Brando Pericic (6-1) Heavyweight – 31 Years Old – City Kickboxing The UFC’s heavyweight division has a problem that almost everyone in the sport openly acknowledges: it is short on athletes. Not fighters, not big men who can punch hard, but genuine athletes with movement, timing, versatility and the physical tools to do […]
Heavyweight’s Next Big Thing: The Balkan Bear Brando Pericic Read More »
Colby Thicknesse (8-1) Bantamweight – 26 Years Old – Freestyle MMA Every generation of fighters at every gym produces most of its talent. In addition, each generation produces a small handful of people who seem to absorb information at different rates. Colby Thicknesse has spent the better part of a decade in the
The Product of The GOAT: Why Colby Thicknesse Has The Tools For UFC Success Read More »
Ben Johnston (5-1) Middleweight – 35 Years Old – The Fight Centre Brisbane Most stories in combat sports follow a recognisable shape. A fighter climbs, faces setbacks, keeps going and eventually gets their shot. Ben Johnston’s story follows a different shape entirely. He climbed, got his shot regionally, won it, retired, became a
The Comeback of Ben Johnston Read More »
Dom Mar Fan (9-2) Lightweight – 26 Years Old – Team Compton Training Centre There is something quietly dangerous about a fighter who doesn’t need the attention to keep showing up and winning. Dom Mar Fan, the Brisbane lightweight nicknamed “Street Buddha,” has spent the better part of three years building one of
The Buddha With a Violent Streak: Why Dom Mar Fan Deserves More Hype Read More »
Quillan Salkilld (11-1) Lightweight – 26 Years Old – Luistro Combat Academy In a sport that prides itself on authentic, hard-earned breakthrough stories, few journeys in recent memory have been as compelling as that of Quillan Salkilld. The 26-year-old Perth-based lightweight has gone from a debut submission loss on the Australian regional scene, to
The Rise of Quillan Salkilld: Australia’s Most Exciting UFC Lightweight Prospect Read More »
Regina “Kill Bill” Tarin Fighting at 125 (flyweight) Standing at five-foot-seven Born in Distrito Federal, Mexico 21-years-old 7-0 (4 KO/TKOs, 2 Submissions) It was only a matter of time until Regina Tarin was officially in the UFC. She was supposed to fight on last season’s Contender Series, but contract issues held it up. Since
Welcome to the UFC: Regina Tarin Read More »
To wrap up our series on prospects the UFC should sign in 2026, I decided to combine the organization’s three women’s divisions to present a top 20 ranking regardless of weight classes. As a result, strawweights receive a significant amount of attention in this list because it’s probably the most stacked WMMA division now outside
20 Female Prospects the UFC should sign in 2026 Read More »
We’re getting towards the end of our series of the top-10 UFC-ready prospects in each weight class. While there’s great talent everywhere, the bantamweight division may just be the most stacked worldwide. The UFC didn’t sign many top guys in 2025, and the available talent reflects that. Out of Prospect Vault’s top 25 prospects overall,
10 Bantamweight Prospects the UFC Should Sign in 2026 Read More »
Featherweight is a tricky division to pick prospects in. The UFC has already plucked many exciting prospects from the regionals over the last couple of years. They’ve signed notable fighters like Kevin Vallejos, Luke Riley, Austin Bashi, Kurtis Campbell, Tommy McMillen, Ramiro Jimenez, Marcio Barbosa, and Jose Delano, among others. However, despite all these signings,
10 Featherweight Prospects the UFC Should Sign in 2026 Read More »
If there’s one division where the next generation is knocking the loudest, it’s welterweight. Across the globe, 170-pounds is stacked with young, high level prospects who look capable of competing in the UFC today. With 2026 approaching, these ten fighters stand out as the most polished, dangerous, and ready names outside the promotion. Before
10 Welterweight Prospects the UFC Should Sign in 2026 Read More »
