Bantamweight – Asaf Chopurov (10-0)
Chopurov is not just the best bantamweight prospect in the world; he’s the best period. He’s our #1 prospect here at the Prospect Vault. Chopurov is the UAE Warriors bantamweight champion, and this will be his second title defense. It’s a travesty that he has to even defend it. The UFC was just in Azerbaijan, and that’s where Chopurov is from.
Chopurov has been covered quite a bit by us. More notably, he was listed among five prospects who fought in March who are UFC-ready. I also did a piece highlighting the best prospect from each country that had him representing Azerbaijan, obviously.
Chopurov is a well-rounded bantamweight with an elite grappling game. He takes opponents down with ease, advances position, and is constantly hunting finishes, especially with his trademark rear-naked choke. On the feet, he attacks the lead leg with heavy low kicks. He also mixes in sharp elbows and counterstrikes off level-change feints.
Bantamweight – Ali Taleb (12-2)
Taleb is coming off a loss, but it was to Taylor Lapilus, and that dude is one of the most underrated fighters in the world. Some may forget that Taleb was the 2024 PFL 2024 tournament winner. Before that, he was the UAE Warriors bantamweight champion, knocking out Vinicius Oliveira.
Taleb is a heavy-handed striker with seven career knockouts. He’s a Muay Thai-based fighter coming out with a high guard and throwing the kitchen sink. He favors low calf kicks, knees, elbows, and will load up with those clubbing hands. Taleb has a dangerous guillotine but an underrated ground game overall. He’s not someone you wanna trade with at all. He’s capable of getting outpointed, as he’s not the most technical fighter.
Taleb fights three-time Road to UFC fighter Peter Danesoe. If Taleb wins that, and I expect he will, I can see him signed to the UFC directly.
Flyweight – Tumelo Manyamala (8-1)
Manyamala, I covered going into his season of The Ultimate Fighter 33. Going into the breakdown, I said he was talented but outmatched, and that he was. He lost to Roybert Echeverria, getting drowned in round two, losing by submission. Since then, Manyamala has gone 2-0 and won the EFC flyweight championship. Now, he’s chasing his first win in the UAE Warriors cage.
Manyamala is a lanky striker who knows how to use his reach effectively, keeping opponents at the end of his punches and kicks. While his technique can get a bit wide, he does mix in a sharp jab and a clean one-two at times. Manyamala can be effective on the feet, but his striking defense is a concern, as he often drops his hands, leaving his chin exposed. He’s still raw and unpolished, with major weaknesses in his takedown defense and ground game. He frequently gives up his back or exposes his neck, while his lack of strength allows opponents to control him in the clinch and on the mat.
I still have him as someone to watch because he has the tools. He just needs the experience and proper training to get the best out of him. I do think he beats an aging Victor Nunes, which will look good on his resume.
Lightweight – Ramazan Ragimov (7-0)
Ragimov is a tall featherweight but is not fighting at lightweight moving on. On the feet, he’s comfortable both at range and in close. At range, he’s a dangerous kickboxer, and on the inside, his Thai clinch is nasty with elbows and knees. He times his takedowns well and does a good job securing them out of the clinch. On top, Ragimov is very sticky. He has two wins by ground-and-pound and two by submission. In his last fight, he won largely due to control. He’s slick at taking the back, and with his long frame, he’s tough to shake off.
Ragimov fights 37-year-old Yazid Chouchane (11-5). If Ragimov wants to be taken seriously, he has to find a finish in this fight.
Bantamweight – Pavel Andrusca (7-0)
Two of our top ten prospects are on this card. One is Chopurov, and the other is Andrusca, who is ranked #7. Andrusca is coming off a win over Road to UFC alum Daermisi Zhawupasi. He’s one of my personal favorites due to his upside.
Andrusca is a 24-year-old bantamweight from Moldova who has impressed early in his career. A two-time European Freestyle Wrestling Championships bronze medalist, wrestling is clearly his biggest strength. He sets up his takedowns well, finishes effectively in open space or against the cage. He can also seamlessly chain attempts together when necessary.
Once on top, he delivers punishing ground-and-pound while advancing position with strong guard passing and control. Although he has just one submission win, his grappling is highly effective due to his positional dominance. His striking remains less tested, but he looks comfortable on the feet, uses feints and punches well to create takedown entries, and has shown legitimate knockout power. At this stage, there are very few obvious weaknesses in his game.
Flyweight – Ata Atdayev (6-0)
Atdayev returned to the cage last May after being away from the sport for five years. It was at UAE Warriors 70, against Dzhafar Nuraliev, that he submitted him in round two. Now it seems like he’s focused on getting some cage time in.
Atdayev made his name in the IMMAF, compiling a 10-1 amateur record while winning both World and European gold medals. His final two amateur victories over Israel Galvan and Ruslan Satiev have aged well, highlighting the level of competition he faced.
Since turning pro, Atdayev has rounded out his game considerably. Wrestling remains his foundation, using constant movement, excellent timing, and relentless pressure to secure takedowns. On the feet, he’s become much more polished, fighting with speed and fluidity while showcasing a diverse kicking arsenal that targets all levels and occasionally incorporates spinning attacks.
Atdayev fights Paul Victor (10-1), who is a talented Brazilian. He’s a good prospect in his own right. For an in-depth read on him, you can click here, written by our Drew Beaupre.
*I also wanna give a mention to Shamidkhan Magomedov (11-1). He’s 31, so not a prospect. Still, he’s a former LFA champ and was on TUF 32. The problem in the past was a lack of killer instinct, but he has four finishes in a row. He’s done more than enough to have a UFC opportunity.
Strawweight – Océane Samson (3-0) Vs. Elene Loladze (3-0)
The lone women’s fight on the card is also one of the most intriguing. France’s Océane “La Patronne” Samson makes her first professional appearance outside her home country to take on undefeated Georgian prospect Elene Loladze in a high-level strawweight matchup.
Samson enters with a perfect 3-0 professional record after putting together an impressive 11-2 amateur résumé. The 29-year-old Ghost Arena product established herself as one of Europe’s top amateurs by winning the 2024 IMMAF Flyweight World Championship before capturing France’s MMA Academy tournament, earning her move to the professional ranks. Since signing with Hexagone MMA, she has finished all three opponents. She scored first-round TKO victories over Anna-Louise Burns and María Rodríguez before submitting Alice Blackman with a rear-naked choke. A former taekwondo practitioner with 14 years of experience, Samson combines technical striking with an increasingly dangerous submission game. Outside the cage, the Normandy native works full-time as a police officer in Lyon while chasing her dream of reaching the UFC.
Standing across from her is another undefeated prospect with elite amateur credentials. Loladze is also 3-0 as a professional after building her foundation on the GAMMA circuit before relocating to Thailand to train full-time at Tiger Muay Thai. The Georgian won gold at the 2022 GAMMA European Championships in Tbilisi. She then earned bronze at the 2023 GAMMA World Championships, highlighted by a victory over previously unbeaten Polish standout Karolina Chłobuszewska in the European final. Since turning pro in 2024, she has picked up two first-round TKO victories before showing her composure in a unanimous decision win over Sarah Mahmood at ONE Friday Fights. A Muay Thai-based striker known for her sharp knees and powerful combinations, Loladze continues to round out her game. She trains alongside some of the world’s best fighters in Phuket.
Samson enters as the more highly regarded prospect, with many viewing the IMMAF world champion as the favorite to continue her rise toward the UFC. However, this is a massive opportunity for Loladze. Against the toughest opponent of her career, the Georgian has the chance to prove her undefeated record is no fluke. She can also establish herself as one of Europe’s top strawweight prospects.
Flyweight – Sahil Shakirov (3-0)
Azerbaijan has been producing a wave of exciting MMA prospects, and Sahil Shakirov is another bantamweight beginning to make serious noise on the regional scene. He enters this matchup with a perfect 3-0 professional record. However, his résumé extends well beyond his short time in the professional ranks.
Before turning pro, Shakirov established himself as one of the world’s top amateurs, winning the 2024 MMA World Championship in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia. He then added another major accolade with gold at the 2025 IMMAF European Championship. His amateur success proved he could compete against elite-level opposition, and he has carried that momentum into his professional career.
Training out of Fighter Gorec 86 in Baku, Shakirov has been dominant, finishing all three of his opponents in the first round. Despite being undersized for the bantamweight division, he has consistently found finishes through his explosive striking, sharp instincts, and ability to capitalize on openings.
He’ll look to keep that streak alive Thursday against fellow unbeaten prospect Salih Muradov (3-0), who has yet to face an opponent with Shakirov’s level of experience or accomplishments. It’s a big opportunity for the Azerbaijani standout to showcase his skills on a larger stage and strengthen his case as one of the top bantamweight prospects outside the UFC.
