The Beaten Path: 5 Heavyweights the UFC Should Sign Now

Another year, another edition of the notorious "5 Prospects the UFC Should Sign" series.

We as MMA fans are a little older and a little wiser. We're getting accustomed to more and more MMA popping up in the mainstream.

It wasn't long ago that the UFC and Bellator were seemingly the only options on TV. Now, in addition to the UFC being featured on the Fox networks and Bellator on Spike TV, CBS Sports has Titan Fighting Championship and NBC Sports has World Series of Fighting, among other things.

First, we take a look at the heavyweights. It's a division that has brought in and passed out talent on a large scale. In the last year, top prospects such as Konstantin Erokhin, Josh Copeland and Ruslan Magomedov have all inked deals with the company, helping bring some new blood to the ranks.

For now, we focus on five more guys the UFC can bring in. They are a mix of vets and young guns, but all should be considered prospective fighters for the world's largest MMA promotion.

Memory Lane

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This is the fourth year of this series, and in the time we have examined potential UFC fighters, we have had our hits and our misses. So far, fuve men from the previous installments have signed with the UFC: Jared Rosholt, Derrick Lewis, Anthony Hamilton, Konstantin Erokhin and Shamil Abdurahimov.

Lewis has seen the most success thus far, as he has shown to be a ferocious knockout artist and even scored a big-time main card bout with Matt Mitrione. Hamilton and Rosholt have seen their successes as well, while Erokhin and Abdurahimov wait patiently for their UFC debuts to take place in the coming weeks.

Of course, the UFC has not signed every talent we included on the list. Two-time nominee Smealinho Rama instead went to WSOF, where he became the heavyweight champion and continues to be a top heavyweight outside the UFC. His two-year status on the list exempts him from this year's inclusion.

There were some other solid fighters and others who panned out. Here is every fighter that has made the list in the past three years. 

2012	2013	2014
Jared Rosholt	Derrick Lewis	Konstantin Erokhin
Shamil Abdurahimov	Damian Grabowski	Anthony Hamilton
Magomed Malikov	Maro Perak	Dmitriy Sosnovskiy
Guram Gugenishili	Smealinho Rama	Smealinho Rama
Tyler East	Satoshi Ishii	Marcin Tybura

Marcin Tybura

Home Country: Poland

Team: United Gym

Record: 12-0

Last Fight: Submission win vs. Denis Smoldarev

Two years in a row Marcin Tybura has been on this list and for good reason. He is without a doubt the best heavyweight not currently in the UFC.

One of the many Polish prospects emerging from that country, Tybura is a ground fighter with great jiu-jitsu and powerful takedowns. He is also a savage on the ground, preferring to finish guys as opposed to riding them out.

His submissions are superior when he hits the mat. Not only that, but he throws hammers from the top, looking to open guys up and make them uncomfortable with him on top.

On the feet, it's not as pretty, but he is effective. He throws powerful punches that aim to harm those who stand opposite of him. He also uses those punches to set up his takedowns.  

With wins over Denis Smoldarev, Damian Grabowski, Maro Perak and Konstantin Gluhov, it's no wonder why many MMA fans are salivating over the possibility of having Tybura in the UFC. He has a chance to make a real impact in the company.

Denis Goltsov

Home Country: Russia

Team: Sambo Piter

Record: 13-4

Last Fight: Submission win vs. Zoumana Cisse

Throughout this series, I guarantee you will see more than a handful of Russian fighters. The first of the year comes in the form of Denis Goltsov, a smaller heavyweight who still fights in a big way.

Goltsov is all power, using his sambo for big-time takedowns, as well as using said power to plow through opponents. His punching power is horrifying, as one strike can change the entire fight if Goltsov lands. 

His submission defense has been questioned in the past, as three of his four losses come via tapout. However, he seems to have tightened that up a bit, especially since he is on an eight-fight surge.

Goltsov's last three wins have really gotten him attention. In addition to tapping out Zoumana Cisse and besting Roy Boughton, Goltsov dominated Strikeforce veteran Brett Rogers, proving Goltsov may be ready for the next level.

Seeing how thin the UFC heavyweight division is in terms of the number of bodies in the class, Goltsov would be a great add. He could instantaneously pad the midcard and work his way up.

James Mulheron

Home Country: England

Team: Powerhouse Gym

Record: 7-0

Last Fight: Knockout win vs. Dayman Lake

The United Kingdom is not exactly known for having great big men at this point in MMA. However, there are exceptions to that, especially in the form of undefeated powerhouse James Mulheron.

Mulheron, who is still in his mid-20s, is a big heavyweight, possessing great girth and physical strength to match many in the division. His hulking style matches nicely with a good striking base, which allows him to defend shots and throw haymakers simultaneously. 

His knockout power mixes well with his technique, too. This is especially seen in his most recent outing, where he used a gorgeous spinning backfist to flatten Dayman Lake into oblivion.

His strength of schedule has been solid as well. He could be a nice project for the UFC to work on in the near future.

Cody East

Home Country: United States

Team: Jackson-Winkeljohn MMA

Record: 9-1

Last Fight: Knockout win vs. Vernon Lewis

American heavyweights come a dime a dozen, but a large majority of them have massive flaws which hold them back. They can have bad cardio, no footwork, a bad ground game of their back and anything else in between.

That's just how so many of these big boys are, which is why the UFC lacks a large number of those fighters.

Cody East is one of the few men who is seemingly ahead of that dreadful pack.

East, who hovers around a middling weight of 240 pounds, is athletic, powerful and somewhat quick, something that gives him an advantage over other heavyweights. He is also training with Greg Jackson recently, something that cannot only benefit him strategically, but give him the training partners he desires.

East has a good wrestling base, but his striking, whether it be on the feet or ground-and-pound, has been devastating. In fact, two-thirds of his wins come by knockout, and he has only gone to decision once, showing he is a finisher.

East is the type of guy that could be an interesting add in the UFC division, as he is either going to sink quick or swim with the fishes. That said, he has another Legacy FC fight on his plate against Joe Cason which can prove to the UFC that he is ready for the big time. 

Chris Barnett

Home Country: United States

Team: Blackzilians

Record: 12-1

Last Fight: Knockout win vs. Shinichi Suzukawa

Chris Barnett is listed as a super heavyweight, and that's definitely the case because he has taken super heavyweight fights recently. However, he has fought at heavyweight in the past and has been a successful fighter while taking on some good big men of the sport. 

Barnett currently weighs in around 320 pounds. That is a massive man, especially considering he is only 5'9". A diet, cutting some of his fat and a safe weight cut would definitely send Barnett on his way to bigger and better things.

Barnett is a striker with excellent kicks and knees, which complement his heavy hands. He owns knockout wins over M-1 staple Kenny Garner and Bellator vet Travis Wiuff, as well as a decision win in his career over two-stint UFC vet Walt Harris.

Again, he would need to cut to heavyweight, but guys like Brock Lesnar, Sean McCorkle and Soa Palelei have done it themselves. It could lead to bigger paydays and more notoriety in this sport, as he is immensely talented.