sports

3 UFC Fighters to Keep an Eye On in 2021

Chris Unger / Getty Images

Published Mar 30, 2021

It's fair to say every aspiring martial artist's goal is to get to the UFC. Few make it there and even fewer find success at that level.

The UFC is known for finding talent globally and is always in search of additions to its roster. Whether it be regionally, internationally or internally—on shows like Dana White's Contender Series and The Ultimate Fighter, it's safe to say not everyone finds success immediately on the big stage.

It's very rare for an organization to find the Conor McGregors, Amanda Nunes and Israel Adesanyas of the world, but many show signs of being great. As there are tons of prospects in the UFC with championship potential, it was hard to narrow the list down to three. The rubric included elite striking, high level grappling and overall entertainment. These three fighters excelled at their craft, fit the criteria and are a few to keep an eye on this year.

1. Sean Brady (13-0) #14 welterweight

Pennsylvania-bred Sean Brady is a jiu-jitsu blackbelt with a severely underrated stand up game. The undefeated 28-year-old came from Cage Fury Fighting Championships where he dominated most of his opponents, earning himself gold and a UFC call-up in 2019.

After his first two UFC wins coming by way of decision (one over 10-year UFC veteran Court McGee), he decided to turn it up a notch. He finished his next two opponents by submission, after dominating from the start. One of those victories was over the highly touted Jake Matthews earlier this month. Prior to that matchup, Brady had a bout booked with fan favorite Belal Muhammad until the fight fell through. This would've been his first matchup with a ranked opponent in the UFC.

One thing people underestimate is how well-rounded he is. Brady's boxing is overlooked and under-appreciated; he has some serious skill with his hands, not to mention his decorated grappling and jiu-jitsu background training out of Renzo Gracie Philly.

Overall, I believe Brady is one of the brightest up and coming talents the UFC has. He has all the tools to compete with the world’s best and is experienced wherever the fight goes. If he can get a couple more fights in against ranked opponents, which is a task at welterweight at the moment, I could easily see him in the top 7 of the division by the end of 2021. Not to mention, he's on the pound-for-pound list for best tattoos in the UFC.

2. Giga Chikadze (12-2)

Born and raised in the country of Georgia, "Ninja" has one of the most intriguing styles in all of MMA. The 32-year-old's kickboxing game is at an immensely high level; your eyes won't leave the screen when he's in the octagon. Chikadze kicked off his career in MMA in 2015 after a tenured kickboxing career.

After losing his first ever pro bout at WSOF 26, he won five straight, earning him a shot on Dana White's Contender Series. Unfortunately, he lost that fight to current UFC featherweight Austin Springer. However, Chikadze went back to Gladiator Challenge and finished his next two fights in a combined 1:03.

Following those two wins, Dana came calling and gave him his UFC contract. Since that day, Chikadze has been on top of the world. Training out of Kings MMA, three of his last four wins come over quality names like Jamall Emmers, Irwin Rivera and Omar Morales. In his last bout he landed a picture perfect high kick, which led to the TKO of James Krause-Simmons in under four minutes.

He is now 5-0 in the UFC after going 4-0 in 2020, which seems to be a bit overlooked. The karate / taekwondo styles are some of the most fun to watch and this is another reason to tune into a Giga Chikadze bout. A kickboxing master, being compared to Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson, Chikadze has a great resume and is due for the next step, which is fighting the best featherweights on the UFC roster. It's safe to say his next fight will be his toughest to date as he takes on legendary Cub Swanson on May 1^st.

3. Danyelle Wolf (1-0)

This may come as a surprise, due to the fact that Danyelle Wolf is 1-0 and 37-years-old. However, Wolf is a 3-time boxing national champion for team USA, an IBJJF world champion and a Golden Gloves champion. Her accolades speak for themselves and she is an absolute force when it comes to combat sports. Her past is the reason she had the opportunity to make her debut on Dana White's Contender Series.

Wolf's debut was a lot closer than people expected. She faced Teneisha Tennant and, although she did get the unanimous decision win, it was much closer than that. Wolf ended up in a few bad situations, including a short sequence in which she was wobbled, but she kept her composure and stuck to the game plan. In the end it was clear her combinations, forward pressure and toughness won her the fight and earned her a UFC contract.

The women's featherweight division has had some huge names come over from other martial arts and start their MMA careers. For example, arguably the best women's boxer ever, Clarissa Shields, is signed with PFL. Multiple time judo national champion Kayla Harrison is also with PFL. Now, Danyelle Wolf is with the UFC.

In Wolf's UFC debut she will take on Felicia Spencer on May 22^nd. Spencer is 8-2 and is coming off a loss to the women's G.O.A.T Amanda Nunes. Also, both of Spencer's losses come from arguably the two best women's featherweights to date, so it’s safe to say Wolf will have her hands full.

Slide 1 of 3