7 Up-and-Coming UFC Fighters Most in Need of a Signature Win
Being a prospect in the UFC is all well and good, but that luster quickly goes away without a big victory.
Once upon a time, Conor McGregor was an up-and-comer. What set him apart? Sure, his talking helped give him his platform, but it was his stylish victories that put the stamp on what made him great. And he was soon adding respected names to his list of victims.
Others have had a similar shine to their name but lost it, as they were never able to break through to the next level.
The UFC has many prospects sitting right on the outside of relevancy who need that one key win.
We will take a look at some of the UFC's up-and-coming fighters who are beginning to make noise but lack the big W. These fighters have the skill and flash to be something special, but they need to prove it inside the cage in a big way.
These are seven of the UFC's prospects who are needing to add a show-stealing performance to their name.
Sean O'Malley
1 of 7
Next Bout: vs.ย Jose Quinonez (October 9)
Sean O'Malley came off of Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender Series as a borderline star. Snoop Dogg anointedย him, and the UFC bought in as well. Reebok even gave him his own tie-dye T-shirt.
The great news for the UFC? His skills are a big reason why he is shining. Not just his personality.
As with all flamboyant prospects, they need to perform every time out. Alejandro Perez isn't the signature name that will launch O'Malley into the next stratosphere, but it is a fight where O'Malley has to shine. If he is able to, then he can start eyeing those with name value.
O'Malley has big upside for the UFC and he needs big wins to cement his status. While he isn't on McGregor's level, a correlation can be drawn with how they are handled. McGregor showed he can back everything up and methodically moved his way up.
"Sugar" will be given a similar treatment. He is a fighter to keep an eye on for so many reasons, and once he can get a signature victory, the UFC would be hard-pressed not to put their machine behind him. He's got the "It Factor."
Livia Renata Souza
2 of 7
Next Bout: vs. Alex Chambers (September 22)
Welcome to the UFC, Livia Renata Souza.
The former Invicta FC strawweight champion will make her long-awaitedย debut next month. Unfortunately, it won't be a way to grab a big signature win. Alex Chambers is not a top-tier strawweight. But it will be a way for Souza to make a statement and grab a top-10 opponent for her second outing.
Souza was considered one of the top strawweights in the world when she was the Invicta FC champion. Then a loss to Angela Hill put the brakes on her hype train.
Souza is exceptionally talented, but inactivity through 2018 has put her in the shadows. A good showing against Chambers should bring her back to the forefront of fans' minds while setting the stage for a big 2019.
The Brazilian has all the tools to be an immediate threat in the division, and she is another potential title challenger in a deep 115-pound division.
Eryk Anders
3 of 7
Next Bout: vs. Tim Williams (August 25)
Eryk Anders, the former Alabama Crimson Tide national champion, vaulted up the ranks and into the spotlight after an outstandingย 2017. The UFC rewarded him with Lyoto Machida, and he performed well. Just not well enough.
Anders likely would not have made this list if he remained in the spotlight. But after the loss to Machida, he faded into the background.
Now Anders needs a big win to recapture the shine he had coming into 2018. He won't get that signature win over Tim Williams, but the matchup should give him a push in the right direction as the UFC heads into 2019. A big win over Williams likely gives Anders another top 10-level opponent in the new year.
Anders has the athletic skill to be a force. He is just needing that one big victory so that he can make a claim at being one of the best. He is 0-1 in that regard, but he wasn't that far off from getting his arm raised. He needs to make good on his next chance, or he may face a similar arc to Uriah Hall as an up-and-coming prospect.
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Tai Tuivasa
4 of 7
Next Bout: N/A
An argument can be made that Tai Tuivasa already has his signature win. Tuivasa edged out former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski at UFC 225 in Chicago.
But "edged out" is exactly why he didn't get the signature win. It was a close fight. Entertaining to boot. But it wasn't definitive. Tuivasa wore a lot of damage on his face.
Tuivasa is charismatic and quite good inside the Octagon. A huge win over Arlovski could have made him an interesting aspect to the title discussion as the calendar turns over, but the way the fight played out he didn't take a massive step forward.
Perhaps that is for the best in allowing him to develop more. It also gives him another chance at getting that signature win.
He is on the brink of breaking through into the upper echelon and on the brink of becoming a viable star for the company. Putting a recognizable name on his highlight reel would go a long way toward making him more than just the fighter who drinks from a shoe.
Mackenzie Dern
5 of 7
Next Bout: N/A
Mackenzie Dern's signature victory may just be the weigh-in scale. She has had six fights at strawweight and missed weight half of the time. That is atrocious. And it's the reason she needs a big signature victory.
Dern's goodwill is running thin after her latest miss at UFC 224. She got the victory over Amanda Bobby Cooper, but she came in at 123 pounds when the limit is 116. It wasn't a small miss. Any fans who sold their stock or changed their minds about supporting her are right in doing so. It was unprofessional.
Her post-fight, over-the-top celebration left a bad taste in many fans' mouths as well.
But Dern has power in her hands and an elite ground game. The tools are there to be something special.
One signature victory could right the wrongs and put her back on the path to being a big star for the UFC. She needs dominant performances along with coming in on weight. She can be a factor in either the 115- or 125-pound division. If Dern figures out the non-fighting element to the sport, watch out.
Dominick Reyes
6 of 7
Next Bout: vs. Ovince Saint Preux (October 6)
Dominick Reyes exploded onto the scene last year with a viral knockout in LFA, and since then he has gone 3-0 in the UFC with three stoppages. He looked the part of a top-end prospect, and everything thus far has proved that.
Now he needs the win to put him into the big boys' club. He gets that chance at UFC 229.
The spotlight will be on him. It's the perfect opportunity. UFC 229 could be the biggest UFC PPV of all time as Conor McGregor meets Khabib Nurmagomedov. Reyes will take on former title hopeful Ovince Saint Preux. Everything is ripe for Reyes to make his statement.
Not only does Reyes need this win, but the UFC and the light heavyweight division need him to win. It's a shallow, sad division. And that is before Daniel Cormier retires. Reyes is the lifeblood it needs. OSP is no pushover, but it's a great matchup that gives Reyes a chance to etch the first significant name onto his resume.
Zabit Magomedsharipov
7 of 7
Next Bout: vs. Yair Rodriguez (September 8)
Zabit Magomedsharipov will get his opportunity at a signature win when he fights Yair Rodriguez at UFC 228. Rodriguez was in his shoes once, but he was able to brutalize UFC Hall of Famerย BJ Penn. Now,ย Magomedsharipov looks to make his name off of Rodriguez in Dallas.
Magomedsharipov has made a name for himself with hardcore fans and media members, but the general public is still unaware of who he is. His fight against Rodriguez will go a long way toward showing the world just how talented of a fighter he is.
He is young and has plenty of time to get his signature win, but now is the time to strike. At 3-0 in the UFC, against one of their most dynamic prospects,ย Magomedsharipov can stake a claim at title contention with a victory.
Theย Magomedsharipov vs. Rodriguez fight is one of the best bouts on the docket for the remainder of the year and it has big stakes for each man.
Featherweight is talent rich.ย Magomedsharipov is hoping to enter the deep end of the pool with a big splash.
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