Top 25 Prospects Worldwide

Myself, @patdannamma, @GelfandHudson, @xaavifc, @OctagonNick, @MMA__Matchmaker, @mmameditations, @cangrejoRuiz, @jameslikesmma, @MerrabiMedia,  and @bigbenkeith got together to put out undoubtedly the best prospect rankings there are.

Before we get to the rankings, here is what we are excluding from the list.

-Nobody signed to a major promotion such as the UFC, PFL, Oktagon, Rizin, ONE, KSW, or ACA.
-Nobody 30 or older.
-Nobody with 20+ fights

1. 1. Asaf Chopurov (11-0), Azerbaijan, 24, Bantamweight
   2. Akbar Abdullaev (13-0), Kyrgyzstan, 28, Lightweight
   3. Aboubakar Younousov (8-0), France, 26, Bantamweight
   4. George Staines (10-0), England, 25, Lightweight
   5. Takaya Suzuki (9-1), Japan, 21, Flyweight      ↑11
   6. Marcos Degli (14-3), Brazil, 26, Flyweight
   7. Aieza Bertolso (7-0), Brazil, 24, Strawweight
   8. Ivan Podrugin (8-0), Russia, 25, Welterweight
   9. Yryskeldi Duysheev (13-0), Kyrgyzstan, 24, Bantamweight
   10. George Mangos (10-1), Australia, 22, Featherweight    ↑7
   11. Isaac Moreno (8-0), USA, 28, Welterweight
   12. Khotam Boynazarov (13-0), Uzbekistan, 27, Welterweight
   13. Ansar Khamzaev (6-0), Russia, 20, Lightweight    ↑6
   14. Otabek Rajabov (6-0), Tajikistan, 23, Featherweight
   15.  Alvi Dasuyev (9-0), Belgium, 23, Welterweight
   16. Tiago Pereira (10-0), Brazil, 28, Bantamweight
   17. Nik Bagley (9-1), England, 29, Featherweight
   18. Ieuan Davies (8-0), Wales, 29, Lightweight     *NR*
   19. Yusuf Esembaev (5-0), Russia, 22, Welterweight
   20. Juan Pablo Vieira (10-0), Brazil, 22, Lightweight    *NR*
   21. Ullubiy Amirzhanov (7-0), Russia, 23, Bantamweight    *NR*
   22.  Miljan Zdravkovic (10-0), Serbia, 27, Bantamweight
   23. Shakhban Gapizov (6-0), Russia, 26, Bantamweight
   24. Nikita Kulshin (9-0), Russia, 26, Lightweight    *NR*
   25. Khalim Nazruloev (13-0), Tajikistan, 27, Bantamweight   *NR*

• August was a huge month for our rankings. (#3) Bilal Hasan, (#6) Mehemmedeli Osmanli, (#7) Pavel Andrusca, (#10) Sean Clancy Jr., and (#23) GiGi Canuto all signed to the UFC.
• Five signings mean five newly ranked prospects:
  –Ieuas Davies (#18) first caught my eye in 2023, when he submitted Leon Hill, and he has kept on improving since. In my opinion, he is one of the best “MMA” grapplers on the global scene. His BJJ complements his style exceptionally well, as he has finished most of his opponents by submission. Now a Cage Warriors champion, it’s time for him to get the call from the UFC. – Cedric Dumas
  –Nikita Kulshin (#24) is one of the safest prospects out there. He’s the complete package and sharpens his skills alongside the best of the best. 1 or 2 more finishes should earn him a shot at a major promotion. – Nicholas Holt
  –Ullubiy Amirzhanov (#21) has racked up an impressive resume while showing off elite submission skills that make him stand out from others. At just 23 years old, he could be the next Team Nurmagomedov standout to make a splash. – Patrick Danna
  -Khalim Nazruloev (#25) goes under the radar because he almost exclusively fights for RCC in Russia. However, he’s a polished prospect with a perfect record and many favorable matchups in the UFC right now. He’s a dominant wrestler who can finish takedowns from any type of entry. His style is control-heavy, but he usually gets the finish and would be a great signing for either the UFC or PFL. – James Colwell
  -Coming back after a bit of a layoff, Juan Pablo Vieira (#20) is back in the rankings after recently returning to competition in July. He had no rustiness, though, as he still has the tools and the instincts he had one year ago. The 22-year-old has a bright future ahead of him, that’s for sure. – Cangrejo Ruiz