Flyweight
Abdurakhman Nasrutdinov, 5-1, Swedish
Abdurakhman Nasrutdinov made a promising debut in 2021 and was considered one of the European flyweight prospects to watch. After a solid amateur career (4–1), he made a strong first professional impression at FCR 8 by dominating and knocking out Ashley Livingston. His aggressiveness on the feet, combined with a clear intent to hurt his opponents with every strike, quickly drew attention. In addition, he was part of the Chechen and Daghestani training circle that worked with Khamzat Chimaev at Allstars Gym, which added even more hype around him.
But the momentum derailed. For his second fight, he faced Hama Dara (2–6 at the time), an opponent largely within his reach. While he was completely dominating the fight, he got caught and submitted in Round 2. This loss was a major setback, and the hype around him immediately dropped.
After that, he rebuilt his career with three easy fights, scoring three first-round knockouts. In 2025, he took the biggest test of his career against Imran Magaramov (7–4). He finished him with a clean knockout in Round 1. This victory shows that Nasrutdinov has managed to bounce back and proves that he remains a fighter to keep an eye on in the future.
His striking remains just as aggressive, as he constantly looks to finish his opponents with every strike, notably with some beautiful kicks. To this arsenal, he adds solid wrestling and heavy ground-and-pound. The only real question mark is his cardio, as Nasrutdinov is not used to going beyond Round 1. 2026 must be the year of confirmation for him. He needs to prove he is a true top prospect by defeating higher-level opponents.
Bantamweight
Liam Pitts, 3-0, Swedish
At just 22 years old, Liam Pitts is already one of the biggest stars in Scandinavian MMA. Coming from Sweden, he is the son of a famous singer and a well-known Swedish television personality. While he could have settled for a career as a public figure, Liam Pitts chose to pursue combat sports—and he’s delivered. He first competed in wrestling, a sport in which he became a multiple-time Swedish champion.
Building on that background, he then transitioned to MMA. He began making waves on the Swedish amateur scene, notably becoming AFN champion, an organization affiliated with Allstars Gym. His amateur career (6–0) confirmed his potential and set high expectations for his professional future.
He made his first two professional appearances on the Swedish scene at AFN, finishing both opponents, including one stoppage in just 30-seconds. Shortly after, the big announcement came:  Liam Pitts signed with OKTAGON, the biggest MMA organization in Europe. This signing confirms that Pitts is being viewed as a future name in European MMA. For his OKTAGON debut in November, he faced Guidea (2–2). The result: a first-round submission that further boosted his hype. Now, the hope is that in 2026, he will face higher-level opponents to be properly tested—OKTAGON seems like the perfect platform for that.
In terms of style, Pitts is obviously a very strong wrestler. He has successfully adapted his wrestling to MMA, particularly through effective striking-to-wrestling transitions that make his entries difficult to defend. His ground game is also solid, especially his ability to take the back, and he works well with ground-and-pound. It remains to be seen how his striking will hold up when tested against a high-level striker. Pitts’ future looks bright, and his performances in OKTAGON in 2026 will be ones to watch closely.
FeatherweightÂ
Baysangur Makaev, 7-2, Swedish
Baysangur Makaev is another Chechen fighter from Allstars Gym who is well worth keeping a close eye on. His style is simple to explain: he’s a strong wrestler who works very effectively with ground-and-pound. His striking is serviceable and is mainly used to set up his wrestling, although he tends to absorb quite a few shots in boxing exchanges. He can still make improvements in the grappling. These wrestling qualities allowed him to dominate his division in Sweden.
Makaev’s career got off to a rough start. He lost his first fight by knockout against another Swedish prospect, Samuel Bark. After that defeat, he went on a seven-fight winning streak, becoming the top featherweight in Scandinavia. That run culminated in winning the FCR championship, the biggest organization in the region, cementing his status as a top European prospect. He could even have appeared on the UFC Paris 2025 card as a replacement for Fares Ziam.
Instead, he fought for the LFA lightweight title at the organization’s first European event. That fight revealed a new weakness in Makaev’s game: his cardio. His wrestling-based style proved too energy-intensive for him to maintain over five rounds. His opponent, Jefferson Nascimento (12–0), took advantage of Makaev’s striking deficiencies and fading cardio to dominate him. As a result, Makaev’s winning streak came to an end.
In 2026, he will therefore need to bounce back if he wants another chance to sign with the UFC. To do so, it would be important for him to defend his FCR title and remain active.
LightweightÂ
Torpal Merjoev, 6-1, Norway
2025 was a big year for Torpal Merjoev. Coming from Norway, a country where MMA is still illegal, Merjoev is a wrestler. He is part of his country’s elite, having won several major competitions, and continues to compete actively in wrestling. Alongside his wrestling career, he began MMA and had his first amateur fight in 2022. It was in 2023 that he turned professional.
Initially, he cut his teeth at MMA Galla in Denmark. There, he won his first five fights and became the organization’s lightweight champion at the end of 2024. His elite wrestling, combined with strong top control and effective ground-and-pound, allowed him to dominate his opponents. He also showed promising boxing skills and clear improvements in grappling, suggesting a very bright future.
However, he also displayed a tendency to get caught in difficult positions on the ground and to find himself threatened by submissions. This flaw could have been fatal against his next opponent. Indeed, in June, he faced top British prospect Teddy Stringer at Cage Warriors. Known for his grappling, Stringer was expected to pose a tough challenge for Merjoev. Nevertheless, after a difficult first round, Merjoev managed to submit Stringer in Round 2. The result came as a surprise and propelled him into the spotlight on the British scene.
Following that strong performance, he re-signed with Cage Warriors for a multi-fight deal. Once again, Cage Warriors did not go easy on him. In his second bout, he faced former Cage Warriors champion and UFC veteran Jordan Vucenic (13–4). Once again, Merjoev entered as the underdog. Unfortunately, he lost the fight, suffering the first defeat of his career.
That said, Merjoev showed that he can trouble Europe’s elite with his wrestling and ground game, and that he possesses remarkable toughness and mental resilience. His striking deficiencies were exposed, but at just 21 years old, he has plenty of time to improve. Merjoev’s future, therefore, looks very bright given his current level and the progress he can still make. One can only hope that Cage Warriors takes care of this raw diamond and stops throwing him straight into the fire against their very best fighters.
Welterweight
Abdullah Ali Amer, 3-0, Danish
2025 was a quiet year for the Scandinavian welterweight division. But in the middle of this lull, one name has begun to emerge. Abdullah Ali Amer comes from a taekwondo background, an experience that clearly shapes his striking style. His low-kick work is solid, he switches stances, and he has unpredictable high kicks that make him dangerous. However, striking is not his main strength—his style is built around excellent wrestling and an elite ground game.
Amer also has a background in wrestling; his timing and chain wrestling are strong, and you can tell he is used to working at a high pace. He is comfortable in dominant positions as well as on the back, thanks to his grappling, which allows him to remain a constant threat. Amer first put together a short amateur career (6–2). He performed well on the local circuit and drew attention with a huge knockout of Lucas Jest. After that solid amateur run, he turned pro in 2024. His first two pro fights were masterclasses—two first-round finishes that confirmed his potential.
His third fight, however, was more difficult. Amer was outclassed in Round 1 due to major flaws in his takedown defense and an inability to get back to his feet. Nevertheless, he managed to turn the tide in Rounds 2 and 3 to win the fight. This performance showed his strong mentality and his ability to bounce back in a tough situation.
Amer is still young and can make significant improvements, but he has solid potential. In 2026, Amer will need to step up the level of competition in order to continue developing. If he manages to stay active, he could aim for the MMA Galla title and establish himself as the best in his country.
Middleweight
Brayan Aspegren, 4-0, Finnish
The middleweight division in Scandinavia appears to be suffering from a severe lack of talent. While the current UFC champion is Swedish, no one at home seems capable of taking over his legacy. Fighters such as Riku Leinonen, Naib Itaev, and Rafael Kveldstad are beginning to emerge, however. Still, the one who currently stands out the most is Brayan Aspegren.
Aspegren first developed through the amateur ranks. Multiple Finnish championship titles and several appearances at IMMAF events gave him solid experience. He made his professional debut in 2023 with a submission victory. He would go on to build a strong 4–0 record, including three finishes, on the Scandinavian circuit. Aspegren has faced relatively solid opposition and shown promising qualities. His wrestling is quite good—he is difficult to take down and can bring the fight to the ground himself. His ground game is also strong, as he can submit opponents or control the fight. As for his striking, while his boxing defense is somewhat porous, he remains a capable striker who can knock out opponents.
I believe he has good potential. While far from elite, he could realistically aim for the UFC or the biggest European organizations. However, to reach that level, he will need to be more active. In 2025, he did not compete. Hopefully, he will return in 2026—perhaps to challenge for the Cage MMA title, the largest organization in Finland.
LightHeavyweight
Najib Morllah, 3-1, Swedish
When the light heavyweight division in Scandinavia is mentioned, one name immediately comes to mind: Arlind Berisha. But we won’t be talking about him here, as his name has already been covered in a recent article on the site. Instead, we will focus on one of his teammates from Allstars Gym. Like Berisha, Najib Morllah first made his mark on the amateur circuit. He became known on the Swedish scene, particularly through his participation in the IMMAF World Championships. He made it all the way to the semifinals, where he lost to Alik Domnich. That defeat should be put into perspective, as Domnich later tested positive after the competition.
After that strong experience, Morllah returned to Sweden and became the AFN amateur light heavyweight champion thanks to a spectacular high kick. Following this successful amateur career, he made his professional debut in early 2025. A sign of the hype surrounding him, he was immediately matched against the experienced Leon Krajacic (9–7). However, the step up proved too big. Morllah suffered a first-round knockout loss, exposing a weakness that had already been visible in his amateur days: average striking defense and a tendency to seek brawls at all costs.
After that loss, Morllah managed to bounce back well. Three wins, three knockouts, three strong performances—albeit against relatively weak opposition. Morllah’s ultra-aggressive style overwhelmed his opponents. Every strike he throws seems designed to take his opponents’ heads off, and his kicks are devastating. He has also shown that he can wrestle, but has displayed very little on the ground.
Morllah is clearly here to put on a show, deliver big knockouts, and become a fan favorite. However, this style appears to be both his greatest strength and his biggest weakness. In 2026, let’s hope he can face stronger opposition while remaining just as active. A potential rematch against Krajacic would be interesting to see how much he has progressed.
Heavyweight
Jakob Dyrup, 3-0, Danish
As everywhere in the world, the heavyweight division lacks depth and rising names in Scandinavia. However, Denmark may be home to the future of the division in the region. At just 23 years old, Jakob Dyrup appears to have a bright future ahead of him. He began his amateur career in 2019, backed by some prior experience in kickboxing. That amateur run was quite successful, as he compiled an 8–2 record and won the MMA Galla belt, Denmark’s biggest MMA organization. There, he showcased his main strengths: solid striking, with a good ability to vary his targets and to pressure opponents against the cage. Some flaws in his style were also exposed, notably his tendency to absorb a lot of shots—a weakness he compensates for with a strong chin.
He made his professional debut in 2025 and stayed fairly active, fighting three times that year. Those bouts were decisive: three first-round knockouts, with Dyrup’s striking quality clearly on display. The level of opposition was not elite, but Dyrup showed that he should be considered a legitimate heavyweight prospect.
Dyrup’s wrestling and ground game have not yet been tested, but it appears that he trains hard in these areas, and his level should be solid for a heavyweight.Â
In 2026, Jakob Dyrup’s path seems clearly defined: capture the MMA Galla title and then sign with a larger European organization. Before that, he will face the biggest test of his career so far in February against the experienced Ivo Cuk (20–12). Finally, another interesting point to note is that Dyrup appears to train regularly with Aspinall, high-level sparring that will clearly help him continue to develop.