Before we get into the list, I’ll answer some possible questions before even asked.
No, leaving Gable Steveson off wasn’t an oversight. I’m fully aware of his athletic upside and elite wrestling credentials. What I’m even more aware of, though, is how inexperienced he is inside the cage. Yes, it’s heavyweight, and yes, the division often accelerates timelines. But we’ve seen too many prospects rushed before they’re ready, and it rarely ends well. In my view, the smarter play would be at least two more fights—ideally working toward an LFA heavyweight title. I wouldn’t hate the UFC taking the swing, but it would be a significant gamble for both Steveson and the promotion.
There are also three fighters who I believe are ready for a UFC opportunity right now. They’re not included on the list because labeling them as “prospects” might be a stretch at this stage of their careers.
Royce Butler, for example, is already 32 years old—old for a flyweight—but he’s looked outstanding in recent outings. He’s beaten solid competition, suggesting he could absolutely hang at the UFC level. In fact, I think he’d be competitive in that division immediately, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he cracked the rankings with the right run.
Of the three, I expect Arisa Matsuda to land in the UFC sooner rather than later. She’s already fought in a featured bout on Road to UFC, so she’s familiar with the UFC brass. After not getting signed then, she responded the right way—winning the CFFC flyweight title against Ayan Tursyn, a former IMMAF standout. Matsuda is 31, and with the UFC actively investing in the Japanese market and consistently seeking more depth in the women’s divisions, there’s little reason not to bring her in at this point.
The most UFC-ready of the trio, however, is undoubtedly Dilano Taylor. “The Postman” sits at 14–5 and is still just 29 years old, with experience against strong competition across multiple promotions. Most notably, he competed in the PFL seven times. While he did endure a three-fight skid at one point, he’s since rebounded with four straight wins. He doesn’t need a Contender Series appearance—he’s proven enough. At a minimum, he should be on the short-notice call list.
Now, onto the actual list of UFC-ready talent
Miha Frlic (7-0-1) – Heavyweight
An actual heavyweight prospect that’s indeed ready for a UFC call-up is Slovenia’s Miha Frlic. After a 3-4 amateur career, nobody expected the run Frlic has been on. Even starting his pro career with a draw, he didn’t let it derail him, as he hasn’t lost since. Undefeated with a 100% finish rate and all stoppages by KO/TKO. He’s fought in Brave CF and KSW against good competition for a heavyweight standard. To get a more in-depth read on Frlic, check out this feature written about our very own, Patrick Danna, here.
Bobby Poulter (9-2) – Welterweight
Bobby Poulter should have stamped his ticket after his February fight. He faced two-time GLORY Kickboxing middleweight champion and then-undefeated MMA fighter Simon Marcus in what was arguably the fight of the year—and very possibly the comeback of the year.
Poulter was put on death’s door early, surviving a brutal storm that would have finished most fighters. Somehow, he weathered it, rallied, and scored a third-round TKO in a dramatic turnaround that completely shifted the momentum of the fight.
For a better, more in-depth read, check out our piece on Poulter by none other than Patrick Danna here.
Nik Bagley (8-1) – Featherweight
Of the group of fighters featured here, Bagley did beat the best opponent. The fight was so good on paper that I did a breakdown before the fight. You can view that breakdown here, and you can see where I called it on the money. On paper, a unanimous decision doesn’t scream that he should be in the UFC from an entertainment aspect. However, he dominated the fight, winning all five rounds on two judges’ scorecards.
Bagley is held in high regard not only by me but also by the Prospect Vault team. He was mentioned as a top 10 Cage Warriors prospect by Nicholas Holt. He’s also ranked inside our top 25 prospects worldwide.
Khotam Boynarzarov (13-0) – Welterweight
Boynazarov is a top ten prospect in our ranking and is pinned as the best prospect from Uzbekistan. Our guy Nicholas Holt also listed him as one of ten welterweight prospects the UFC should sign this year.
A relentless grappler, Boynazarov consistently forces fights to the mat, where opponents have struggled to slow him down. Once on top, he maintains suffocating pressure with heavy ground-and-pound, chaining takedowns and advancing position until he can settle in mount and hunt for the finish.
In February, he took out an undefeated 5-0 fighter. Last July, he beat former UFC fighter James Llontop so a UFC shot, you’d think, can’t be too far away.
Mackenzie Stiller (6-1) – Strawweight
Stiller is one of the top female prospects in the U.S. Stiller is an exciting fighter who appears to be entering her prime. After her loss to the talented Sumiko Inaba in Bellator in 2024, she’s knocked off three wins in a row. Stiller is a high-level Judo competition. Also, a legit submission threat with five of her pro wins coming via submission. Stiller, last month, submitted Kendra McIntyre with a nasty scarfhold arm lock
She was listed among 20 WMMA prospects the UFC should sign this year, written by Cedric Dumas. Also, by Cedric, check out his big feature on Stiller to get more knowledge on her ability inside the cage here.