Getting ready for UFC prime time
Next generation of stars poised to make an impact during three days of bouts in Las Vegas
As all eyes in the MMA community shift to ‘The Fight Capital of the World’ and the outstanding championship bouts that close out UFC 194, there is a collection of promising young fighters who could use the coming week in Las Vegas as their personal coming-out party.
While Jose Aldo, Chris Weidman, Conor McGregor and Luke Rockhold will always garner the most attention, the upcoming threepack of events Thursday, Friday and Saturday feature some of the most promising up-and-comers in the UFC. And when the dust settles, we should know more about where they stand in their respective divisions and what to expect from them in 2016.
Here’s a look at who to watch:
Paige VanZant
(6-1 overall, 3-0 UFC) is a fast-rising 21-year-old who has used the last year to go from making her promotional debut on Fight Pass to headlining Thursday’s event on the UFC digital streaming platform. Team Alpha Male’s talented female is viewed as a can’t-miss prospect from a marketing standpoint and has the in-ring talent to eventually ascend to the top of the division.
Rose Namajunas
(3-2 overall, 1-1 UFC) was pushed as the potential ‘next Ronda Rousey’ on Season 20 of The Ultimate Fighter, but after losing to Carla Esparza in the inaugural strawweight title fight, people seemed to cool on the 23-year-old. Even with a win in October, Namajunas has been able to remain slightly under the radar for much of the year. That will all change if she beats VanZant.
Sage Northcutt
(6-0 overall, 1-0 UFC) is the youngest fighter on the UFC roster and was tabbed by UFC president Dana White as one of the biggest potential superstars in the organization. Athletic, aggressive and looking like he was pulled out of an Abercrombie ad, Northcutt is a marketer’s dream. Now it’s all about figuring out how good he can be.
Elias Theodorou
(11-0 overall, 3-0 UFC) defeated fellow Canadian Sheldon Westcott to win the middleweight competition on The Ultimate Fighter: Nations in April 2014 and has picked up two wins since. The charismatic Mississauga, Ont. native puts his unbeaten record on the line Thursday and will look for a Top 15 opponent if he picks up the win.
Aljamain Sterling
(11-0 overall, 3-0 UFC) sits No. 5 in the bantamweight rankings and could find himself challenging for championship gold by the end of 2016 if he wins Thursday. A teammate of Chris Weidman, ‘The Funkmaster’ has the potential to follow in the middleweight champion’s footsteps and make an undefeated march to a UFC title.
Max Holloway
(14-3 overall, 10-3 UFC) has won seven straight fights heading into his UFC 194 showdown with Jeremy Stephens — and he turned 24 Friday. The talented Hawaiian cracked the Top 5 at featherweight this year and should find himself in a No. 1 contender’s bout if he extends his streak Saturday.
Tecia Torres
(6-0 overall, 2-0 UFC) is the forgotten woman in the strawweight ranks and must watch as two fighters she has already beaten — VanZant and Namajunas — are billed as the future of the division and headline Thursday’s event. ‘The Tiny Tornado’ is a high-volume kickboxer with outstanding conditioning and will continue to be a handful for anyone competing at 115 pounds.
Namajunas and VanZant are the most established names of the group among casual fans and Northcutt is getting a serious push from the promotion, but Sterling and Holloway are the closest to being ready for prime time.
Depending on how things shake out between Aldo and McGregor, Holloway could face the winner of Friday’s Chad Mendes-Frankie Edgar fight next, while Sterling’s quiet ascent is reminiscent of the climb Weidman made on his way to the top.
As much as there are a pair of titles up for grabs this week and a handful of top contender bouts on the schedule as well, don’t neglect this group of next generation talents who could find themselves fighting for gold in the not-too-distant future.