UFC Paris isn’t just an opportunity to watch the fighters competing inside the Octagon. Every UFC card also offers a chance to look one step beyond the promotion and identify the next wave of talent connected to the fighters on the roster. Whether they share a gym, train alongside one of Saturday’s competitors, or have another close link to the card, here are five prospects outside the UFC who should be on your radar.
Fabacary Diatta (10-1) – Featherweight
Training partner of Salahdine Parnasse
Fabacary Diatta is a 29-year-old French featherweight fighting out of Atch Academy. A professional since 2016, he won the 100% Fight Contenders 34 tournament and captured the promotion’s featherweight title before making the jump to Bellator. Diatta went 3-1 under the Bellator banner, earning notable wins over Dominique Wooding, Nathan Rose and Keir Harvie. His only professional loss came against Jordan Barton by split decision in 2022. After a nearly three-year layoff, Diatta returned in April 2026, defeating Ghassen Jbalia by unanimous decision in the ARES FC 39 main event to win the ARES belt. He has a huge test on September 25 when he defends the title against fellow undefeated prospect Josh O’Connor (10-0).
Diatta is a well-rounded featherweight who stands out for his size, athleticism and technical striking. He moves exceptionally well for such a physically imposing fighter, with quick footwork, good cage awareness and clean boxing. His jab is particularly useful for managing distance, while his movement and composure allow him to remain effective over long stretches. He rarely puts himself in bad positions and has the cardio to maintain his pace for 25 minutes. His cage control is also strong, making him difficult to corner or pressure. The biggest question is his ground game. His takedown defense can be exploited, and he has a tendency to get reversed too easily once grounded. His getups are also underdeveloped, allowing opponents to control him for extended periods.
Théo Ulrich (8-0) – Lightweight
Training partner of Michael Aljarouj
Théo Ulrich is a 25-year-old French lightweight from Old School Academy who has quickly established himself as an interesting name on the French regional scene. A professional since 2024, Ulrich has remained perfect through eight fights, with six victories coming by KO/TKO. All eight of his professional bouts have taken place under the Hexagone MMA banner, where he has steadily worked his way through the promotion’s lightweight ranks. His most recent win came against Nicolae Bivol in May 2026, advancing him to the final of Hexagone’s lightweight tournament. At 6’1″, Ulrich also brings considerable size to the division.
Ulrich is an extremely tall and lanky lightweight who uses his unusual frame to create difficult matchups. His style can look awkward at times, but it makes for entertaining fights, and he carries legitimate power in his hands. He is capable of hurting opponents with clean shots and becomes particularly dangerous once he gets them down, where his ground-and-pound can be brutal. The obvious concern is how often he gets hit. His physical dimensions can also work against him defensively, particularly when defending takedowns, as opponents can exploit his length and get underneath his hips. I expect that weakness to eventually be exposed against a strong wrestler, although he has consistently found ways to win so far. His résumé also isn’t built entirely on weak opposition, making him an intriguing but somewhat volatile prospect.
Connor Walsh (7-0) – Flyweight
Training partner of Kurtis Campbell
Connor Walsh is a 23-year-old English flyweight representing KC Fight Base. Known as “The Fly Catcher,” Walsh has compiled an undefeated 7-0 professional record since making his debut in 2024. He has shown strong finishing instincts, with four of his victories coming by KO/TKO and another by submission. Walsh has spent the majority of his career competing for Full Contact Contender, where he has picked up wins over Wellyton Silva, Fernando Bonatto and Francisco Douglas Silva. His latest outing came in March 2026, when he defeated Silva by unanimous decision over five rounds. At 5’5″, Walsh combines youth with valuable professional experience.
Walsh brings a well-rounded skill set, although his biggest strengths are clearly on the feet. He fights with an aggressive, entertaining style and has a real knack for finding the finish when he hurts an opponent. He is not limited to striking, either, showing enough wrestling and grappling ability to keep opponents honest and work his way out of trouble. There is still plenty of room for development, as he remains relatively inexperienced as a professional. FCC has also brought him along gradually rather than throwing him into the deep end. With his natural flair for exciting finishes and the confidence that comes with an undefeated record, Walsh has the kind of style that could attract attention from bigger promotions.
Mashrabjon Ruziboev (21-4-1) – Welterweight
Brother of Nursulton Ruziboev
Mashrabjon Ruziboev is a 30-year-old Uzbek welterweight with an extensive résumé built across Central Asia and Europe. Fighting out of Fight Club Akhmat, “Black Junior” has amassed a 21-4-1 professional record, with 13 wins by KO/TKO and five by submission. A professional since 2016, Ruziboev has also captured the WEF welterweight title and competed for Brave CF. He possesses a decorated combat-sports background, having won Uzbek national titles in taekwondo and freestyle wrestling, as well as an Asian Combat Sambo championship. Ruziboev most recently stopped Gabriel Miranda in just 40 seconds in July 2026, extending his current winning streak. He was previously signed by the UFC, but a botched weight cut led to his release before he ever fought for the promotion.
Ruziboev has plenty going for him on paper. He enters this matchup riding an impressive winning streak filled with finishes, most recently stopping a former UFC fighter. He has also never been knocked out and can be extremely dangerous during the opening round. The UFC has shown interest in him before, while having a brother already on the roster could also work in his favor. The problem is that his level of opposition remains a major question mark. He is undersized for the division and has benefited from some favorable matchmaking. Against stronger UFC-level competition, particularly opponents who can maintain a high pace, I have serious doubts about how well his game will translate.
Nik Bagley (10-1) – Featherweight
Training partner of Nathaniel Wood
Nik Bagley is a 29-year-old British featherweight representing Great Britain Top Team. Bagley has built a 10-1 professional record, with seven of his victories coming by submission. Bagley has spent much of his career competing for Cage Warriors, where he has established himself as a dangerous grappler. His most recent victory came in June 2026, when he submitted Aiden Lee with a rear-naked choke in the third round at Cage Warriors 208. Bagley’s only professional defeat came by unanimous decision against Reece McEwan in 2022. With a six-fight winning streak and a strong submission game, he remains one of Britain’s more interesting featherweight prospects.
Bagley’s biggest weapon is his ability to turn small openings into dominant grappling sequences. Once he gets a clean entry, he is particularly dangerous when working toward the back, where he has made a career out of finding the rear-naked choke. Six of his seven submission victories have come that way. There are signs, however, that he is becoming less dependent on his grappling. His striking looked much sharper in his most recent fight against Aiden Lee, as he landed clean combinations and managed to hurt his opponent before eventually securing the finish in the third round. If that development continues, Bagley will be hard to ignore in the featherweight division.
