Lots of fans of MMA and UFC always have their finger on the pulse of what is coming next, and try to work out who the next big names are going to be. In this guide, we’re going through some of the top MMA prospects out there. Of course, not all of them are guaranteed to hit the heights of winning titles, but they are names to keep a close eye on in upcoming fights and undercards of some of the top UFC meets.
One of the reasons why so many people scour these local fights and prospect lists for the next top prospect is to place bets on potential challengers and to get some idea of the style and statistics of a fighter before they fight on a big stage. Many countries have a large following of UFC, and Bovada’s boxing betting odds focus on the most popular combat sports events, such as Brian Ortega (+130) vs Diego Lopez (-150), Ode Osbourne (+135) vs Ronaldo Rodriguez (-155), and others, updating fans with the most up-to-date predictions and information.
People can find more odds on different UFC markets and Bellator markets, as well as other mixed martial arts tournaments.
Sometimes, a UFC prospect is talked about for years and buzz builds for their career, and they don’t hit the heights. Other times someone can fly under the radar and become a top fighter, so there’s no guarantee of what will happen to prospects, but it is fun to watch them progress and see how new names fare in the big fights.
Losene Keita
Boasting 12 victories and one defeat already and fighting in the featherweight class (mainly), Losene Keita has also taken part in some welterweight bouts. Nicknamed “The Black Panther” he has a lot of power in both hands and a huge amount of technique to go with it.
Keita also boasts some counter-attacking capabilities and has quality, sprawling hips, and there are loads of aspects of his fighting that are positive.
Born in Guinea, but fighting out of Belgium, he recently won the Oktagon featherweight title and seems to be on the way up. Keita could start cropping up in some high-profile fights throughout 2024.
Time will tell if Keita has the capability to go all the way and whether or not he will be as high-profile and high-earning as a star like Brandon Moreno.
Trent Miller
Trent Miller is not a massive name at all…yet. Fighting with Xtreme Couture MMA, he’s got an impressive record of 5 and 0 in his competitions so far and has an extremely impressive look. As well as an athletic build, he moves incredibly well around the ring and makes smart moves.
This is why coach Roman Isbell has been drawn to him, and is working with the young fighter to try and bring him to the next level. Miller fights mainly at middleweight and has become well-known for submissions as well as impressive high kicks.
Tatsuro Taira
A young Japanese fighter with an undefeated record so far, he’s bound to get some buzz generated around his career and MMA organization Shooto who he worked with before he ended up with the UFC.
The fighter actually famously earned three first-round submissions in a row, a feat that not many of the UFC fighters out there have managed to date.
Tatsuro Taira has 15 victories already in his career and seven opponents have submitted, so it is clear to see where the strengths are. He made his debut at UFC Vegas 54 and fights at Flyweight. When he beat CJ Vergara easily, the whole of the MMA world started to pay attention.
Expect the UFC to want to push Taira into more fights this year as he gradually develops into a top talent.
Karine Silva
A young Brazilian fighter with a decent record so far, boasting 17 wins and four defeats, she’s stopped all of the opponents she’s fought with by KO and TKO.
The fighter has been fighting in many MMA organizations but now is signed to UFC, and she made her debut at UFC Vegas 56 when she won by submission against Poliana Botelho.
She’s also impressed at UFC Vegas 74 when she beat Ketlen Souza, and she wowed with a submission win in the first round at UFC 292 when she fought Maryna Moroz.
The fact that many of her wins have been so eye-catching means there is some buzz around Karine Silva and we expect to see more of her fighting throughout 2024, with some early submissions expected.
Summary
All of these names have a good shout of becoming top UFC and MMA fighters, even though they’re all at different development stages. It will be fun to watch their careers unfold and see how many of them can make it all the way to the top. For those who are interested in sports betting, these prospects could also be worth tracking and analyzing before they take on other fighters at huge MMA events.
