the UFC next year. Apparently, he's already been offered a UFC fight twice. He couldn't accept because of an injury once and a VISA the other time. Hughes is a great fighter to represent Ireland and would be a fantastic option to have on the roster to carry that flag. Hughes is an excellent fighter and it's why he was able to capture the Cage Warriors featherweight title. He has a fight next week and it should be his last fight before entering the UFC.

Anthony Cassar (1-0) may not seem like a good signing but it's worked out for Bo Nickal. Cassar is 1-0 in MMA beating someone with twenty-two pro fights. He could be fast-tracked to the UFC considering his background and mainly fighting in a shallow division being heavyweight. He would be a great option for the contender series next season and build just like they did his teammate Bo Nickal.

Michael Page (21-2) seems to be UFC bound but nothing is official yet. He coming off fighting out his Bellator contract and has expressed his interest in fighting in the UFC. He was even invited to the last UFC card in London so it seems like things are on good terms. Page has the personality, antics, and fighting style to be a big draw for the UFC. The only bad thing is he's 36. With that said, he hasn't shown any signs of his age slowing him down.

David Martinez (10-1) would be a fantastic signing as the UFC is more into the Mexican market than they've ever been. His sister is Melissa Martinez who is a current fighter in the UFC. Martinez has basically shown little to zero holes in his game.  He still hasn't been tested in a lot of ways as he's never been uncomfortable in the cage. His best win is a 39-year-old Francisco Rivera Jr.  Martinez was the first one in ten years to knock Rivera out with the last time being in 2010 by Erik Koch. Martinez is an exciting prospect who flys massively under the radar.

Felipe Lima (12-1) may not have the name value as the others but he's super legit. The Brazilian is coming off winning the Oktagon bantamweight title. Before that, he won the Fight Club Rush bantamweight title. Lima has only lost in his pro debut and hasn't lost again since. I'm so high on Lima already and he's just 25. He could've been in the UFC for a few years now but not staying active has held that back. I'd love to see him in the UFC soon because he would make an impact.