10 Upcoming Fights with Non-UFC Fighters We Should Watch

Most of us follow the UFC, but there are plenty of guys who make a living fighting outside of it.  Sooner or later, some of them make it to the big leagues, and sometimes they are only one fight away from doing so.

Lets take a look at some of the fights and fighters who are competing in them to see who might break through.

September 3: Eduard Folayang

Ever heard of him?  Probably not, but you should have.

Folayang is the main event of ONE Fighting Championship: Champion vs. Champion that goes down on September 3.  His opponent, A Sol Kwon, is by no means a pushover, but more important are Eduard's credentials.

He is currently 9–1 in his pro career and won the 2002 bronze medal and the 2006 silver medal in the Asian games in Sanshou.

Oh, and did I mention he is Filipino?  Not of Filipino descent, but born and fighting out of Baguio City.

The UFC loves multinational fighters, and the Manny Pacquiao fans have proven time and time again that the Filipinos love to support their champions.  

Plus, I'm sure Dana would love to have his own Pacman to hype up.

September 3: Jesse Taylor

Sure, Taylor was in the UFC, but he isn't anymore.  He is in the main event of Australian Fighting Championship 2 on September 3, though, and if he wins he might just get a third crack at the octagon.

At the same time, I'm sure Dana would love to have Hector Lombard, his opponent, but that isn't going to happen as long as Bellator has Lombard in a contract. 

However, they don't have Taylor under contract, and he is on a five-fight win streak, with names like Denis Kang, Murilo Bustamante, and Tom Watson on his record.  If he beats Lombard, I suspect Dana White would welcome him back with open arms.

September 10: Chuck Parmelee

Another no name, and he's not even in the main event of Shark Fights 19.

However, this no name is on a seven-fight win streak, and his opponent happens to be Rob Kimmons.

Kimmons is an ex-UFC fighter, and though he lost his last few fights in the octagon and the one that came right after those, his name still has clout.  Parmelee can use that reputation and his own win streak to make his way to the UFC.

September 10: Jim Wallhead

BAMMA 7 has a few names, but I chose the one that has never been in the UFC.  

Jim Wallhead is coming off a loss, but it is Bellator.  That doesn't mean much, except Dana might snatch him up as long as he wins his fight against Frank Trigg.

It's partly because Trigg may be a shell of himself, but it will still make the audience think that Wallhead is dangerous if he has a win over him.  

It would also be in part to Wallhead being a black belt in judo.

If the UFC decided to sign him, though, it would probably have to do with the fact that he fought in Bellator.

In the past, Dana White has showed no qualms with buying talent that might not be at the top of the mountain just because a rival promotion showed interest in them.

If Wallhead wins, the same thing might happen.

September 10: Chris Horodecki

Technically, Horodecki never made it into the octagon his first time, when he was under a Zuffa contract.  He was actually cut from the WEC right before it folded.  

However, Dana could use any decent fighter he can find who has name recognition and is south of 155 pounds.  Plus, Horodecki is still a young fighter and has won two in a row. 

He looks to make it three straight when he faces Brad Cardinal at Freedom Fight For Honor and Pride.

September 10: Jared Downing

Jared is like most young fighters. Undefeated at 7–0, he will put his record to the test at Shark Fights 20.  He hasn't really fought anyone of consequence as of yet, but on September 10 that changes.

That night he steps in against Georgi Karakhanyan, who recently fought in Bellator and put up a decent showing, losing only to Joe Warren and Patricio Freire.

If Downing beats Karakhanyan, Downing may have Joe Silva beating down his door with a contract.

October 8: Charlie Rader

With a 15–4 record, Rader is doing fine, especially since he has won his last five fights.

At Championship Fighting Alliance on October 8, he will step in against former UFC fighter John Howard to try to make it six in a row.

Howard might have lost his last three fights, but he always did his best in the octagon, and a win over him might get Rader a shot at the big time.

October 8: Gabriel Gonzaga

Normally I wouldn't even think of putting an alum like Gonzaga on this list but, considering he mentioned that he might never fight again after he was cut by the UFC, it seems relevant.

Gonzaga makes his return on the Reality Fighting card against 5–2 Parker Porter.  The fight should be an easy one for "Napao," and it most likely won't mean a return to the octagon, but one never knows.

October 14: Ryan Jimmo

Maximum Fighting Championships is actually one of the better promotions that doesn't have a national television presence, in my opinion.

In MFC 31, they put on a main event that I think could be on any UFC card when they paired Ryan Jimmo against Sokoudjou.

Many remember Sokoudjou as the man who fought in some of Pride's last events and beat some of the best fighters in the world at the time, only to come to the UFC and flame out badly.

However, he has always been a decent test against top-tier talent, and Jimmo might end up being just that.

Some of you may remember Jimmo from a failed tryout on The Ultimate Fighter, Season 8, but he is also undefeated in his last 15 fights. With a win over Sokoudjou, he may just get into the octagon, and this time without the show.

October 14: Vinny Magalhaes

We move on to another Ultimate Fighter alumni.  Other than his extensive grappling background, Vinny showed he had problems in every other area of MMA and was quickly released by the UFC.

Since then he has built his record up again and seems to be on the cusp of going into the big fights.

His next test come on Showtime in the M-1 2011 Selection show.

He faces Guram Gugenishvili, who comes in with a shiny 11–0 record but having faced nobody impressive.

Still, if Vinny can beat him, that means he will have won seven of his last eight, including his last five fights.

What Do You Think?

Did I miss someone?

Did I put too many people in?

Let me know what you think.