The Beaten Path: 5 Top MMA Prospects to Watch in May

Do you ever get down on your knees and thank the great good lord that you read this series?

Last month, as we do every month (or most months, anyway), we told you about five young MMA prospects who had a chance to make a splash in April. If you watched those five fighters fight, you saw four wins (sorry, Phoenix Jones fans), two submissions (one by omoplata!) and one knockout from five of the best young up-and-comers in the game.

Not a bad set of results right there. But it's time to put the past behind us.

Turn the page, why don't you, with our look ahead to the five best MMA prospects who are in action this glorious month of May. It's just one of the ways we here at The Beaten Path are working to serve you better and to keep you informed and ahead of the curve like the insufferable know-it-all that you are.

As always, no UFC fighters allowed and Bellator and WSOF only under extenuating circumstances. Fighters are ranked based on their records, their skill sets and their readiness for the big time.

Let's get it on.

5. Chidi Njokuani

Division: Welterweight
Age: 26
Record: 12-4
Next fight: Max Griffin, Tachi Palace Fights 23, Thursday
See it on: Free livestream (via Sherdog)

I gotta tell you: This is a stacked month for prospects. Sometimes, you have to scrape the bottom of the barrel to find five worthy candidates. This month, I could've easily stretched this list out to 20.

So, think of these as some of the better guys in action in the various minor leagues right now, this month or any other.

Chidi Njokuani kicks it off this month. And I'm not just saying that: Like his brother, Anthony, Njokuani has muay thai to burn, and he can burn you down with his feet or his hands.

But his opponent for this one, Max "Pain" Griffin, can bang as well, and is a prospect in his own right. The The Ultimate Fighter 16 tryout and current Tachi welterweight champ has a lengthy record of amateur and pro MMA success and a strong kickboxing base.

I think Njokuani has a higher upside and should win this fight, but it could be quite the rip snorter, as people like to say.

4. Jimmie Rivera

Division: Bantamweight
Age: 25
Record: 15-1 
Next fight: Carson Beebe, CFFC 48, Saturday
See it on: CBS Sports Network

Speaking of TUF, you may remember Jimmie Rivera from TUF 14, where he was likely winning his elimination-round bout before he got knocked out by some guy named Bermudez. Dennis Bermudez.

Rivera hasn't lost since, winning seven straight with his on-point (and very active) wrestling and grappling. He also is a huge bantamweight with a huge gas tank. 

The Northeast-centric CFFC makes its debut on the CBS Sports Network this Saturday, and they're pulling out all the stops. This bout with another fairly well-known product in Beebe is one of those stops. It should be nice for fans to see Rivera back on the airwaves.

3. Luke Sanders

Division: Bantamweight
Age: 29
Record: 9-0 
Next fight: Terrion Ware, RFA vs. Legacy FC Superfight, Friday
See it on: AXS TV

Did I tell you this month was stacked, or didn't I? And several of the prospect stars are out in May because of this cross-promotional card between RFA and Legacy FC, arguably the two biggest players in the sport's minor league tier.

Most people thought Luke "Cool Hand" Sanders was UFC-bound after earning the RFA bantamweight title last November, making Jarred Mercado look downright silly by telegraphing takedown attempts with the point of his knee and earning the knockout in just 66 seconds.

Well, that big call-up hasn't happened, at least not yet. Now, he's facing another tough opponent in Ware.

The Nashville native is strong, he's tough, he's solid in every area, and he improves with every fight. Could this be the one that finally breaks him through?

2. Alexandre Pantoja

Division: Flyweight
Age: 25
Record: 15-2
Next fight: Damacio Page, RFA vs. Legacy Superfight, Friday
See it on: AXS TV

If any prospect causes more head-scratching than Sanders when it comes to questions of why the big show hasn't yet come calling, it's Alexandre Pantoja. People have been saying he's UFC-ready for two years now.

The Nova Uniao trainee can end you anywhere—standing or groundward, on top or from his back, in the clinch or in space. 

His downsides are he tends to dump his adrenaline early and get tired late, both of which can expose you to sloppiness. But seeing as how he's won eight straight, that doesn't seem like a huge deal breaker.

The RFA flyweight champ will face a hardened competitor and UFC veteran in Damacio Page. And oh, by the way, Page also is Legacy's flyweight belt holder, and this happens to be Friday's main event. The winner gets this shiny little accessory for the bedroom closet. Plenty to fight for Friday night.

1. Marat Gafurov

Division: Featherweight
Age: 30
Record: 10-0 
Next fight: Ev Ting, ONE Championship 22, May 22
See it on: ONE Championship website

Marat Gafurov hasn't been as hot a commodity as some others on the prospect scene. That may be about to change.

In his ONE C (and that's never not going to feel weird to type) debut last fall, the Russian tore through Rob Lisita in barely more than a minute. Now, the well-rounded former M-1 Global champ takes on a dangerous striker in Ting, setting up a contest that could deliver fireworks.

To really grab attention, Gafurov is going to need some more Ws, and he's going to need some Ws against quality opponents. Maybe ONE C can provide that for him. Maybe not.

Either way, it should be a fun ride.

The Beaten Path is Bleacher Report ongoing series highlighting MMA prospects. Scott Harris covers MMA prospects and more on Twitter. Follow him there if you feel so inclined.