Top 10 MMA Prospects in Australia & New Zealand

#1 George Mangos (8-1)

Featherweight

22 Years Old – Lion’s Den Academy

 

George Mangos is a prospect defined first and foremost by the depth and cohesion of his skill set, which is particularly remarkable given his young age. His game is built around elite grappling instincts, where his ability to read transitions, chain attacks, and consistently emerge from scrambles in advantageous positions separates him from most of his peers globally. Mangos is especially adept at taking the back, often capitalising on half openings before locking in a body triangle and applying suffocating control. Once on top, he combines positional intelligence with genuinely nasty intent, pairing slick submission chains with punishing ground-and-pound that forces opponents into constant defensive cycles rather than allowing them moments to reset. Against the cage, he is equally effective, working single-leg takedowns when available, chaining takedowns when resistance presents itself, and using strength, balance, and leverage to maintain dominance.

 

On the feet, Mangos is a genuine knockout threat who carries power and a creative arsenal of attacks that can catch opponents cold. He is a sharp counter striker who manipulates range intelligently, popping in and out to catch opponents off-beat while remaining defensively responsible with his guard. His kicking game is diverse and purposeful, attacking the legs, body, and head with real intent rather than point-fighting volume for its own sake. He throws punches at varied angles, which not only create defensive openings but also keep him well-positioned to defend counter strikes.

 

Mangos has only more recently started to get credit for his striking having finished his last three wins on the feet; particularly his most recent fight against Justin Van Heerden where you could see JVH didn’t want anything to do with him on the feet as soon as the first punch landed, which just goes to show just how respected Mangos’ striking is given JVH’s toughness.

 

Mangos’ recent experiences have further highlighted both his maturity and adaptability. A frustrating Contenders Series bout against the admittedly highly talented Radley da Silva saw his offence largely neutralised by an ultra-conservative game plan that prioritised disengagement and stalling over meaningful exchanges, ultimately resulting in neither fighter securing a contract. Rather than allowing it to stall his progress, Mangos was back in the cage three months later, emphatically defeating Justin Van Heerden in a rematch 17 months after their first meeting. That performance not only ended spectacularly with a quick first-round knockout, but it also clearly showcased the technical, tactical, and physical improvements Mangos had made since their initial encounter.

 

There are still areas in Mangos’ game that will need to be refined as he climbs his way towards the top of the UFC, for example in his takedown defense and susceptibility to getting caught on bottom against controlling wrestlers (like he did against da Silva and Van Heerden in their first fight), but those are elements of his game that I’d expect him to very quickly sharpen up and already looked much improved in his most recent fight. These are small improvements to make and admittedly picky when so much of his game is already so technically refined, but they’re still improvements nonetheless that championship-level fighters need to be able to make, and I believe Mangos is exactly that if he can continue the trajectory he’s currently on.

 

Taken as a whole, Mangos possesses an unusually complete MMA skill set and has managed to do so at a remarkably young age. He’s intelligent, creative, dangerous across all phases of the fight, and combines fight IQ, finishing instinct, composure, and confidence in a way that few prospects worldwide can match. His ceiling remains extraordinarily high, and if his development continues along its current trajectory, he has all the tools to become a genuine standout at the highest level of the sport. George Mangos has everything that leads me to believe he will be a star both inside and outside the octagon, and someone that Aussie fans will soon be flying around the country to go watch fight.

 

Honourable Mentions:

• Jack James (7-2)
• Matt Fordham (4-0)
• Tasar Malone (5-2)
• Joseph Larcinese (4-0)
• Kitt Campbell (17-6)