Top 10 Amateur MMA Prospects in Australia & New Zealand

#10 Flynn O’Keeffe (6-1)

Lightweight

20 Years Old – XXX Fight Academy

 

Flynn O’Keeffe is a composed, technically nuanced striker whose game is built around timing, rhythm, and control of range.

 

Operating from a karate-influenced stance, he bounces lightly in and out of distance, manipulating tempo to draw reactions before capitalising with fast, accurate hands or his sharp kicks. O’Keeffe is comfortable throwing kicks with nearly the same fluidity and frequency as punches, sometimes using them simply to touch and disrupt, and other times sitting down on them with clear, fight-ending intent. While he can occasionally throw single strikes, he is far more effective when working in combinations where he often catches opponents as they begin to react to the first or second strike.

 

Although his striking is clearly his strongest and most natural phase, O’Keeffe is far from limited elsewhere. He shows calm, intelligent defensive grappling, reacting quickly to takedown attempts by digging for underhooks, improving his position, and either disengaging safely or turning opponents onto the fence. From there, he is comfortable pinning them and even looking to initiate his own takedowns if the opportunity presents itself. He does not actively hunt grappling exchanges, given his effectiveness on the feet. Still, his ground sensibilities are evident, supported by a functional BJJ game that has already resulted in two submission victories. That balance allows him to fight without panic, confident that he can survive and succeed even if the fight takes him out of his preferred range.

 

From a conditioning standpoint, O’Keeffe has also shown maturity. He has gone to decision multiple times, maintaining composure, output, and technical discipline across the full duration of the fight rather than expending energy chasing early finishes. That pacing, combined with his striking craft, makes him a difficult opponent to outwork or overwhelm.

 

Results to date reinforce that assessment. Victories over Bjorn Leitch and a razor-close split decision loss to Kage Fisher, who appears later in this list, demonstrate that O’Keeffe is already competing at a strong level against quality opposition. At just 20, he combines experience, composure, and an exciting, scalable skill set that projects extremely well to the professional ranks. There is a great deal to like about his long-term trajectory, and he is a fighter I would expect to see steadily climbing prospect lists as his career continues to develop through 2026 and beyond.