#3: Aboubakar Younousov
Age: 26
Representing: France
Record: 8-0
Younousov is another fighter with roots in the Caucasus and a name that evokes grappling who actually prefers to strike. He’s a short but muscle-bound dynamo with a signature spinning elbow that’s already scored two highlight-reel KOs. He tries spins of all varieties in his fights and isn’t worried about exposing himself to a takedown because his low base and strong hips make that incredibly challenging. In top position, Younousov is always hunting finishes with nasty elbows and armbars. He can give away good positions chasing a submission too early but is always able to recover. His scrambles are acrobatic, and he’s clearly got strong bases in both BJJ and wrestling.
Younousov can fight pretty on the feet with fast in-out footwork, tricky feints, and attacks from different angles to keep opponents off balance. He can also be a marauder who crushes opponents with extended combos of hooks if he feels they can’t stop him. Sometimes that switch flips very early, such as his 85-second KO of ex-UFC fighter Gustavo Lopez last October. Younousov quickly got a feel for the distance then walked Lopez down and absolutely pasted him at the fence.
That was his second defense of the Ares title. Aboubakar has been with France’s top promotion since his second pro fight. and has a 12-fight win streak overall dating back to a 4-0 amateur stint. Younousov has beaten five-straight quality opponents (59-21-2 combined record) with three highlight KOs in that time. Also, a five-round decision showed that he has championship-level cardio. He’s UFC-ready right now and still has room to improve at the top level.