5 championship caliber prospects in the UFC bantamweight division

The UFC's bantamweight division has emerged as one of the most stacked and exciting weight classes in all of combat sports in recent times. As the sport of MMA continues to evolve, the masses have started to appreciate the lighter divisions more than they used to, in-part thanks to the new wave of fighters taking over at 135 pounds.

At UFC Vegas 53 this weekend, top-ranked bantamweight contenders Rob Font and Marlon Vera are set to lock horns in what promises to be an enthralling main event. Both fighters are tantalizingly close to a shot at gold and a win here could propel them closer to a championship opportunity.

UFC Vegas 53 poster [Image via @ufc on Twitter]

Both Font and Vera have transitioned from prospects to legitimate title contenders in recent years. The two fighters, along with Aljamain Sterling, T.J. Dillashaw, Petr Yan, Cory Sandhagen, Jose Aldo and Dominick Cruz, make up the cream of the crop at 135 pounds. A number of prospects will be looking to make their way into the top-tier of the division in the coming years.

On that note, here are five championship caliber prospects in the UFC bantamweight division.

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#5. Adrian Yanez

Adrian Yanez is currently unranked in the bantamweight division. He burst onto the scene with a successful outing in season 4 of Dana White’s Contender Series, recording a stunning 39-second TKO victory over Brady Huang to earn a UFC contract.

Since joining the promotion, the American has been on a tear, picking up three ‘Performance of the Night’ bonuses in as many fights. Knockout victories over Victor Rodriguez, Gustavo Lopez and Randy Costa saw him earn a reputation for being a durable fighter with crisp and pin-point striking. UFC commentator Michael Bisping has even dubbed Yanez a ‘Mini Masvidal’.

With his relentless pressure and impeccable boxing, Yanez’s style is very similar to that of one of the biggest stars in the sport, Jorge Masvidal. He even sports a similarly styled beard to 'Gamebred’, hence Bisping's comparisons between the two fighters.

The 28-year-old's impressive performances saw him take on English prospect Davey Grant at UFC Vegas 43. The duo bagged the ‘Fight of the Night’ bonus for their incredible bout and Yanez called for a ranked opponent after securing a split decision victory.

Yanez has a long way to go in his career, but the early signs are extremely promising. Additionally, his all-action style and propensity to deliver highlight-reel knockouts could see him break into the top 15 of the bantamweight rankings very soon.

#4. Song Yadong – No.9 in the UFC bantamweight division

Somewhat unconventionally, the UFC signed Song Yadong when he was only 19 years old. The Chinese youngster only had 16 fights under his belt when he received a contract from the world's premier MMA promotion and has performed admirably ever since.

Yadong's professional record stands at 19-5-1 (1 NC). He is already significantly more experienced than most fighters his age, having started his pro MMA career at the age of 16. Currently under the tutelage of MMA legend Urijah Faber and having permanently relocated to the United States, he looks set for a fruitful career ahead of him.

Yadong has secured wins over the likes of Vince Morales, Marlon Vera and Casey Kenney so far. He has lost just once in the UFC, a unanimous decision defeat at the hands of Kyler Phillips. In his most recent outing, he knocked out former title challenger Marlon Moraes, solidifying his place among the top ten at 135 pounds.

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#3. Sean O'Malley – No.13 in the UFC bantamweight division

Based on everything we've seen from Sean O'Malley so far, he's a bonafide superstar. While it's very rare for a non-champion to have a large following in MMA, O'Malley seemingly has a fan-base bigger than most titleholders in the promotion.

'Suga' is a lethal knockout artist. We don't often see fighters get knocked out cold in the lighter divisions in MMA. Somehow, O'Malley already has a jaw-dropping highlight reel, comprising KO/TKO victories over Jose Quinonez, Eddie Wineland, Thomas Almeida, Kris Moutinho and most recently, Raulian Paiva.

O'Malley doesn't seem to have a problem slow-playing his career. He isn't in a hurry to climb the ranks and doesn't mind fighting unranked fighters either, which is evident in his callout of the previously discussed Adrian Yanez.

Currently ranked No.13 in the bantamweight division, the popular 135-pounder's next few fights will give fans a clear idea of his potential. He has barrelled through almost every opponent he's faced thus far and it remains to be seen how he performs against high-level opposition.

O'Malley is undoubtedly one of the best strikers in the division. He hasn't been tested against a solid wrestler yet and it'll be interesting to see how he deals with unfavorable matchups. If his takedown defense and grappling is as good as he says it is, we could have a future champion on our hands.

#2. Jack Shore – No.15 in the UFC bantamweight division

Purely based on skill, rather than résumé, Jack Shore is among the most well-rounded fighters in the UFC bantamweight division. The unbeaten Welshman has slowly but surely built a name for himself over the last few years and has emerged as an ominous presence at 135 pounds.

Shore's professional record stands at 16-0, comprising four knockouts and eight submissions. In his most recent appearance in the octagon, he secured a unanimous decision victory over Timur Valiev at UFC London to finally break into the bantamweight ranks.

Jack Shore is a nightmare stylistic matchup for anyone he goes up against, which bodes well for him going forward in a division seemingly brimming with somewhat one-dimensional fighters.

The former Cage Warriors champion boasts ever-improving stand-up skills, which is evident in his last fight where he dropped his opponent multiple times. While British fighters of the past have struggled against high-level wrestlers, 'Tank' boasts stellar offensive and defensive wrestling, coupled with lethal submission skills.

Still just 27, this Welsh star's ceiling is still unknown. If he continues to improve, which is a scary thought considering how mature his skillset is already, Shore will be among the elite at 135 pounds for a long time to come.

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#1. Umar Nurmagomedov

The next entry on our list is considered by a large section of the MMA community to be a future bantamweight champion. Umar Nurmagomedov signed with the UFC in 2020 and made his promotional debut on Fight Island, Abu Dhabi, where he defeated Sergey Morozov via second-round submission.

You might have guessed who this talented bantamweight trains with already. He is the cousin of Khabib Nurmagomedov, the former UFC lightweight champion and pound-for-pound king.

Umar Nurmagomedov is an Eagles MMA product. Under the tutelage of Khabib Nurmagomedov and renowned American Kickboxing Academy head coach Javier Mendez, he is part of a new wave of Dagestani fighters. This new generation looks set to take over the sport in the coming years.

His teammates Islam Makhachev, Zubaira Tukhugov and Abubakar Nurmagomedov have been fighting in the UFC for quite some time now. Their experience will be hugely beneficial to his growth in the promotion. The Russian is looking to follow in the footsteps of his cousins and compatriots, who will be guiding his career in the world’s premier MMA organization.

In his most recent outing, he submitted Brian Kelleher in the first round to extend his unblemished professional record to 14-0.

Umar Nurmagomedov has a real chance of breaking into the top 15 of the bantamweight rankings if he stays active in 2022. Khabib Nurmagomedov has instilled a championship mentality into the team of fighters under him and Umar could emerge as the divisional dark horse in the coming years.

Astonishingly, he is just 26 and one can only imagine how good he'll be when he's in his prime. Don't be surprised if this young Russian emulates his legendary cousin and becomes a dominant UFC champion.