Sergio Pettis and the 10 Best RFA Veterans in the UFC Right Now
Brother to the UFC lightweight champion, Sergio Pettis didn't immediately rise to the top in his own division. However, at 21 years old, he has the potential to be a contender at 135 pounds.
On Saturday, Pettis will meet Matt Hobar on the UFC 181 preliminary card. The matchup will give Pettis a good chance to record consecutive victories for the first time in his young UFC career.
He is one of many young stars to emerge from RFA, a promotion that has positioned itself as a proving ground for fighters who are looking to earn their way onto the UFC roster. It's a unique approach, but RFA appears to be doing exactly what it set out to do.
Here are the 10 best UFC fighters to have competed under the RFA banner.
10. Mirsad Bektic
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At 23 years old, American Top Team product Mirsad Bektic could end up much farther up this list as his career moves on.
In his UFC debut, which went down in April, Bektic edged Chas Skelly on the scorecards. While it wasn't an overly impressive win at the time, Skelly has rebounded with two impressive wins over Sean Soriano and Tom Niinimaki. So, Bektic's stock has risen along with Skelly's.
Undefeated in eight MMA bouts, including two with RFA, Bektic is primed to become a serious player in the featherweight division.
9. Alan Jouban
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Alan Jouban suffered his first UFC loss in November, but that didn't erase the potential he displayed in his Octagon debut.
In August, he was introduced to UFC fans with an opening-round knockout win over Seth Baczynski, a proven veteran with victories over Matt Brown and Neil Magny. The victory came on the heels of a 3-1 run with RFA, where Jouban defeated Strikeforce veteran Chris Spang.
Being 32 years old, Jouban isn't as ripe as many of the other competitors on this list. However, his finishing ability—he has seven knockouts in 10 MMA wins—makes him a dangerous opponent for a lot of welterweights.
8. Sergio Pettis
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Sergio Pettis went undefeated in nine bouts before joining the UFC roster, and two of those fights took place under the RFA banner.
With a win over Will Campuzano in his Octagon debut, Pettis showed his hype was justified. However, a follow-up loss to Alex Caceres delayed Pettis' rise to the top. Since then, he has rebounded with a victory over Yaotzin Meza.
Another win over Matt Hobar this weekend would likely earn Pettis a step up in competition. With his name, he will always be a couple of wins away from big fights.
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7. James Krause
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James Krause has appeared with several noteworthy MMA promotions, but it was a 5-0 run with RFA that finally earned him a spot on the UFC roster.
He has had some ups and downs inside the Octagon, but Krause looks to have a solid future in the UFC lightweight division. At 28 years old, he has already beaten tough veterans Jamie Varner and Sam Stout, claiming a spot just outside the Top 15 rankings.
Krause has some holes in his game that could prevent him from becoming a serious title threat. However, he has the ability to cause problems for most 155-pounders.
6. Brandon Thatch
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While injuries have prevented Brandon Thatch from competing over the past year, he's still one of the brightest prospects in the welterweight division.
Following a submission win over Mike Rhodes in his only RFA appearance, Thatch was signed by the world's top MMA promotion. Since entering the Octagon, he has been getting it done with his striking. Coming off of a knockout over Paulo Thiago, Thatch has the skill to be a contender.
As long as he gets healthy and stays healthy, he should be throwing down with the elite 170-pounders before long.
5. Chris Holdsworth
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Chris Holdsworth won The Ultimate Fighter 18 one year ago, but he's already looking like one of the more talented up-and-comers in the bantamweight division.
In May, he utilized his grappling to shut Chico Camus down on the ground. Considering Camus recently dropped down to 125 pounds and defeated former bantamweight contender Brad Pickett, Holdsworth's 135-pound future appears very bright.
Only six bouts into his MMA career, including one RFA victory, Holdsworth is still developing, and that's a scary thing for every bantamweight in MMA.
4. Tim Elliott
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Having lost two in a row, Tim Elliott has struggled against the best of the best in the flyweight class, but he also has some solid wins on his record.
Before joining the UFC roster, he bested former UFC champion Jens Pulver under the RFA banner. More recently, Elliott defeated ranked 125-pounder Louis Gaudinot.
Elliott has some excellent experience for a fighter who is only 27 years old. That will benefit him as his career moves forward and the 125-pound division develops.
3. Dustin Ortiz
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Dustin Ortiz recently came up short in a big test against Joseph Benavidez, but the Roufusport member looked like he belonged inside the Octagon with one of the best flyweights in the world.
Prior to joining the UFC roster in 2013, Ortiz had a very short stint with RFA, winning his lone bout with the promotion. Inside the Octagon, Ortiz has gone 3-2 against some stiff competition, with his only other loss coming in a controversial decision against former title challenger John Moraga.
With wins over Justin Scoggins and Ray Borg preceding his loss to Benavidez, the 25-year-old Ortiz is looking like one of the most talented young fighters in the 125-pound class.
2. Zach Makovsky
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After making his name with Bellator MMA, Zach Makovsky earned his way onto the UFC roster with a decision win in his only outing under the RFA banner.
Considering he lost his final two Bellator MMA bouts, Makovsky has surprised inside the Octagon. He debuted with a win over longtime bantamweight contender Scott Jorgensen and recorded a second win before being edged on the scorecards by Jussier Formiga.
In February, Makovsky will look to rebound with a win over fellow RFA veteran Elliott. A victory in that matchup would re-establish him as a contender in the somewhat shallow 125-pound division.
1. Randa Markos
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It's happened in a hurry, but Randa Markos is closer to a UFC championship than any other RFA veteran.
Markos actually lost her only RFA bout with Justine Kish, but she's taken her game to another level on The Ultimate Fighter 20. Matched up with No. 3 seed Tecia Torres, a common pick to win the women's strawweight belt, Markos scored a decision victory. The Canadian followed that up with an impressive submission win over rival Felice Herrig.
Now in the semifinals, Markos will meet the winner of a bout between Joanne Calderwood and Rose Namajunas. Given those fighters' styles, Markos' wrestling could make her a favorite against either one.
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