Ten years ago, in September 2011, Conor McGregor won his fifth fight in a row and his fifth fight of the year. His record attracted the attention of MMA experts and within a year he had won the Featherweight and Lightweight Cage Warrior Championships and was on his way to the UFC.
His talents were obvious to those in the know, and once he was spotted, his ascent was rapid and meteoric.
At any given time, there could be dozens of young fighters out there with equal talents, and in this short guide, we’ll highlight the best of them. Knowing which fighters to look out for could help sports bettors and odds-seekers using sites like thelines.com. It’ll also give you bragging rights when you predict an unknown fighter’s future and watch them climb the rankings.
Bryce Mitchell
Bryce Mitchell is an undefeated pro who turns 27 in October 2021. The Arkansas native is not exactly an unknown as he’s ranked 11th in the UFC Featherweight division, but he’s a fighter that many fans are unaware of.
Mitchell’s record is 14-0 and he last fought in October 2020, when he defeated Andre Fili by unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night: Hall vs Silva. Mitchell is eyeing Dan Ige for his next fight and the two seem destined to fight.
Ige (15-4) is currently ranked 9th in the Lightweight division and a victory will give Mitchell the attention he deserves.
[#2 SW] 
[#6 FW] 
[#19 FW] 
[#13 HW] 
[#24 HW] 
