Undefeated Ins and Outs: October 2025

Author: James Colwell (@JamesLikesMMA on Twitter)

October was another busy month for MMA’s undefeated fighters, with DWCS wrapping up and lots of high-level regional action. Many exciting new prospects emerged, and unfortunately, some had to leave to make room for them. As always, I’ve got you covered so you can track tomorrow’s biggest stars. After you’ve checked out who’s joining and leaving, be sure to read my October Undefeated Update, tracking all the other undefeated fighters who fought this month. If you’re new, here’s an introduction to the rankings and my grading system, and check out my previous Ins and Outs or Undefeated Updates if you need more undefeated prospect action.

Best New Prospects:

1. Gadzhimurad Aliev: 10-0, 10/100
2. Evgeniy Antonov: 5-0, 2.5/100
3. Ezequiel Peralta: 5-0, 2.5/100

Just 3 top prospects this month, with Aliev the real standout after ending a long period of inactivity. There’s still lots of other exciting additions to the rankings, but many of them are still early in their careers and are relatively unproven so can’t be graded too highly.

Summary of Changes:

Bantamweight was hit hard in October with lots of prospects suffering their first defeats or becoming inactive. However, there’s still lots of good talent there globally. Featherweight picked up an impressive five new prospects, and new heavyweights were also unusually abundant this month.

Heavyweights:

New prospects:

Javad Mahjoub
Age: 33
Record: 4-0
Representing: Canada
Initial grade: 1.5

Any form of grappling is a good base for MMA success and that’s especially true at the higher weight classes. Mahjoub has represented Iran as one of the top judokas in Asia and the Middle East for many years, though he never reached world-class status.

He switched to MMA when he was already 30 and hasn’t been super active since then but has picked up two notable wins. His debut came against Jesus Navarrete (7-1, 0.5/100), a chunky power-puncher who had earned a grade by obliterating weaker opposition. Javad was able to finish him with GnP in less than two minutes in a total mismatch on the ground then got two more R1 KOs against old and overmatched opponents.

His second notable win came by decision over Gamzat Sirazhudinov (2-0 but one of Russia’s best as an amateur) in a strange one-off event held this month in Korea. Mahjoub also fought in Brazil in September so he’s clearly willing to go anywhere to find fights and seems to be making a push to build his record after a couple years of inactivity. A few more good wins could get him attention from the PFL or a title shot for a big regional promotion in Canada or the US.

Kacper Paczóski
Age: ?
Record: 4-0
Representing: Poland
Initial grade: 1

Poland consistently produces massive athletes who sometimes emerge as heavyweight prospects, and Paczóski certainly has the frame to be a problem in MMA. Listed at 6’7” or 6’8”, he boasts a huge, muscular frame, though he carries a bit of extra fat.

He went 3-0 as an amateur and is now 4-0 as a pro, with all his fights ending by KO in the first or second round. None of his opponents were much of a test until his KSW debut this month against Denis Górniak (6-2), who was out of shape but still a capable finisher.

Paczóski sometimes used his reach on the feet but was often sloppy, though he showed solid grappling, particularly once he secured top position after some early clinch struggles. In Round 2, he maintained a heavy base and dropped massive elbows to secure the TKO. His ceiling will depend heavily on his age, which I haven’t been able to find.

Daniil Matsola
Age: 27
Record: 5-0
Representing: Russia
Initial grade: 0.5

Matsola has only been a professional fighter for a year but he’s already built a solid resume with all of his wins coming by R1/2 finish. He’s got a good frame for the division and is big without carrying too much excess fat.

Tapology only has a single amateur loss on his record against quality prospect Gamzat Sirazhudinov but there are lots of unrecorded bouts in Russia so it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s had other ammy fights that we don’t know about.

While his finishing has been prolific, his opponents’ combined 39-35 record shows they’ve been average at best, with most of that experience coming from Daniil’s most recent 50-second KO of Brazilian journeyman Flavio Magon (24-19). His cardio and overall skill are still mostly untested but he already has his ACA debut booked in early November against Dmitriy Vezhenko (10-2), which will be a great test of Matsola’s level.

Removed:

Slim Trabelsi: 8-1
Grade: 30 (-15)

I still think Trabelsi is a top-level fighter as he’s consistently beaten graded opponents throughout his career but he had the bad luck to run into a true juggernaut. It’s interesting that he weighed in at just 233 pounds for this fight, as he’s always been a smaller HW but is usually closer to 240. I have to wonder if a move to LHW is in his future, as he’s not tall either at 6’1”, and the size/power difference between him and Rahmani was clear.

Light Heavyweights:

New prospects:

Jake Craig
Age: 33
Record: 4-0
Representing: Canada
Initial grade: 1

Craig is a powerful but slightly sloppy striker who does some boxing and bare-knuckle but hasn’t rounded out his skillset much. He’s only viable as a prospect at the highest weight classes but he’s been successful so far, going 4-0 both as an amateur and a pro.

Most of his fights have been at heavyweight since he carries some extra fat but he’s done well to improve his physique gradually and LHW is a much more natural fit for him. Almost his entire career has taken place for Unified MMA and he took a big step forward by knocking out UFC veteran Jared Vanderaa (17-11) with punches in the first round to claim their 205 pound title this month.

Beating someone with so much more experience, including at the highest level, is a good sign for his future. Vanderaa was actually on a 5-fight win streak coming in, so it’s not like he was out there just to cash a check either.

Craig’s only decision in his career came against Jimmy Hinel (3-0), who I’d expected to cause problems with wrestling but Jake was able to survive it and do good work on the feet to take the win. I think a true grappler would be able to handle him but with decent matchmaking he should pick up more wins before then.

Removed:

Yilizhati Maimaitijiang: 6-1
Grade: 0 (-0.5)

At just 24 years old, Maimaitijiang was one of the youngest LHW prospects in these rankings. He was also the only East Asian representative in the higher weight classes. He has the musclebound physique and 100% finishing rate of a top prospect but had never fought anyone with a record better than 1-0 before this month. This was a big step up and a decision loss shows that Yilizhati isn’t ready for it yet. He still has lots of time to improve but I’ll need to see wins against legitimate competition to put him back in my comprehensive rankings.

Middleweights:

New prospects:

Not a good month for unbeaten 185ers, as no one new stepped up to replace the departing prospects.

Removed:

Murat Khasanov: 6-0-1
Grade: 6

Khasanov did most of his fighting at welterweight between 2016-2018 and wrestled his way to some good decisions along the way. He then disappeared for five years, returned for a decision win against a mediocre opponent for ACA Young Eagles. Now, he’s gone missing again for another two years. While he’s given precedent for reappearances, he’s now 34 so that may have been the last we see of him.

Alimkhan Dzhamulaev: 6-1
Grade: 1 (-1)

Dzhamulaev is a natural lightweight who was listed at 185 pounds after taking an amateur fight to stay active during a couple of years of inactivity with ACA Young Eagles. His prior competition wasn’t strong (12-7 combined record), but his aggression, technical ability, and athleticism in his early 20s made him a hot prospect in Russia’s top feeder promotion.

He returned to pro action at welterweight against Rustam Khadisgadzhiev (8-1, 5/100) on short notice, which appeared to significantly impact his gas tank. In Round 1, Dzhamulaev comfortably outstruck his opponent, using his speed and well-placed punches to force repeated single-leg takedowns that he defended and reversed along the fence, doing damage while controlling the fight. The round included dynamic scrambles that drained both men, but Dzhamulaev suffered most.

By Round 2, after defending one takedown, he was visibly fatigued once his back hit the mat in the center of the cage. He absorbed increasing ground-and-pound damage and eventually exposed his back. In Round 3, he attempted a takedown to regain momentum but lacked the energy to sustain it and was mauled by elbows after being reversed into a ¾ mount. Despite trying to escape, he couldn’t create space, and the referee stepped in to protect him.

At 24, Dzhamulaev is still very young. He’s only gone to a decision once, and gas tank issues hadn’t appeared in his previous fights, suggesting short notice played a major role. Hopefully, his next matchup will be back at his natural weight class with proper preparation, allowing him to showcase the potential he displayed earlier in his career.

Mario Mingaj: 7-1
Grade: 0.5 (-2)

Welterweights:

New prospects:

James Martin
Age: 31
Record: 5-0
Representing: United States
Initial grade: 2

Martin is a bit older for a rising prospect, but he brings plenty to the table. He’s a muscular six-footer with strong BJJ that powered him to a 7-2 amateur record—all seven wins coming by submission using six different techniques, showing his ability to attack every limb and position. That grappling translated immediately to the pros, where he scored an upset triangle choke over the highly regarded M.A. Yah II (2-0, 1/100) in Round 3 of his LFA debut.

He’s also begun to round out his striking, flashing real power with a first-minute head-kick knockout of Spencer Oberbroeckling, himself a highly successful amateur. His two fights in 2025 pushed him against more seasoned opponents, and he delivered: forcing Johnny Hopper (8-5) to retire after Round 1, then submitting former UFC fighter Brandon Jenkins (16-10) in the first round to capture a 165-pound title for Iowa-based Caged Aggression. Jenkins was never true UFC level and the matchup favored Martin stylistically, but finishing someone with more than six times his professional experience remains a meaningful benchmark.

LFA should bring him back soon—he needs activity to capitalize on what’s left of his prime—and a drop to lightweight may even be possible given he weighed only 162 pounds earlier this year.

Thomas Blackorby
Age: 23
Record: 5-0
Representing: United States
Initial grade: 1

It’s rare for a small regional show like Caged Aggression to produce two ranked prospects from a single event—let alone from the same weight class—but that’s exactly what happened with Thomas Blackorby and James Martin. The promotion smartly awarded them title shots at 170 and 165 pounds to avoid an early clash, and while Thomas carries a lower grade for now due to weaker opposition, his long-term upside is likely higher given his youth.

Blackorby has never been beaten, compiling a 4-0 amateur record that included a Caged Aggression title before starting his pro career undefeated as well. His first four pro opponents, however, combined for a modest 6-7 record, and although his title foe Kyron Bowen (10-10) had far more experience, he’s a diminished version of the fighter who once appeared on DWCS. Even so, Blackorby did exactly what he was supposed to do: finish everyone. His second-round KO of Bowen extended his overall win streak to nine and showed he’s doing his job at this level.

He’s absolutely a prospect to watch, but a tougher test is needed before we can properly gauge where he truly stands.

Removed:

Baysangur Chamsoudinov: 9-1
Grade: 20 (-20)

Chamsoudinov—better known as Baki—suffered arguably the most high-profile upset of any fighter to drop from the rankings in October. Long viewed as a future superstar, he built his reputation early with a rare blend of athleticism, fight IQ, wrestling, and natural knockout power that made him a nightmare matchup for nearly everyone. Ares has consistently paired him with other undefeated prospects since he was 4-0, giving him plenty of chances to prove his style holds up against real competition.

PFL put him on an even bigger stage last year against Cédric Doumbé (5-0, 6.5/100), a fight Baki won under controversial circumstances after a splinter forced a stoppage in Round 3. Although he’s reportedly still under PFL contract, he’s only competed for Ares in 2025 and finally captured their title earlier this year with a dominant wrestling performance against the undersized Thiago Lima (10-1, 1.5/100).

For his first defense against Jordan Zébo (8-1), Baki tried a similar blueprint—use his faster hands to crash distance, then grind from cage wrestling and top control. But Zébo was the first opponent in a long time who could match his raw physicality and repeatedly shut down his guard-passing attempts. As the fight wore on, that resistance forced Baki to burn far more energy than usual. By Round 3 he was slowing noticeably, and Zébo was able to explode back to his feet several times. Baki kept shooting, but the returns diminished quickly.

By Round 4 he was clearly fading, retreating more often and leaving openings for damage. His takedowns had lost their bite, and although he blocked most of the incoming power shots, a clean left hook finally found the mark and ended his night.

Baysangur is still an elite talent, but this loss underscores the one area he must tighten up: managing his cardio when faced with opponents he can’t simply overwhelm early.

Ayinda Octave: 7-1
Grade: 0.5 (-1)

Octave entered the rankings in August but exits only a couple of months later after failing to rise to the challenge in his first matchup against a graded opponent, Shido Boris Esperança (10-1, 4.5/100). The fight exposed both the strengths and limitations of his current skillset. A glancing left hook in the opening seconds was powerful enough to drop Esperança, but Ayinda rushed into the follow-up and was quickly reversed on the ground. His raw athleticism allowed him to escape several bad positions, yet it was evident that his BJJ and wrestling were nowhere near his opponent’s level.

Even when he managed to stand, he gave up his back far too easily along the fence, leading to repeated takedowns and prolonged control. Octave continued working hard to improve position but was consistently a beat behind defensively, absorbing increasing damage as the rounds wore on. Ultimately, he was flattened out from back mount and finished with heavy hooks for a TKO loss.

His heart, explosiveness, and physicality keep him in the “prospect” conversation, but he’ll need significant technical refinement—particularly in grappling—before he can compete effectively with higher-level opponents.

Donovan Hedrick: 6-1
Grade: 0 (-1)

Hedrick moved up to middleweight on less than a week’s notice to face Luis Felipe Dias (15-5) on DWCS. While Dias is also a former 170-pounder, the size difference was significant, and Hedrick quickly discovered the challenge of grappling with a stronger opponent. His regional wins—including a 5-0 amateur run—came largely against inexperienced or low-level competition, so despite an 11-fight win streak, he wasn’t prepared for this step up.

On tape, Hedrick looked athletic, but after more than a year off and a short-notice call, he clearly wasn’t in peak condition and began to tire in Round 2. He showed a decent jab and landed a few timed calf kicks, but offered little else on the feet, even against an opponent who wasn’t particularly threatening. He managed to escape some grappling exchanges in Round 1 without spending too much time on the bottom, but by Round 2 his energy was fading. When his takedown was reversed and his back was taken, it was only a matter of time before Dias secured a rear-naked choke.

Hedrick has basic BJJ fundamentals and is willing to shoot for takedowns, but he hasn’t demonstrated advanced skills in any area of MMA. He’ll likely return to regional competition, where he can continue “can-crushing,” but he is unlikely to be relevant beyond his local circuit.

Lightweights:

New prospects:

Evgeniy Antonov
Age: 26
Record: 5-0
Representing: Russia
Initial grade: 2.5

ONE Championship may be on the decline as an MMA promotion, but their scouting in Russia has consistently been strong. The Friday Fights series, in particular, has uncovered a number of talents who later appear on the organization’s bigger cards. Antonov could be their next gem. He pairs strong offensive wrestling with efficient striking, though his takedown defense still needs work. At 5’9”, he’s undersized for his division, but his muscular frame helps mitigate strength disadvantages. That said, long, mobile strikers could give him trouble if he can’t bring the fight to the mat.

Before signing with ONE last year, he picked up three wins in Russia, including a vicious ground-and-pound finish of Islam Kukaev (4-1) late in Round 1, after being held down earlier in the fight. After more than a year of inactivity, Antonov returned successfully against his first graded opponent and a dangerous grappler, Suleyman Suleymanov (10-1, 1/100), securing a decision win. The next step will be to see where he fights next—and whether he can maintain consistent activity to continue progressing.

Bulach Magomedov
Age: Late 20s
Record: 8-0
Representing: Russia
Grade: 1.5 (+1)

Any fan of prospects knows that Dagestan is overflowing with talent, but the region lacks well-established promotions. Most fighters eventually filter into the ACA system in neighboring Chechnya, yet many promising athletes still fall through the cracks. Ural FC held its first event in Dagestan in October and signed several previously inactive fighters, including Bulach, who hadn’t fought since August 2022. While his exact age isn’t listed, he was in his mid-20s during his last fight, so he should still be under 30.

Bulach is primarily a wrestler, and his prior win came via second-round guillotine over Bobur Abdulazimov (14-6), a journeyman who nonetheless represented a meaningful step up after Bulach’s first six opponents combined for a 6-5-1 record. This month, he faced Maksim Kirzo (8-4), a striker with an inconsistent record but three consecutive title wins, including a reputable belt in Open FC. Once again, Bulach proved capable at a higher level, securing a decision victory by using his grappling control to neutralize Kirzo’s stand-up offense.

The key question now is whether he can maintain activity following this return to MMA.

Asadbek Saidov
Age: 24
Record: 6-0
Representing: Uzbekistan
Initial grade: 1

Saidov is another undefeated but under-the-radar Central Asian prospect who’s quietly built a strong resume in Octagon. He isn’t the biggest fighter nor a freakish athlete, but he possesses legitimate power and versatile striking, which has led to four career KOs. Highlights include a body-kick finish in 89 seconds and a spinning backfist in 42, made all the more impressive given that his opponents were 4-0 and 3-0 at the time.

His overall competition has been solid for an early-career regional fighter, with a combined record of 15-5, showing he isn’t padding his resume like many of his contemporaries. His only decision win came in his most recent fight against Validjon Radjabov (5-2), the most experienced opponent he’s faced to date. With several other undefeated lightweight prospects still in Octagon, his next few matchups could be crucial in separating himself as a true top-tier contender.

Removed:

Mansur Dadaev: 7-1
Grade: 1 (-2)

Dzhamal Mavliudov: 6-1
Grade: 0.5 (-1.5)

Following his August win, I called for Mavliudov to get tested by a gatekeeper if he wanted to substantially increase his grade. That’s exactly the matchup he got against Dedrek Sanders (9-5), whose record isn’t the best but has pulled off high-level wins. Unfortunately for Dzhamal, he’s not ready for even that level of MMA and showed worryingly bad grappling from his back once his opponent took him down. He was worn down, beaten up, and eventually TKOed in R3 by some big elbows. He’s young enough and has shown the finishing potential to not remove him entirely from my comprehensive rankings, but there’s major work to do.

Brock Hamer: 4-1
Grade: 0 (-2.5)

Hamer is a tall, athletic grappler who went 8-3 as an amateur, with most of his wins coming by submission, though he tended to lose to his top-level opponents. His early pro ranking came from three quick first-round submissions over weak competition, followed by a breakout split-decision victory over UFC veteran Darrick Minner (26-14, 15/100). While Minner was coming off a long layoff and moving up in weight, the win was still notable given he had more than ten times Hamer’s experience.

That said, I didn’t grade Hamer as highly as Minner might suggest—Minner had been overrated and was clearly past his prime, a view reinforced when Hamer suffered his first professional loss via second-round triangle submission to a 2-2 opponent in a title shot that appeared set up in his favor. Hamer is still early in his career and can rebuild his prospect status, but this is a disappointing first defeat.

Jose Mendez: 8-1
Grade: 0 (-1)

Mendez is an undersized grappler who parlayed his submission skills, especially a nasty back take and RNC, into four amateur submissions in a 6-1 run to go with six more submissions as a pro. He was riding a 12-fight win streak into October but had been dominating pretty terrible competition while fighting mostly in and around Montana, with only a single opponent with a winning record (Lucas Marte, 7-5). Mendez got a more reasonable challenge against Darien Robinson (7-2), a dangerous finisher who ended up knocking him out in R1 and ending his unbeaten run. Jose has time to rebuild his career at 25 years old, but he’ll need to improve his striking game and potentially consider a drop to 145 pounds for a better chance at long-term success.

Anthony Desilva: 5-1
Grade: 0 (-1)

Desilva is an athletic prospect who entered the month riding an eight-fight winning streak, including three notable amateur victories. He’s been a finisher as a pro, with three KOs and two submissions, and broke out earlier this year in Combate with a second-round rear-naked choke over Michel Martinez (4-0). That performance earned him a spot in A1 Combat, California’s top promotion, and a step up in competition against Anthony Figueroa (7-1).

Desilva looked sharp in Round 1, using a long jab to set up powerful straight rights while disengaging effectively from grappling exchanges. But by Round 2, his cardio began to fade. Punches became sloppier, he was rocked a few times, and taken down, facing back-control threats before eventually escaping. Despite his efforts, he couldn’t stop the sustained pressure, and after absorbing significant unanswered strikes at the fence, the referee stopped the fight via TKO.

Although he has shown solid BJJ in the past, his wrestling looked limited in this bout, and it became clear why all his knockouts have come in the first round—his technique and power fall off sharply after roughly six minutes of fighting. Desilva has the skillset to succeed regionally, but at 27, his potential for next-level progression appears limited.

Featherweights:

New prospects:

Gadzhimurad Aliev
Age: 30
Record: 10-0
Representing: Russia
Grade: 10 (+2.5)

Aliev isn’t new to me as a prospect, but after not fighting since December 2022, he’s new to these rankings. He’s a fairly one-dimensional fighter, relying on grindy, controlling wrestling that won’t earn him any highlight-reel moments—but it’s effective, and he’s yet to be stopped even against other strong grapplers.

His 7-0 start—including two fights listed on Sherdog but not Tapology—came against regional competition, but he proved himself against higher-level prospects like Akhkubeg Omarov (7-0, 2/100) and Mansur Dzhamburaev (11-2, 2/100), outwrestling both for decision wins under Eagle FC. After the promotion went mostly dormant, Aliev resurfaced with ACA in a style-clash matchup against lethal KO artist Ortsa Gudaev (12-3, 5.5/100).

From the opening bell, it was clear Aliev wasn’t interested in striking, gradually retreating and circling the cage while absorbing only light jabs. Once in range, he exploded for takedowns, showcasing particularly clean single-leg entries. His body-lock control allowed repeated mat returns that drained Gudaev, and though he did minimal damage from top with short knees and occasional punches, his positional dominance was enough to clearly win Rounds 1 and 2.

In Round 3, his takedowns weren’t immediately effective, but once he secured one, he found his strongest position in half guard. Even without posturing up, he was able to land a bit more volume and seal a 30-27 decision. Aliev’s approach has limits—fighters with strong wrestling defense can neutralize him—but against top prospects in the division, his repeated success warrants an international-level grade.

Ezequiel Peralta
Age: 27
Record: 5-0
Representing: Dominican Republic
Initial grade: 2.5

Peralta is an athletic finisher, but I hadn’t considered him a serious prospect until his strong showing in his USA regional debut this month. Now the only Dominican in these rankings, Ezequiel went 3-0 as an amateur, knocking out all three opponents, then added another KO in his pro debut. After nearly three years off before turning professional—perhaps to sharpen his grappling—he recorded three consecutive RNC submissions, claiming a title in each fight.

Almost all of those bouts were in the Dominican Republic, with one detour to Colombia, and his opponents had a combined 16-15 record, so I initially chalked up his success to soft matchmaking. He was scheduled to make his American debut for LFA against a 4-2 fighter but instead took a short-notice call to face Mando Gutierrez (11-4, 1.5/100), an undersized yet tough wrestler. Peralta proved his grappling is up to ranked competition, earning the first decision win of his career and extending his streak to eight.

Having only turned pro in July 2024, if he maintains this level of activity and success, Peralta could emerge as a notable prospect in 2026.

Shane Collins
Age: 25
Record: 5-0
Representing: United States
Initial grade: 1

I first ranked Collins as a prospect during his 7-0 amateur run, which included winning the IMMAF Pan-American tournament in 2022. I removed him after a couple of losses, though his final 9-2 amateur record remained very solid. He’s been flawless as a pro, including four fights for A1 Combat, highlighted by an 82-second KO of Kody Vogels (6-2) that earned him their title in June.

Collins made his first title defense in a clash of undefeated up-and-comers against Eliab Evangelista (4-0), using pressure and a steady jab to control the pace. That opened up other striking opportunities, including effective body work. However, defensive lapses—dropping his guard and leaving his feet behind on combos—left him open to heavy counters and damaging kicks.

Both fighters were willing to trade over 15 minutes, with only a few clinches on the fence, most initiated by Collins in Round 3. He secured a 29-28 decision win in an exciting fight, demonstrating clear potential, though he still has significant work to do before reaching true top-prospect status.

Alastair Volders
Age: 26
Record: 5-0
Representing: Australia
Initial grade: 0.5

Volders is a tall, technically sound striker for the featherweight division (6’1”), though his 5-3 amateur record didn’t hint at his current prospect status. As a pro, he picked up four wins across various Australian promotions, highlighted by a third-round KO of Val Sharipov (3-0).

He made an impressive ONE Championship debut this month, landing a destructive head-kick KO early in Round 2 against another 3-0 opponent, Asadbek Erkinov. Volders enters at the lowest tier due to his inexperience against seasoned competition and limited evidence of wrestling defense. Still, his frame, relative youth, and finishing ability suggest intriguing potential if he continues to develop.

Jonathan Frazão
Age: 34
Record: 6-0
Representing: Brazil
Initial grade: 0.5

Removed:

Joo Sang Yoo: 9-1
Grade: 10 (-10)

Yoo entered the UFC with some hype after a dominant regional career in Korea, highlighted by a 75-second KO of Masuto Kawana (10-4, 0.5/100) in his final fight. He added to that momentum with a picture-perfect counter left-hook KO in his UFC debut, though his opponent, Jeka Saragih (14-4, 1/100), was one of the organization’s lowest-graded featherweights at the time.

Yoo faced his first real international-level test against Daniel Santos (12-2, 50/100), who demonstrated that someone could match—and exceed—his striking aggression. Yoo adjusted well after taking some big hooks, landing jabs to counter while targeting the lead calf whenever he could create space. He also read his opponent’s spinning attacks early, preventing them from landing cleanly, and limited damage after being held down for nearly a minute by constantly fighting for position.

Ken Sekeletu: 6-1
Grade: 6 (-0.5)

Sekeletu was the only undefeated Zambian prospect and one of my favorites from Africa, thanks to an exciting blend of speed, explosiveness, and dynamic striking. He compiled a 5-1 amateur record, falling short in his only IMMAF tournament, before knocking out four relatively easy opponents to start his pro career, all within EFC in South Africa.

His next two victories cemented his top-prospect status: wins over Jean-Jacques Lubaya (9-0, 2/100) and Roedie Roets (8-1, 1/100) are about as strong as you can get in that organization. However, his win over Roets was marred by elbows in Round 4 that landed on the back of the head, forcing Roets to retire between rounds—an illegal zone that caused issues again in his first title defense against Billy Oosthuizen (9-6).

This defense should have been a straightforward win for Sekeletu, and for a couple of rounds he was cruising. But he first lost a point for an illegal elbow to the back of the head, then was disqualified in Round 3 for a series of punches that again struck a dangerous area. His grade barely drops, as the loss wasn’t due to a lack of skill, but he clearly needs to clean up his accuracy and decision-making to avoid further foul issues.

Bantamweights:

New prospects:

Nauris Bartoska
Age: 25
Record: 5-0
Representing: Ireland
Initial grade: 1

Born in Lithuania but training out of Ireland and Thailand, Bartoska is an athletic prospect who lost his amateur debut at 17 but has since won eight straight fights, showcasing impressive finishing ability. All three of his amateur wins came in the first round, and four of his pro victories have also come before the bell. While he has a striking background and trains extensively at Tiger Muay Thai, he actually has more submission wins than KOs, highlighting a well-rounded skill set.

Most of his professional experience comes from the small Thai promotion IFL, where he won their inaugural bantamweight title last year via an 88-second KO of Norman Agcorpra (4-4). He fought at 140 pounds in his Brave debut, but 135 is likely his most natural division going forward. Bartoska’s most notable win came in Lithuania against the promising Jakub Drozdowski (5-1), forcing a doctor stoppage between rounds after doing enough damage in Round 1. Hopefully Brave can provide him with more opportunities outside his native country to continue his development.

Kaisar Zhaugashar
Age: 20s
Record: 6-0
Representing: Kazakhstan
Initial grade: 0.5

The 0.5 tier of my bantamweight rankings has cleared out in the last couple of months, so Zhaugashar enters as my lowest-ranked 135-pounder. He just hasn’t fought anyone good, though most of his opponents have been other beginners rather than true cans. He’s done what you want to see against weaker competition with four KOs and two SUBs. Five finishes in round one and is now 4-0 with Octagon. I can’t find an age listed for him, but he’s clearly not too old from the highlights I’ve watched. His next few fights will let us know if he’s a real prospect or not.

Removed:

Moris Boleyan: 9-0
Grade: 10

Boleyan is a highly promising prospect, combining strong wrestling with lethal chokes from anywhere on the mat, which has earned him eight submission victories. It’s disappointing that he’s been largely inactive. A natural flyweight, he moved up to 135 to fight twice for ONE Championship, winning both bouts in the first round, but hasn’t received another opportunity with the promotion.

He was scheduled to make his UAE Warriors debut in July against Magomed Idrisov (11-2)—a matchup I would have loved to see—but the fight was unfortunately cancelled. At just 26 years old, there’s plenty of time for him to return, and I’m eager to see him back in action.

Simbarashe Hokonya: 6-1
Grade: 10 (-5)

Hokonya received the highest initial grade I’ve given to a prospect in this series following his upset win over Frans Mlambo in July. Unfortunately for him, his PFL Africa bracket featured another international-level fighter in Nkosi Ndebele (9-3, 15/100). I had the two ranked closely in my comprehensive rankings, and that proved accurate.

Simbarashe was more effective in a cautious Round 1, landing powerful leg kicks and solid hooks, but he couldn’t implement the strong wrestling that earned him the Mlambo win. In Round 2, he was reversed and had his back taken during the longest ground exchange of the fight, clearly losing the round. By Round 3, Ndebele’s superior movement and straight boxing volume began to sway the scoring.

Hokonya still had notable moments and demonstrated the skillset that justifies his 10/100 grade, but it’s clear he needs more variety in his striking to succeed against opponents who can neutralize his grappling. The fight ended in a split decision, with one judge giving him an improbable 30-27 win, while the 28-29 scorecards for Ndebele aligned with what I observed. Despite this setback, PFL has discovered a talented prospect, and I expect to see Hokonya competing at a high level going forward.

Rustamzhon Negmatov: 10-1
Grade: 1 (-2.5)

Negmatov returned just six weeks after I projected him to win the JCK bantamweight tournament. Instead, he suffered the first loss of his career by decision against a quality opponent in Shaoxiang Wang (12-4). This is the sort of fight he should be winning if he’s ever going to become a top fighter. He stays in my rankings due to past success and the fact that his opponent is quite good despite not being elite.

Mekhroch Mamadshoev: 7-1
Grade: 0.5 (-1.5)

Mamadshoev is a 6’ tall striker—a rare height for a 135-pound fighter—who has picked up several impressive KOs, including a well-timed knee, while building his record in small regional shows before a 3-0 stint with ACA Young Eagles. However, his toughest opponent during that run was 3-0, and his only other test came against a fighter with a poor 12-14 record.

After more than a year of inactivity, it was surprising to see him called up to an ACA card, even on the prelims, without further testing. He lost a decision to Magomed Sardalov (7-2) and will likely return to weaker competition to rebuild his prospect status.

Wiley Rengifo: 6-0
Grade: 0.5

Rengifo is an unknown quantity, as I can’t even find an age listed for him online. He went 3-1 as an amateur without being challenged, then crushed cans as a pro (5-13 opponents’ combined record). This led to him being the lowest rated of my undefeated bantamweights, #89/89. He’s been inactive for two years, but had a debut fight for Fusion FC fall through in May, so maybe he’ll fight for them later this year or in 2026, and we’ll all get a sense of who he is as a fighter.

Baymen Nurzhigit: 7-1-2
Grade: 0.5 (-0.5)

Nurzhigit is unusual among undefeated prospects, having recorded two draws, including a June bout against Amirkhon Atakhanov (7-4). Despite this, he was given a title shot against rising prospect Ruslan Kasymaly uulu (10-0, 5.5/100).

A quality wrestler, Nurzhigit showed solid submission defense and decent top control in the fight, which I covered in detail in the main October Undefeated Update. However, his striking is quite basic, and his cardio waned by the end, leaving me to credit him with only one round.

This was a tough matchup that few expected him to win, so merely staying competitive for 25 minutes and never being thoroughly outclassed is enough for him to remain a fringe prospect in my comprehensive rankings.

Shazada Ataev: 6-1
Grade: 0 (-1)

Ataev is a tall, lanky grappler who scored five first-round finishes against weak competition in Russia before earning a spot in the undefeated rankings with his ONE Championship debut, submitting Jean Claude Saclag (4-1) via second-round armbar.

This month, he suffered his first professional loss to Mehrab Mammadzade (2-0), who weathered Ataev’s strong first round and demonstrated superior cardio to secure a rear-naked choke late in Round 3. Losing this type of fight suggests Ataev’s ceiling may be limited, though he should still be able to accumulate more finishes at a regional level.

I considered ranking Mammadzade for the victory, but I will wait to see if he can produce at least one more notable result before including him.

Flyweights:

New prospects:

Nikolay Atanasov
Age: 24
Record: 5-0
Representing: Bulgaria
Initial grade: 1

Atanasov is an athletic grappler just entering his prime, and his Brave debut this month suggests his growth potential is high. He went 1-2 as an amateur, but one loss was to Muhammad Mokaev and the other was a split decision, so I don’t weigh those too heavily.

As a pro, he’s faced solid competition on paper (opponents’ combined record 15-1), though some of those fighters padded their resumes. Still, this places him above the typical regional talent. He has shown strong submission skills—the foundation of his style—with three rear-naked chokes and an armbar in just 55 seconds last year.

After over a year of inactivity, Atanasov returned for a competitive split-decision win over Adigozel Guliyev (3-0), which was rightly awarded to him. He has yet to fight outside his home country, so it will be key to see if Brave books him internationally in the future. Doing so could accelerate his development if he has the talent, or otherwise, he may remain a hometown one-off from their Sofia show.

Removed:

Clinton Kenin D’Cruz: 6-0
Grade: 1

Road to UFC has shown that MMA in India still has a long way to go, but D’Cruz was one of my favorite prospects from the country when he was last active. At 5’9”, he’s tall for his division, athletic, and has demonstrated creative grappling alongside competent striking. His opponents have a solid combined record of 25-10, though most of those wins came against weaker competition.

Clinton appeared poised to be a centerpiece star for Matrix Fight Night, earning five wins for what has become the biggest promotion in an underdeveloped scene. Unfortunately, he’s been inactive with no indication of when—or if—he will return to MMA.

Juan Trujillo: 6-1
Grade: 0 (-0.5)

Trujillo emerged as a prospect in Colombia with a 7-2 amateur record, then built his pro resume against weak competition, with five of his wins coming by first-round finish. He entered his ONE Championship debut riding a 12-fight winning streak, facing Jean Claude Saclag (4-2). However, his lack of experience against real competition was quickly exposed when he was KOed in the first round by a liver-crushing spinning body kick.

That’s all for this month, but be sure to check back in a few weeks for the November edition and find your next favorite undefeated prospect!