Global Watchlist: The Best MMA Prospect From Each Country

Lithuania

Lithuania doesn’t have much in up-and-coming talent, but they can be excited about Emilijus Kaganovicius (2-0). He’s a multiple-time Lithuanian champion in sambo, judo, and pankration. He went 6-1 as an amateur and was a Bronze medalist in the IMMAF Worlds. Kaganovicius’s potential is still up in the air, with how little is out there on him. I know his ground game is pretty solid, going from submission to submission effortlessly. He’s a world grappling champion, so it’s no surprise that’s where he presses the fight to be.

 

Mexico

 

Mexico is another market that the UFC likes to go after. They have a PI in Mexico City, so talent is always gonna be produced from there. I went to someone already familiar with the UFC brass in Cristian Perez (13-2). Perez fought last season on the Contender Series. Although he had an excellent showing, he ended up losing. He’s young, scrappy, and exciting to watch. He’s shown versatility across his fights; some have been grappling-heavy, others striking-focused, and several where he’s blended both well. Perez could be someone the UFC can market very well.

 

Moldova

 

Personally, Pavel Andrusca (7-0) is one of my favorite prospects in the world, so he’s the easy choice here. Andrusca is a two-time European Bronze Medalist in the Freestyle Wrestling Championship. He’s a high-level wrestler with clean setups, strong chain-wrestling, and brutal ground-and-pound. He controls positions well and steadily advances, even if he doesn’t chase many submissions. His striking is limited but serviceable—he punches into takedowns, uses smart feints, and has shown real power. The real deal that has championship potential.

 

Mongolia

 

Mongolia has quietly started producing stronger talent in recent years, and right now, the country’s standout is Otgonbaatar Boldbaatar (6-0). With a background in amateur freestyle wrestling, he already has a solid foundation, but what really makes him exciting is his striking. He overwhelms opponents with relentless volume, stringing together fluid combinations while mixing in cleverly disguised kicks. Add in his speed, output, and surprising power, and you’ve got a fighter with real potential to become something special in the division.