Middleweight
Alou Camara 3-0
Coming from Atch Academy, the team of Salahdine Parnasse, Alou Camara has been flying under the radar of French MMA since his amateur debut. His amateur career was quite good, although unlike many fighters on this list, it was not very long. He notably performed at 100% Fight, where he defeated one of the best French amateur prospects, Anthony Nantois. His transition to the professional ranks was successful, with an impressive win over the experienced Danil Khatchoukaev, a victory that began to establish him as a name to watch in France. His recent win at ARES against fellow prospect Elie Makongo confirmed that he is one to reckon with in the future.
Camara’s fights have shown that he has solid striking, especially good boxing, with which he hits hard and hurts his opponents. His latest bout also highlighted his ground skills, including a strong guillotine and the ability to get back up after takedowns. His wrestling is also quite good, making him a well-rounded and dangerous fighter in all areas.
In 2026, Alou Camara should continue to climb the ranks at ARES to position himself as a potential title challenger in a division that is likely to see its champion move on. Opponents such as Hugo Guillon, Jacky Jeanne, or Isaac Muulu would be interesting matchups for him; it remains to be seen who he will face and how frequently he will compete.
Ilian Bouafia 7-0
Ilian Bouafia is the most well-known French middleweight outside the UFC. Known for being a sparring partner of Khamzat Chimaev and Nassourdine Imavov. His 2025 was marked by his victory on DWCS, which was criticized by Dana White, who was disappointed with his performance. This setback was hard to take for Bouafia, who will now have to bounce back in his new organization, Hexagone MMA. Bouafia will take part in the organization’s middleweight tournament, with €100,000 and the belt on the line. This tournament will be an opportunity for him to prove that he is the best middleweight on the French circuit, notably by facing Hexagone champion Mathieu Letho Duclos.
Stylistically, coming from a family of boxers, Illain relies on excellent striking. His takedown defense is fairly solid, and he does not look to wrestle. The year 2026 will be a pivotal one for Bouafia, as it could either mark his potential return to the UFC or push him further away from it.
Honorable mentions:
- Hugo Guillon (7-1)
- Clément Giordanengo (5-1)
- William Sifran (1-0)
- Ibrahima Wadé (3-1)
- Louis Bokola (1-1)
- Geoffray Elliot (1-0)