Who you got? That’s a question you’ve probably heard escape the lips of many a UFC pundit or fan. It’s a question that’s second only to finding out which UFC fighters you need to look out for in the future. Whether it’s for bragging rights, betting on your favorite fighter or both, we have you covered.
Sit back, relax and take notes if you must because we’re going to give you a rundown of the UFC fighters you need to look out for in 2020. We’re not going to be pulling any punches or doing anyone any favors so feel free to comment if you feel any of your favorites have been overlooked or if anyone featured should perhaps not be considered.
Maycee Barber
Age: 21
Weight class: Flyweight
Never has there been such an aptly nicknamed fighter as Maycee Barber. Her Nickname? Future, of course. She is exactly what we all have to look forward to and hers is bright, especially at the young age of 21. Sadly, she suffered a serious injury and will be out of the ring for a while but it is in such difficult circumstances that champions are grounded. Prior to her defeat, Maycee showed promise in the strawweight division with an impressive win rate, unblemished by losses. Her dream to be the youngest ever UFC champion may have to take a backseat to recovery but the wait still promises to be worth it.
Ciryl Gane
Age: 29
Weight class: Heavyweight
It’s always a sight to behold when a behemoth of a man is light on his feet, nimble and showcases his agility with such ease. It is for this reason that Ciryl Gane makes our list. A telling sign of potential is the ability to evolve and Gane once labelled a one-trick-pony and one dimensional has transformed. The evidence. Two wins by submission. This coupled with the tutorship of coach Fernand Lopez and we have a real contender in the form of Gane. We wait with bated breath to see what he will deliver in 2020.
Christian Edwards
Age:21
Weight class: Light heavyweight
If you thought Maycee Barber would be the only 21-year-old on our list, you thought wrong. Christian Edwards, the unpolished diamond of the MMA world signed a deal with Bellator when he turned pro. This flings him headfirst into an environment that will force him to dig deep and ensure that his immense potential materializes. If you’re questioning this so-called potential, don’t forget that head shattering kick that secured him victory at Bellator 233 in a matter of mere moments – 16 seconds to be exact. The potential is there. It needs only to be fulfilled.
Valerie Loureda
Age: 21
Weight class: Flyweight
Three’s a charm and the third 21-year-old on our list just happens to have the shine of a lucky star. Like her fellow youths, she is still very much on the journey to tapping into her potential. She has encountered little difficulty in her young career and continues to take bold steps forward in her MMA career, brimming with confidence from a rich taekwondo background.
Zabit Magomedsharipov
Age: 28
Weight class: Featherweight
Like Gane, Zabit Magomedsharipov is staring the big 3-0 in the face. Although, it seems unlikely that something as trivial as age bothers the man who has already put in some impressive performances, capturing the attention and hearts of many a fan. His unique style is poised to be put to the test this year. Something tells us the Russian hitter has every intention of striking gold.
A.J. McKee
Age: 24
Weight class: Featherweight
If there’s a face in Bellator that stands out as much A.J’s, we haven’t seen it. He is the perfect poster boy, brimming with equal amounts of talent and confidence. To date, he has handled the challenges set before him with relative ease, calling upon his broad range of skills. His rise has been anything but meteoric, however, as slow as it has sometimes seemed McKee has certainly come into his own.
Amanda Nunes
Age: 31
Weight class: Bantamweight
When it comes to Amanda Nunes, it is hardly a question of if she will deliver in 2020 but a question of when. She has proven her pedigree becoming the champion of both the bantamweight and featherweight, leaving many a talented fighter in her wake. This year, we don’t wait for her to grab hold of 2020; 2020 is hers to lose.
Khabib Nurmagomedov
Age: 31
Weight class: Lightweight
We’ll keep this one short. Khabib has suffered one defeat, and it wasn’t even a match; it was a single round of a title defense match which he went on to win. Khabib has never lost an MMA fight. Never. You can decide whether he’s worth betting your money on in 2020.
Jon Jones
Age: 32
Weight class: Light heavyweight
They say that the devil finds work for idle hands. No saying could be truer than this for Jones. A force to be reckoned with his biggest challenge has proven to be himself. He has an uncanny ability to find trouble when he’s not fighting. When he’s in the cage he is nearly unstoppable. His extracurricular activities aside, Jones is a name that is always worth throwing into the UFC conversation.
2020 has already gotten off to an exciting start, promising to be not only the latest but most thrilling instalment of the ongoing story that is UFC. We have taken a look at some strong contenders and heavy hitters but only time will tell who will hold the title of the best.
