5 Welterweight Prospects the UFC Should Sign

We continue our "Prospects the UFC Should Sign" series, which will take us division by division, breaking down the top prospects who should be signed by the company.

The welterweight division is one of the most talent-laden divisions in the UFC, hosting such fighters as Johny Hendricks, Jake Ellenberger and champion Georges St-Pierre. However, the UFC should continue to build for the future.

Here are five welterweights the UFC should sign to continue adding depth to the division.

Note: Here is last year's top-five list. Of the five, Gunnar Nelson and Kenny Robertson were signed by the UFC. 

Ryan Ford

Record: 20-4

Last Fight: Knockout victory vs. Brandon Tierney

I'm not sure if Ryan Ford is still contracted by Bellator, but if he is free from them, the UFC should sign the Canadian. He is a powerhouse who is continually improving since settling in at Tristar Gym.

Ford is a savage on the feet. He has won 11 of his fights via knockout. His ground game isn't great, but it has definitely developed to a point where he can hold his own in the wrestling and jiu-jitsu department.

He has beaten some tough guys, including Luis Santos, Karo Parisyan, Pete Spratt and Tom Speer. He could make a real splash in the UFC's 170-pound division.

Cathal Pendred

Record: 12-2

Last Fight: Unanimous decision victory vs. Gael Grimaud

Ireland's Conor McGregor made a splash over the weekend at UFC on Fuel TV in Sweden, but fellow countryman Cathal Pendred is also a top-notch fighter. Pendred is the Cage Warriors welterweight champion, an accomplishment he earned in his latest outing against Gael Grimaud.

Pendred is well-rounded, but owns all of his stoppages by knockout. Notably, he has defeated the likes of Bruno Carvalho, David Bielkhaden and Nicholas Musoke.

Ireland may be on the verge of becoming a well of talent, and Pendred could lead more Irishmen into the ranks of the UFC.

Jim Wallhead

Record: 24-7

Last Fight: Submission victory vs. Matt Veach

"Judo" Jim Wallhead is a veteran of the Bellator welterweight tournaments, but has never won the entire thing. With that being said, he is a well-rounded guy who has faced some stiff competition.

The scrappy Brit owns seven knockouts and 10 submissions to date. He owns wins over UFC veterans Matt Veach, Frank Trigg and Che Mills.

Wallhead brings an exciting brand of fighting to the cage and the UFC could benefit from his popularity in England.

Assan Njie

Record: 13-2

Last Fight: Unanimous decision victory vs. Morten Djursaa

The UFC just held a show in Sweden and it would have been great if Swedish prospect Assan Njie was on the card. Unfortunately for him, he wasn't, but he should get a show in the near future.

Njie is a solid grappler, but is pretty solid in every aspect of fighting. Eight of his wins have come via submission, proving his grappling chops are for real.

A list of his victims include Stevie Ray and UFC veteran Sean Salmon. 

Tyler Stinson

Record: 24-9

Last Fight: Knockout victory vs. Zac Kelley

When the Strikeforce veterans moved over to the UFC, I was quite disappointed to not see Tyler Stinson migrate over. He is an exciting fighter with a long, lanky frame and nasty power in his hands. 

Not only is he a veteran of Strikeforce, but Stinson has fought for Bellator. Stinson owns notable wins over Eduardo Pamplona, Nate James, Drew Fickett and Yasubey Enomoto.

Getting this power striker with his 6'3" frame on the roster would be great for the UFC. Plus, at age 27, he has fought 33 times, so he is a seasoned vet.