Ultimate Fighting Championship

5 bantamweight prospects the UFC should sign in 2017

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 7:06 p.m. ET

Fansided, Riley Kontek/Fansided

There are plenty of fighters throughout MMA who deserve a shot in the UFC. Here are the top five bantamweight prospects for 2017.

Welcome to year six of my annual “prospects the UFC should sign” series, in which I examine five MMA prospects per division the UFC should sign this year. It’s a series that started during my time at Bleacher Report, continued with my tenure at Today’s Knockout and stays alive this year through FanSided.

In this piece, I examine the bantamweight division, a weight class that features some of the best young talent in the UFC. Almost all of the top fighters in the division right now are young up-and-comers, so there’s plenty of room to add a few more prospects.

With that, I take a glimpse at five featherweights the UFC needs to sign. I’ll try my hardest to stay away from fighters who are currently in top organizations (Bellator, WSOF, etc.), but a couple may pop up. In the past, I’ve had some great picks on the list and some that haven’t worked out. Below are the previous year’s selections, followed by the five men the UFC should offer roster spots to this year.

Previous Selections

2012	2013	2014	2015	2016
Jimmie Rivera*	Kyoji Horiguchi*	Thomas Almeida*	Brett Johns*	Brett Johns*
Josh Hill*	Josh Hill*	Anthony Birchak*	Luke Sanders*	Jonas Bilharinho**
Yusup Saadulaev	Gustavo Falciroli	Leandro Higo*	Jonas Bilharinho**	Ricardo Ramos
Nick Mamalis	Jonathan Mackles	Zeilton Rodrigues	Julio Arce	Boston Salmon
Matt Smith	Rodolfo Marques	James Brum	Toni Tauru	Luis Rafael

*Indicates fighter was signed by UFC
**Indicates fighter is ineligible due to two years on the list

Tom Duquesnoy (14-1, France)

France isn’t a huge producer of MMA fighters, but it’s home to possibly the best prospect in the bantamweight division, Tom Duquesnoy. This is the second time Duquesnoy has made this list, and he truly is a talented fighter.

The 23-year-old can be a UFC title contender one day if he’s given the opportunity. He’s already a 15-fight veteran, which shows he’s been busy early on in his career. He’s also collected some big-time hardware, winning both the BAMMA Featherweight and Bantamweight Championships.

Duquesnoy is a striker, with big power in his hands. He’s well-rounded, though, and capable of submitting opponents. He hasn’t lost since 2013, and that defeat came against UFC’s rising star Makwan Amirkhani. Not only has he not lost in years, but he was 3-0 in 2016, earning finishes against Damien Rooney, Shay Walsh and Alan Philpott.

The UFC would be making a big mistake by not signing Duquesnoy this year. The promotion crosses the Atlantic often enough, and he should be the first person it puts on its next European card.

Magomed Magomedov (14-1, Russia)

Magomed Magomedov is the latest in a long line of talented Russian fighters.

The 25-year-old stole the spotlight from another prospect this year when he beat Petr Yan. It allowed him to win the Absolute Championship Berkut Bantamweight Championship, pushing him up the ranks and helping him gain more widespread attention. He followed that up by choking out fellow prospect Oleg Borisov to complete a great 2016.

The DagFighter gym rep is a ground fighter that does possess KO power in his hands. That versatility is what allowed him to earn those huge 2016 wins and jump onto scout’s radars so quickly.

The UFC has been keeping close tabs on Russian MMA, which is why you’ve seen an influx of talent from that region gracing the Octagon. The promotion is likely taking a look at Magomedov, too, so you could see him soon.

Dominic Mazzotta (11-1, United States)

Dominic Mazzotta, out of the Ed Vincent MMA camp in Pennsylvania, is one of America’s top bantamweight prospects, even if he hasn’t received huge attention.

Still just 29 years old, Mazzotta’s stock is on the rise. He is currently both the Pinnacle FC Featherweight and Bantamweight Champion. That’s impressive in itself, even though it shouldn’t overshadow his talent.

Mazzotta is a submission fighter, as most of his wins come via chokes. He closes the distance well and drags his opponent down using his position and technique to search for the finish. He was 3-0 in 2016, besting fighters such as Rob Hanna and Keith Richardson. Those wins have helped overshadow his only career loss, a 2014 TKO to a fighter by the name of Cody Garbrandt.

I was actually surprised he wasn’t signed by the UFC to fight Jimmie Rivera when Bryan Caraway dropped out of their bout. Despite that, I still think he has a good ceiling as a fighter and could find his way into the UFC in 2017.

Said Nurmagomedov (9-2, Russia)

Said Nurmagomedov is a teammate of Magomed Magomedov at the DagFighter gym.

A true prospect at 24 years old, Nurmagomedov had a huge 2016, going 3-0 while taking the Akhmet Fight Show bantamweight tournament. He opened the tournament by beating Bellator vet Diego Marlon, scored a semifinal decision over Walter Pereira Jr. and won the tournament by scoring a five-round victory over Rakhman Dudaev. Talk about a major shot up the rankings in 2016.

Nurmagomedov is a submission wrestler who has some underrated power in his hands. Nurmagomedov doesn’t score enough finishes at the moment, but if he can fix that flaw, his stock should soar.

Of the two DagFighters on this list, Magomedov probably has the edge, but it doesn’t both can’t find a way into the UFC. If Nurmagomedov picks up where he left off in 2016, there’s no way he won’t find himself in a top promotion soon.

Raufeon Stots (7-0, United States)

The second American to grace this list, Raufeon Stots has ascended the bantamweight tanks very quckly. He’s still a young fighter, but he made the most of his opportunities in a busy 2016.

Stots is not only a great athlete, but a skilled one as well. He trains with Roufusport along with guys like the Pettis brothers, Ben Askren and others. There, he’s developed into a well-rounded fighter who can knock you out or score a big submission on the ground.

In 2016, the 28-year-old Stots had a great year, scoring four wins in four attempts. He did his damage in the Victory FC promotion, with his latest the biggest of his career. It came over longtime veteran and well-rounded fighter Jeff Curran, whom Stots sent into retirement with the win.

Big gym fighters are oftentimes given more opportunities at the higher levels, so Stots could already be at the top of the list for the UFC. It would be a great signing for the promotion given his potential.