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.
Jiri Prochazka
Age: 26
Record: 23-3-1
Years Pro: 7
Prochazka is one of the most entertaining fighters in the world. His athleticism combined with his killer instinct often leads to very entertaining fights for as long as they last. Prochazka’s striking is extremely dangerous but not the most refined. At long range, he has good kicks which is quite rare to see in the heavier weight classes. Prochazka also likes to close the distance with a flying knee which is a high-risk move but has worked for him in the past. His wild style leaves him open to strikes as well as takedowns. He has shown susceptibility to takedowns and can be controlled for lengthy periods of time but has shown good awareness and composure to stay out of trouble and get back to his feet.
Ivan Shtyrkov
Age: 30
Record: 16-0-1
Years Pro: 4
Originally thought of as somewhat of a freakshow fighter, Shtyrkov has continued to improve as a fighter and can now be considered a very good prospect. Shtyrkov needed a bit of time to figure out which weight class is right for him and has now settled in the light heavyweight division. His style has also needed some adjusting. In the past, Shtyrkov was content to keep the fight on the feet and unleash a barrage of spinning attacks which led to him getting tired quickly. However, in his last couple of fights Shtyrkov has reduced the spinning attacks he throws and decided to go back to his grappling and picked up impressive stoppage wins over UFC veterans Fabio Maldonado and Thiago Silva.
Khadis Ibragimov
Age: 23
Record: 7-0
Years Pro: 2
A Combat Sambo standout, Ibragimov made the transition to MMA in 2017. Impressively, Ibragimov has already beat several high-level opponents, including Stephan Puetz, en route to winning the M-1 light heavyweight title. Ibragimov is still very raw but has some great skills in key areas. Ibragimov excels in the clinch where he utilises judo throws to get his opponents down. On the ground, he has a good instinct for submissions which allowed him to pick up a rare bulldog choke submission. Ibragimov’s striking is very much a work in progress; he tends to throw looping, powerful punches.
Muslim Magomedov
Age: 24
Record: 4-0
Years Pro: 2
Magomedov has had a distinguished amateur career, comprising wins in Russian and European MMA championships. Like many fighters from Dagestan, Magomedov is primarily a grappler and utilises a variety of takedowns including shot based takedowns as well as takedowns from the clinch . Magomedov has impressive positional control on the ground as well a good ability to secure mount. Even if Magomedov’s opponent gets back to his feet, he is great at keeping hold of them in the clinch and returning the fight to the mat. On the feet, Magomedov does not present much danger and prefers to stay on the outside and look for openings for takedowns instead. Despite this, Magomedov has shown the nascence of a solid jab—he can build on this as he progresses in his career.
Karl Albrektsson
Age: 25
Record: 8-2
Years Pro: 7