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.
Roberto Soldic
Age: 24
Record: 15-3
Years Pro: 4
The current KSW welterweight champion is one of the brightest prospects in the world across all weight classes. Soldic has a vicious yet technical striking game. He combines sharp boxing combinations, lighting-quick kicks and impressive athleticism. Similar to his compatriot Mirko Cro Cop, Soldic’s most dangerous weapon is his left high kick, with which he knocked out Lewis Long. Soldic also likes to go to the body with every limb, which slows down his opponents and opens them up for bigger strikes. ‘Robocop’ also seems to have solid takedown defence which allows him to keep the fight in his preferred realm.
James Nakashima
Age: 30
Record: 10-0
Years Pro: 4
Nakashima, a former LFA welterweight champion, has made ONE Championship his home. Nakashima is a wrestler through and through—his pressure often wears on his opponents and has a ‘snowball’ effect as the fight goes on. He is particularly good at chaining takedowns after the initial shot which tends to drain his opponents cardio. Despite being largely dominant in his professional career, Nakashima has been unable to stop his opponents before the final bell. On one hand, Nakashima’s inability to find the finish can be seen as a problem. On the other hand, one could argue that he is getting valuable cage time and developing his game at a faster rate than prospects who tend to finish fights early. One thing that can’t be questioned is his gas tank, which is one of the most gruelling growing pains for upcoming fighters.
Abdoul Abdouraguimov
Age: 23
Record: 9-0
Years Pro: 2
Although Abdouragimov was born in Russia, he relocated to France before starting his MMA career. However, his game is similar to those of his compatriots as he feels much more at home on the ground than on the feet. Abdouraguimov is not the best athlete but makes up for it with his tenacity and a talented wrestling game. He is very good at securing single-leg takedowns, often chaining together attempts until he gets his man to the ground. When in top position, Abdouraguimov likes to stay active with his ground-and-pound and constantly looks to improve his position. In the realm of striking, he is still very much a work in progress; currently, he mainly relies on his kicks. In his recent bouts he has shown some signs of fatigue in the later rounds but still secured takedowns. At only 23 years old, Abdouraguimov already has an impressive resume with wins over UFC veteran Viscardi Andrade, fellow prospect Sidney Wheeler and veteran knockout artist Rodrigo Cavalheiro.
Ramazan Kuramagomedov
Age: 22
Record: 4-0
Years Pro: 2
Although Kuramagomedov is less than two years into his professional career, his talent is tantalizing. Ramazan has an impressive strength of schedule throughout his first four fights with an oppositional record of 40-13-2, so it is fair to say that is not taking the easy way up. Kuramgomedov is primarily a striker and likes to throw a variety of kicks. He does not tend to put much power behind each kick but they are quick and precise. His kicking game is backed up by his impressive cardio which allows him to maintain a consistent output throughout the fight. Kuramagomedov is also a solid grappler and sometimes shoots for takedowns to put an exclamation point on a round. He has shown the ability to submit his opponents off of his back, too, which
Mukhamed Berkhamov
Age: 25
Record: 13-1
Years Pro: 6
Mukhamed Berkhamov is the former ACB welterweight champion and holds impressive wins over successful veterans Jesse Taylor and Brett Cooper. Berkhamov is a dangerous grappler with 8 of his wins coming by submission. A southpaw, Berkhamov has a patient striking game, utilising sidekicks to measure and control the distance at which the fight takes place. He doesn’t tend to put power behind every shot, exchanging brute force for a high level of accuracy. However,