Top 10 MMA Prospects With 5 or less Pro Fights in Australia & New Zealand

#5 Kevin Kophamel (3-1)

Featherweight

24 Years Old – Wolves Den

 

Kevin Kophamel is a name worth paying close attention to as he’s rapidly establishing himself as one of Australia’s emerging prospects. A powerful, high-volume striker with relentless cardio and a strong wrestling base, Kophamel brings a pace and physicality that consistently tests his opponents over extended stretches.

 

Across both his amateur and professional careers, Kophamel has faced a notably high-level of competition. His few losses have come against elite opposition: DWCS contract winner Murtazali Magomedov, a prime Abdalla Biayda, and Harry Webb in a razor-close fight contested up a weight class on less than 48 hours’ notice. These setbacks have done little to diminish his standing, particularly when balanced against a resume that includes wins over multiple proven regional talents. Most recently, Kophamel reinforced his upward trajectory by defeating A’Keitheon Whitner to become the number-one contender for the Eternal featherweight title, further underlining his readiness for elite regional opportunities and potential future UFC opportunities.

 

Born in South Africa, raised in Ireland, and refined in Perth, Kophamel benefits from a uniquely global martial arts background that has shaped both his style and mentality. In 2024, he captured the GAMMA Lightweight Championship – an achievement made even more impressive by the fact it came just months after his punishing five-round battle with Harry Webb. His record can be deceptive at a glance, as his three career losses all occurred in tightly contested bouts against high-level opposition.

 

Technically, Kophamel is a lifelong striker with a taekwondo base, giving him a refined sense of distance, timing, and balance. He cuts the cage effectively, applies constant forward pressure, and overwhelms opponents with sustained, high-output combinations. His striking arsenal is broad and creative, incorporating punches, elbows, knees, and kicks seamlessly. When he finds rhythm, his combination work becomes particularly dangerous as he blends volume with accuracy and power in a way that steadily suffocates opposition. While striking is his primary weapon, Kophamel is far from one-dimensional. His grappling, though not always the focal point of his performances, is fundamentally sound and increasingly effective. He has demonstrated a variety of takedowns, opportunistic submissions, and, most importantly, excellent timing on his entries, where we often see him convert defensive moments into offensive opportunities.

 

Taken as a whole, Kophamel profiles as a durable, intelligent, and high-output fighter whose skill set is continuing to evolve. With momentum building and major regional opportunities now firmly within reach, he appears well-positioned to push beyond the domestic scene into the UFC as soon as 2026.