Favorite Unranked UFC Fighter From Every Division

Note: I will not be including the women’s MMA divisions due to the lack of depth in those weight classes. This list consists of my favorite unranked fighters in each division, as well as those I believe will find significant success in the next few years.

Flyweight: Andre Lima
Andre Lima has been incredible in the UFC so far, holding a 4–0 record, and none of his opponents have given him much trouble yet. Lima has excellent striking, which he combines with phenomenal grappling and submission skills. At only 26 years old, he hasn’t even entered his prime. Lima is one of the most promising fighters not only on this list but within the entire UFC. He has all the tools to become a top contender — and potentially a future champion — and should be capable of competing with anyone in the flyweight division within a couple of years.

Bantamweight: Felipe Lima
Lima is another young bantamweight prospect who originally debuted at featherweight, taking on Muhammad Naimov. Down two rounds, Lima rallied in the third to pull off a come-from-behind submission victory, securing a rear-naked choke. Lima has phenomenal BJJ, and although his striking isn’t yet polished, he possesses an arsenal of spinning attacks that he isn’t afraid to throw. Sometimes, these tendencies allow opponents to take him down, but he leads with a nice jab, and if he tightens up his striking, I believe we’ll have a real threat at bantamweight.

He recently lost a close fight to another prospect, Payton Talbott, which was somewhat underwhelming. However, I expect a young fighter like Lima to get back in the lab and fix some of the holes in his game. He has an upcoming fight with Daniel Marcos, who sits just outside the rankings — a great opportunity for Lima to prove he belongs in the top half of the division. At only 27 years old, he still has plenty of time to develop.

Featherweight: Chepe Mariscal
I’ve given Chepe the nickname “Featherweight Merab.” He’s an absolute tank — he pushes an incredible pace for 15 minutes straight and completely overwhelms most of his opponents. He’s exactly the kind of fighter you want to watch: gritty, relentless, and willing to fight to the death for the full duration.

Chepe is riding an eight-fight win streak and is currently 5–0 in the UFC. He’s a well-rounded fighter, an excellent wrestler and striker who seamlessly blends both to impose his will. Mariscal is scheduled to fight Pat Sabatini on November 15th at UFC 322 — an absolute clash of unranked titans — and the winner will likely earn a shot at the rankings.

Lightweight: Nazim Sadykhov
Nazim Sadykhov is a phenomenal fighter. Though still relatively new to the UFC, he’s looked impressive, remaining undefeated in the promotion with a record of 4–0–1. Most recently, he defeated Nikolas Motta in an intense one-and-a-half-round war. Despite being hurt early, Sadykhov stayed composed and found a way to win.

Primarily a striker, Sadykhov targets all areas of the body and works them methodically before landing a devastating shot upstairs. His kick game is strong, and his boxing is sharp. At 31 years old, I expect him to start putting people on notice very soon.

Welterweight: Seok Hyun Ko
Ko is another new Korean prospect who recently made his UFC debut against Oban Elliott. Coming in as a 3-to-1 underdog, he made it look like he should have been the 5-to-1 favorite. Elliott was a fighter many UFC fans were high on after stringing together a few wins, but Ko completely walked him down for three straight rounds — outstriking and outwrestling him.

Ko may not have the best head movement, but he makes up for it with constant forward pressure and an excellent trip game. Whether the fight stays standing or goes to the mat, Ko can find success. At 32 years old, I expect him to fight often as he works his way up the division. He faces Phil Rowe this week — a matchup I urge everyone to watch. I expect Ko to take Rowe down with ease and deliver a strong performance.

Middleweight: Joe Pyfer
I absolutely love Joe Pyfer. Yes, he sometimes gets labeled “Salty Joe” because of his attitude, but setting that aside, Pyfer is a phenomenal fighter and one of the best prospects in the middleweight division. At the time of writing, he may be ranked, but I’m still including him because of his massive potential.

Pyfer has frightening power — getting touched by him is always a threat. While his striking isn’t the most technical, he makes up for it with sheer force. He also has an underrated ground game and excellent BJJ off his back. Recently, he submitted Abus Magomedov with an arm-triangle choke.

Training at Renzo Gracie BJJ in Philadelphia alongside elite grapplers like Sean Brady and Pat Sabatini has only sharpened his skills. Pyfer has already faced adversity, losing a close 48–47 decision to Jack Hermansson, but he’s still 6–1 in the UFC and continues to improve. I’m very excited to see what his future holds.

Quick Disclaimer: There is little to no depth within these divisions, so I may need to select some lower-ranked fighters.

Light Heavyweight: Oumar Sy
Sy recently picked up a win over Brendson Ribeiro after a disappointing decision loss to veteran Alonzo Menifield. Before that, he had a lot of hype surrounding him — and for good reason. Sy is a physical specimen: young, muscular, and built like a Greek god.

He may not be the heaviest-handed striker, but his technique is clean, and he’s also a very capable grappler and wrestler, making him a well-rounded MMA fighter. I’m glad to see Sy back in the win column, and I think he can work his way into the rankings soon, especially given the lack of depth at light heavyweight.

Heavyweight: Mario Pinto
Maybe this pick comes with a bit of bias due to my Portuguese heritage — but regardless, Pinto is an exciting prospect to watch. He has extremely heavy hands and has started his UFC career 2–0. In his debut against Austen Lane, he struggled early but rallied back to score a second-round KO. In his next fight, against Jhonata Diniz, he showed off his wrestling by taking Diniz down multiple times and controlling him before earning a ground-and-pound TKO.

It’s rare to find a heavyweight with such a diverse skill set; most are either pure strikers or pure wrestlers. That’s what makes Pinto so intriguing — he doesn’t have to rely on just one aspect of his game to win. At only 27 years old, he’s young, athletic, and well-rounded for the division. It’ll be exciting to see how his career unfolds and whether he can become a true problem in the heavyweight division.