Future of MMA: Upcoming fighters to watch in 2025!

  This article in a nutshell:

• The article spotlights six promising MMA fighters, including undefeated prospects Samandar Murodov and Austin Bash, with rising stars Abdoul Abdouraguimov and Jon Vetle Furuheim.

• Each fighter brings unique skills, from elite wrestling to flashy striking. In our opion, they are strong contenders for signings by major MMA organizations during the course of 2025 - stay tuned!

Mixed martial arts is constantly evolving, with new fighters continuously rising through the ranks of some of the small to medium sized organizations - aiming for a shot at the bigger organizations in due course.

Below, we explore some of the fighters we believe are likely to sign with a major organization in 2025.

Upcoming MMA fighters in 2025

5. Samandar Murodov (Welterweight)

We start with Samandar Murodov, originally from Uzbekistan. He has amassed a record of 11 wins and no losses, with his most recent victories coming in UFC's Road to UFC. Known for his wrestling and grappling skills, as well as his ability to control the octagon, he is likely to sign a contract with the UFC, possibly as early as 2025.

Embedded from EFC (October 2024)

Last 3 fights (scrollable left/right for mobile users):

Opponent	Event	Result
Jonathan Piersma	23 August 2024: UFC - Road to UFC Season 3: Las Vegas Semifinals 2	WIN Decision (Unanimous)
Bobur Kurbanov	20 January 2024: UAE Warriors 46 - Da Silva vs. Kamavov	WIN TKO (Shoulder injury, 5:00 round 1)
Lucas Sampaio	26 August 2023: UAE Warriors 44 - Magomedov vs. da Silva	WIN Decision (Unanimous)

4. Abdoul Abdouraguimov (welterweight)

Next is Abdoul Abdouraguimov. Originally from Dagestan but currently fighting out of France, he has amassed a record of 18 wins and one loss. Known for his high-level wrestling — unsurprising given his Dagestani roots — combined with striking skills, he has already dominated several MMA organizations.

He is likely to sign with a major MMA organization soon.

Embedded from PFL MMA (October 2024)

Last 3 fights:

Opponent	Event	Result
Jack Grant	7 March 2024: PFL Europe 1	WIN Decision (Split)
Brad Wheeler	30 September 2023: PFL Europe 3	WIN TKO (RNC, 2:43 round 1)
Rafal Haratyk	20 January 2023: Ares FC 11	WIN Submission (kneebar, 4:35 round 5)

3. Abdullo Khodzhaev (LIGHTWEIGHT)

Third on our list is Abdullo Khodzhaev, a lightweight originally from Tajikistan. With a record of 5 wins and 1 loss — and despite his most recent fight being a loss — he remains an exciting prospect. Known for his diverse striking techniques and flashy style, he has garnered a lot of attention, with many predicting a major signing soon.

Embedded from Unity (October 2024)

Last 3 fights:

Opponent	Event	Result
Gamid Khizriev	28 September 2024: UAE Warriors 54	LOSS Decision (Split)
Petru Buzdugan	17 October 2023: UAE Warriors 45	WIN TKO (Punches, 4:21 round 1)
Rustem Kudaybergenov	20 May 2023: UAE Warriors 42	WIN Submission (RNC, 3:58 round 1)

2. Badmatsyren Dorzhiev (Flyweight)

Nearing the top of our list of prospective fighters, we come to Badmatsyren Dorzhiev. A flyweight born in Mongolia, he has a record of 8 wins and 1 loss. Although he suffered a submission loss in his last fight on March 8, 2024, he remains an extremely exciting prospect, likely destined to join one of the major MMA promotions soon. Known for his strong grappling and well-rounded skill set, Dorzhiev is a fighter to watch in the near future.

Embedded from Brave (October 2024)

Last 3 fights:

Opponent	Event	Result
Israel Galvan	8 March 2024: CFFC 130: Galvan vs. Dorzhiev	LOSS Submission (RNC, 4:14 Round 2)
Shamel Findley	20 July 2023: CFFC 122: Gunnison vs. Watley	WIN Decision (Unanimous)
Keaneo Moyer	23 April 2023: UAE Warriors 44 - Magomedov vs. da Silva	WIN TKO (Body shot, 0:23 Round 1)

1. Austin Bashi (Middleweight)

The top prospect on our list is Austin Bashi, a middleweight from Michigan, USA. He has amassed a record of 13 wins with zero losses. Known for his elite wrestling and cardio, he has dominated organizations like Lights Out Championship. We consider him the top prospect to join a major MMA organization in 2025.

Embedded from Lights Out (October 2024)

Opponent	Event	Result
Jonathan Piersma	3 September 2024: Contender Series 2024	WIN Submission (RNC, 3:15 Round 2)
Zac Riley	1 June 2024: Lights Out Championship 16	WIN TKO (Strikes, 3:48 Round 1)
Askar Askar	30 September 2023: Lights Out Championship 13	WIN Submission (Short choke, 1:42 Round 2)

BONUS: Jon "Wonderboy" Vetle (Lightweight)

As a bonus, we’ve picked Jon Vetle Furuheim. A Norwegian fighter already known for his well-rounded skills and knockout power, he has amassed a record of 7 wins and 1 loss, with his last four fights ending in finishes. In our opinion, he is likely to sign with a major MMA organization extremely soon.

Embedded from Academy (October 2024)

Opponent	Event	Result
Wellyton Junior da Silva	23 November 2024: Cage 64	WIN TKO (Punches, Round 1)
Mirlanio Nascimento	7 September 2024: Cage 63	WIN TKO (Punches, Round 1)
Omar Khaled	25 May 2024: MCP 13	WIN Submission (RNC, Round 2)

Other articles

While you're at it, feel free to take a look at some of our other articles:

• Potential MMA superfights to set up for 2025 (click now to view)

  
  

• The borderline techniques that are still legal in MMA (click now to view)

• Our full predictions for UFC 310: Pantoja vs. Asakura (click now to view)