This is not a comprehensive list of prospects; it’s an overview of the most promising young talent in a given division. Given the sheer number of grassroots and regional promotions worldwide, it is almost a certainty that future stars have not yet popped up on my radar. If you feel I’ve overlooked a high-calibre prospect, please feel free to let me know in the comments section or on social media.
Salahdine Parnasse
Age: 21
Record: 12-0-1
Years Pro: 4
Luiz Gustavo
Age: 22
Record: 9-0
Years Pro: 5
Gustavo combines aggressive striking with a sharp ground game, making him dangerous in all areas of the fight. He tends to fight without any fear or respect for his opponents, constantly pressing forward and unleashing wild strikes. In the clinch, Gustavo is relentless with his attack, going both to the body and the head. His knees are ace—the flying knee is usually a low percentage move but Gustavo has made it work for him on a consistent basis. On the ground, Gustavo is great at transitioning from different positions and has shown relentless ground-and-pound as well as submissions.
Bibert Tumenov
Age: 21
Record: 6-0
Years Pro: 2
Bibert Tumenov is the cousin of former UFC fighter Albert Tumenov. Much like his cousin, Bibert comes from a successful amateur boxing background. Despite having ambitions of going to the Olympics, Tumenov turned his focus to MMA to follow in his cousin’s footsteps. Since turning pro in 2017, Tumenov has gone 6-0 with 4 first-round finishes. Tumenov is a very good boxer by MMA standards and is able to operate out of both stances. Tumenov also shows impressive fighting acumen: avoiding the pitfalls of headhunting, Tumenov has shown the willingness and ability to work his opponent’s body, often through a strong jab paired with a dangerous lead hook. Unsurprisingly, most of his opponents have tried to take him down but Tumenov has demonstrated solid takedown defence on the initial shot. However, we have yet to see him defend chained takedown attempts and his ground game is a question mark.
Mads Burnell
Age: 24
Record: 10-3
Years Pro: 5
Don’t let his 1-2 UFC record fool you—Burnell is still a top prospect at featherweight. His losses in the UFC came to perennial weight-misser Michel Prazeres on short notice in a division above his own and to fellow prospect Arnold Allen in a fight that Burnell was largely dominating. Leaving the UFC might turn out to be a blessing in disguise for Burnell as he has the opportunity to develop his game in a less punishing environment. Burnell started off mainly as a grappler with heavy top control and a tricky submission game. The Dane is actually one of the few people who were able to acquire their BJJ black belt in three years or less. In his recent fights, Burnell has started to show off much-improved boxing skills, especially in close range. Burnell has also started to utilise a cross guard which is nearly unseen in MMA and shows his willingness to implement boxing techniques in MMA.
Alex Gilpin
Age: 26
Record: 12-1
Years Pro: 4
A former D1 wrestler at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Gilpin has been fighting professionally since 2015. Gilpin has a short, stocky frame which is perfect for a wrestling-based approach. However, Gilpin is not your typical wrestle-boxer. On the feet he likes to create angles in order to land his strikes, often favouring the overhand right. His striking is reminiscent of popular prospect Alexander Hernandez, which is no coincidence since they have been longtime friends and training partners. In addition to his wrestling base, Gilpin has a very dangerous front choke series which he threatens his opponents with as they try to stand up. Gilpin has shown some vulnerability to pressure in his DWTNCS fight against JR Coughran but has also demonstrated his ability to adapt if things aren’t going his way.