The Next Conor McGregor: 5 Growing Talents the UFC Should Groom

Conor McGregor represents a new kind of superstar in the UFC.

Apparently fine-tuned in a laboratory deep below the streets of Dublin, Ireland, the budding featherweight contender fuses athleticism, execution and charisma into one magnetic persona.

His appetite for destruction has never been seen at the 145-pound level, which in turn has transformed the 26-year-old into one of the most popular entities around.

But despite an unflappable presence inside and outside of the Octagon, McGregor may not exemplify the be-all and end-all of rising superstars.

Here are five growing UFC talents capable of being groomed for similar excellence.

Beneil Dariush

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It's hard to imagine the UFC hosting an event in Iran anytime soon, but having a Middle Eastern fighter like Beneil Dariush at its disposal doesn't hurt.

As one of the fastest-growing lightweight prospects in the sport today, Dariush has combined elevated grappling skills with athletic Muay Thai to dismantle five of his six UFC opponents.

And with a recent victory over divisional mainstay Jim Miller, the Assyrian has shown that he's capable of climbing the top-10 ladder.

He may not possess the microphone skills of McGregor or Chael Sonnen, but the well-rounded 26-year-old provides the UFC with a connection to a rather untapped Persian pipeline.

Henry Cejudo

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Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo is already ahead of the game.

In arguably the most shallow division in the UFC right now, The Messenger is just one or two wins away from challenging for the title.

While the weight class is currently being dictated by pound-for-pound standout Demetrious "Mighty Mouse" Johnson, Cejudo's strong wrestling and powerful frame suggest he stands a chance should he obtain a shot at the champ sometime in 2016.

However, he'll have to start finishing fights in the Octagon in order to garner more attention than he has so far.

Gunnar Nelson

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Currently one of McGregor's most prized training partners, welterweight standout Gunnar Nelson knows all too well what it takes to rise to the top.

Heck, he headlined his first promotional event at UFC Fight Night 53 just five fights into his UFC career, dropping a close split-decision to hired gun Rick Story.

At 26 years old, Nelson is seasoned enough and skilled enough to rebound in fashion, which could mean adding to a professional resume that already includes 12 finishes in 13 victories.

If the Icelandic warrior can perfect his already elite grappling skills and maintain his unorthodox striking approach, there's no reason why he can't nudge his way into the top 5 by the end of next year.

Thomas Almeida

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Brazilian bruiser Thomas Almeida may be the most unmentioned prospect on the UFC roster today.

With some of the best athletically driven striking you'll see at 135 pounds, the 19-0 knockout artist has already compiled 18 career finishes (one in the UFC).

Hailing from the legendary Chute Boxe Academy, the budding 23-year-old has the right people at his disposal to transform him into a true title contender at bantamweight.

Aside from that, Brazil is looking for a new fighter to call champion following the demise of standouts such as Anderson Silva, Vitor Belfort, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and Renan Barao.

Almeida's upcoming bout with veteran Brad Pickett at UFC 189 on July 11 should shed some light as to where he currently stands in his overall evolution.

Paige VanZant

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As one of the only American-born fighters on this list, strawweight breakout star Paige VanZant has a chance to appeal to the masses.

Just like McGregor represents an undying Irish movement, 12 Gauge has the ability to connect to young females worldwide, especially in the United States.

Needless to say, the 21-year-old resides in a division ran by the most dominant female champion in MMA this side of Ronda Rousey and Cristiane "Cyborg" Justino in undefeated striking sensation Joanna Jedrzejczyk.

That means that VanZant will have to hone her Octagon skills by 2016 if she wants to capitalize on a rather prompt introduction to UFC stardom.

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