20 MMA prospects to watch in 2026

Despite the UFC’s reach and schedule feeling suffocating at times, there’s a ton of worthwhile talent that resides just outside of the umbrella of the world leader in MMA.

In fact, between the constant evolution of the sport and the UFC’s semi-recent business trends and how it affects their talent cultivation, one could argue that life outside the octagon has never been richer.

With that in mind, I decided to go down the proverbial rabbit hole in order to compile a list of solid prospects that are either set to make big splashes or are worth keeping an eye on given their potential.

Last year’s list aged fairly well despite surface-level statistics, with that crop of prospects going 24-11 overall with a whopping 75 percent finishing rate.

Lists like these are already an impossible ask in regard to including or satisfying everyone, so I elected not to rank my selections. That said, I’m quite excited to share my findings with you all.

So, without further ado …

Artur Minev

Record: 6-0Age: 21Division: Lightweight

Undefeated as an amateur and currently 6-0 as a pro at just 21 years old, Ukraine’s Artur Minev is one of many lightweights to make this year’s list.

Minev is a technical and well-rounded fighter with heavy hands and natural finishing ability, but what impressed me most was finally seeing him extended in a five-round affair and having to answer adversity (passing both tests).

I would still like to see Minev continue to raise his level of competition steadily, but I wouldn’t be shocked to see him given a shot on Dana White’s Contender Series sooner rather than later.

Luckily for Minev supporters, we won’t have to wait long to see him in action as the Ukrainian competes at Fury FC this weekend opposite Bellator veteran Derek Campos.

Patrick Habirora

One of the more popular prospects in recent years (and for good reason), there was no way I was going to snub Patrick Habirora from this list.

An insanely experienced and accoladed amateur competitor, it’s difficult to deny – both on and off paper – that Habirora is UFC-ready. From wins over UFC vets like Danny Roberts and Kevin Joussett, it won’t be hard for Habirora to get people’s attention with the highlight finishes he’s been producing.

A natural fighter with insane speed and proprioception to boot, Habirora can place pinpoint devastation on the front or backfoot. “The Belgium Bomber” has vicious ground and pound from topside, and appears have a strong clinch and guillotine game as far as counter wrestling goes.

Habirora currently fights for the PFL and does not have a bout scheduled at the time of this article.

Nikita Leshukov

Despite the UFC’s lack of non-title lightweight main events, fighters like Nikita Leshukov remind us that the 155-pound division remains one of the most talent-stacked weight classes in the sport.

A member of the unheralded Boxing Squad in France, Leshukov looks incredibly technical and composed in all phases. Whether he’s working through the clinch or launching lightning-fast spinning assaults, the Moldovan fighter appears unfazed when dealing out his dexterous game.

Leshukov looks like he has the skills to hang in the big show, and I look forward to seeing his development. Leshukov fights for the vacant CFFC lightweight title next month.

Ezra Elliott

As impossible as it was to whittle down a massive prospect list to twenty spots, it was difficult to do better than Ezra Elliott.

Despite being a wrestler since childhood, Elliott didn’t hit my radar until I interviewed him post his quick victory at LFA 203 last year. Elliott has since reeled off two more finishes in said time, showing off his inherent back-taking and submission sensibilities.

The Illinois native also has a wicked front-choke game to go along with his grappling transitions, but I’d like to see the American steadily sharpen his striking as he continues to gain experience. Luckily for Elliott, he appears to be surrounded by one of the best camps (particularly for talent around his weight class) with the MMA Lab.

Elliott shows early signs of both walking the walk and talking the talk in a way that will surely get the UFC matchmaker’s attention, so don’t be surprised to see him on the Contender Series in the future.

Salamat Isbulaev

Despite being in the winter of his twenties, there was no way I could deny Salamat Isbulaev a spot on this list.

Labeled as the best amateur prospect in Russia by well-respected folks who follow the region a la accounts like “Fedor’s Nephew” on X, it’s not hard to see why there are strong hopes for Isbulaev (who has Kazakh roots).

Stylistically, Isbulaev reminds me of Petr Yan in the way in which he so fluidly transitions through all the phases, particularly in and out of the clinch.

Isbualaev was recently signed to the PFL and will face Jesus Pinedo next month.

Daniel Araujo

Making the cut in the always-exciting bantamweight division is the latest product from the Bonfim Brothers camp, Daniel Araujo.

Araujo, who first caught my eye in person at LFA 203 when he upset Ramazan Temirov’s brother as a decent-sized underdog, has become a fighter whom I’m very excited to see grow.

A heavily experienced amateur boxer who went 7-1 was a pro (only losing a contentious split decision), Araujo appears to have a natural aptitude for MMA. From competent stance-shifting to his propensity to work the body, there’s a lot to like about Araujo’s game.

Araujo also appears to be well-trained on the ground considering the contemporaries he works with, but I expect we’ll see more of his depth as his competition progresses. Araujo is currently scheduled to face Derick Borges at LFA 225 at the end of January.

Adam Posener

Giving Canada some representation on this list is welterweight prospect Adam Posener.

Although Posener is still young at 6-0, he did turn in an undefeated and accoladed amateur career on the Canadian regionals. More importantly, Posener looks the part given both the urgency and effectiveness of his style.

The UFC may not-so-secretly favor exciting strikers as far as promotion and recruitment go, but there’s no denying Posener’s submission skills and overall game (which is still developing).

Posener is the current welterweight champion for the BFL in Canada, but has no title defense scheduled at the time of this article.

Ansar Khamzaev

Although I try my best to tune out the hype, it was difficult not to shout out Ansar Khamzaev on this year’s list.

Initially appearing on most people’s radar after Brendan Allen hyped him on Joe Rogan’s podcast, Khamzaev backed up the talk behind him by going on an impressive 4-0 run in 2025, finishing a majority of said fights.

Khamzaev appears to be a dangerous striker from all ranges, but can also hold his own as a grappling training partner with UFC-level middleweights like Reinier De Ridder or the aforementioned Allen.

Khamzaev currently competes in the LFA, so he’s in the perfect place to continue to build on his young career.

Gabriela Fujimoto

Despite not having a lot of amateur experience, Gabriela Fujimoto has fought all of her fights (thus far) on the LFA stage.

From Fujimoto’s composure to her solid positional awareness, it’s easy to see why the Brazilian has been able to stay undefeated. That said, when Fujimoto smells an opportunity to finish, she’s not afraid to commit and close the show.

Fujimoto shows solid clinch takedowns and uses her strength and skills well to stifle and strike from topside. I also like that Fujimoto shows signs of proactive head movement, but I am still curious about how her striking will develop.

Although I was admittedly hoping that Fujimoto would swim toward the UFC’s direction, her next fight will take place at ONE: Fight Night 40 in February.

Sanzhar Zakirov

Adding to the bantamweight presence on this list is Sanzhar Zakirov.

An Uzbek fighter whom I selfishly hope to see make his way to North America, Zakirov has primarily competed under the ONE FC banner.

Zakirov has the wrestling and submission abilities that you’d suspect of someone from his side of the world, but it’s the ground striking – an arguable lost art in current MMA – that really stands out to me.

Whether Zakirov is working from topside or maneuvering to a back mount, the product of Uzbekistan is as dynamic as he is dangerous with his strike placement.

I’m not sure what Zakirov’s current contract situation is, but I’d love to see another insane grappling force like this airdrop into the UFC’s bantamweight division for some high-level disruption.

Juan Pablo Vieira

Lightweight definitely dominates this year’s prospect list – and you can see why when looking at fighters like Juan Pablo Vieira.

From flying knees to counter left hooks, Vieira appears to be a menace to deal with in all phases. In fact, his long and strong frame for the weightclass appears to give Vieira a decent amount of options regardless of where the fight is taking place.

I couldn’t find much on Vieira via socials, but it’s hard to imagine he hasn’t already gotten the attention of the UFC matchmakers given where and how he competes (as Vieira’s style is perfect for Dana White’s Contender Series).

David Dzhibilov

When an analyst like Ryan Wagner tells you to check out an up-and-coming prospect, it behooves you to listen.

In this case, that prospect is David Dzhibilov.

As you can tell by the age column, it’s hard to find info on Dzhibilov. But when you watch the tape on the Russian doppleganger of Dave Schultz, Dzhibilov’s dominant stylings and skills become undeniable.

Although Dzhibilov could be a bit more active with his jab on the feet, the Russian fighter appears to have good eyes in exchanges while keeping a solid bounce in his step. And when he decides to close in, his wrestling – both defensively and offensively – is ultimately what appears to dictate the day.

Powerhouse wrestlers from ACA seem like they’re on the UFC’s radar even less these days, but I felt compelled to shout out Dzhibilov on this list.

Nikita Kulshin

I know it feels like I’m just bouncing back and forth between bantamweight and lightweight over here, but there’s no way I was denying Nikita Kulshin a spot on this list.

A Russian prospect and Pankration champion who won the junior world championship at the IMMAF as an amateur, Kulshin has fought in tough promotions that range from ACA to LFA.

Kulshin is a fast and powerful lightweight who, despite being well-rounded, does some of his best work boxing in the pocket.

I expect Kulshin’s game to continue to improve under the care of Henri Hooft and company at Kill Cliff FC, so keep an eye out for this name in the future.

Dzhamaludin Aliev

Sticking with exciting prospects who can bang in the pocket, I’d be remiss if I didn’t include Dzhamaludin Aliev on this list.

Whether he’s countering off the backfoot or striking off the breaks, Aliev demonstrates fast hands to go along with his excellent eyes in exchanges. And when fighters try to wrestle him, the Dagestani-born fighter unsurprisingly shows strong wrestling in the clinch (both defensively and offensively).

Aliev currently fights out of Turkey and doesn’t have any bouts scheduled as of this article, but I believe he’s both exciting and good enough to plug-n-play into the UFC right now.

Geovanis Palacios

Giving love to the UFC matchmakers’ favorite division, I believe that Geovanis Palacios is a middleweight prospect worth keeping an eye on.

Despite bordering his thirties, Palacios is light on MMA miles and heavy on wrestling experience as a former member of the Cuban Greco-Roman national team.

Akin to other Cuban wrestling standouts like Yoel Romero, Palacios has a formidable wrestling presence in closed quarters and isn’t afraid to put a stamp on exchanges with punishing slams or other forms of showmanship.

Palacios has worked with world champions like Alex Pereira, but the Cuban now bases his operations out of the Fighting Nerds camp in Brazil.

Palacios had a cup of coffee with the LFA back in 2023 before returning to fight and win in another organization last year. I’ll be curious to see where Palacios ends up, but he’s yet to have had any bouts officially scheduled for 2026 at the time of this article.

Baris Adiguzel

Hailing from the up-and-coming Boxing Squad, I had to give some love to the 2025 PFL bantamweight tournament winner, Baris Adiguzel.

Say what you will about the referee’s stoppage in his last fight, it does not take away the sensational bodywork and southpaw counter punching from the Turkish-born Frenchman.

Whether Adiguzel is flowing coming forward or countering off the backfoot, the 26-year-old appears to be must-see TV.

I’ll be curious to see how he looks past the first frame against stiffer competition, but Adiguzel has no bouts officially scheduled at this time.

Austin Clayton

Filling out the selections at welterweight is an American prospect in Austin Clayton.

Although his wrestling resume isn’t as accomplished as some of the American welterweights of yesteryear, I believe that Clayton’s skills and sensibilities are far better suited for MMA.

From crafty front-headlock looks to a developing submission game, Clayton offers a plethora of potential problems as a tall and rangy athlete who can wrestle. In fact, Clayton’s long arms and willingness to flow from topside make him a natural ground and pounder given the arc he can create on his punches (something I hope his coaches help further drill into him).

Thankfully for Clayton, the American is working with Roman Isbell and company over at Xtreme Couture MMA – so expect to see everything from his combinations to his cage wrestling to progress.

Add in Clayton’s natural ability on the mic, and I suspect that this is someone Mick Maynard and company would love to promote.

Kazuki Aimoto

Giving Asia some solid representation on this list is Japan’s Kazuki Aimoto (a name I was made aware of from talent scouts like Shawn Bitter and accounts like “Shooto’s Roots” on X).

Although I could see folks asserting the classic “Japanese Conor McGregor” comparison that has befallen past fighters, Aimoto is more of an early-career Dustin Poirier analog given his shifting, right-handed southpaw sensibilities.

Aimoto also gave me flashbacks of an early-career B.J. Penn with the way in which he fled the scene of his emphatic first-round knockout at DEEP 127 Impact in September of last year.

Japan has produced some excellent grapplers who have found success in the UFC in recent years, but this is an Asian prospect whose appeal will be undeniable to North American audiences and matchmakers alike.

Vinny Dias

Although this list is already loaded to the brim with bantamweights, I had to make some room for the MMA Lab’s Vinny Dias.

A Roman Athletic Institution fighter from Canada who relocated stateside to the MMA Lab, Dias is a physically strong and positionally sound Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt who appears to be difficult to deal with.

Despite lacking a flashy striking game, Dias doesn’t lack in the action department when looking at the pressure and skills that he applies in his fights. I’d like to see him develop more of a pressure striking game given the clear objectives in his style (as I suspect it would also help his takedown entries as a whole).

Dias is in good hands overall with a coach like John Crouch, and I suspect that the insane stable of talent at the MMA Lab doesn’t hurt the Canadian’s progression either.

Dias hasn’t been seen since his win last May in the LFA and currently has no official bouts booked at the time of this article.

Tornike Nagliashvili

Representing the country of Georgia on this list is none other than Merab Dvalishvili friend and training partner, Tornike Nagliashvili.

Akin to Dvalishvili, Nagliashvili is also a judo black belt who has quietly competed and won multiple championships. And like Dvalishvili, Nagliashvili’s grappling and powerhouse stylings appear to be translating well to MMA.

In addition, training with the likes of Aljamain Sterling and company at Syndicate MMA has also appeared to rub off on Nagliashvili given the propensity he’s showing to hunt the back and look for submissions.

I’m not sure where Nagliashvili’s next fight will be, but I hope he’s able to find a steady flow of competition and can stay active this year (especially considering his clear path to bigger promotions due to his reputation and affiliations).

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: 20 MMA prospects to watch in 2026: Merab Dvalishvili training partner

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