5 highly-rated fighters who could sign with the UFC in 2018

#5 Amir Aliakbari

A former Olympian in Greco-Roman wrestling representing his native Iran, Amir Aliakbari is one of the more interesting prospects in the MMA world at Heavyweight. Built like a tank at just under 265lbs, he’s about as physically powerful a fighter as you’re going to find in MMA right now – capable of throwing huge men like Heath Herring around with suplexes and able to land clubbing punches from any angle on the ground.

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Aliakbari has been fighting in Japan with the Rizin organisation, where he’s beaten some tough opponents like Geronimo Dos Santos and Tyler King, all just two years into his MMA career. He’s not the finished article by any means – his physical style and aggression means he tends to slow down a little as a fight gets deeper – but he’s got all of the tools to succeed at the top level and he’s training with Mike Swick’s AKA Thailand camp, which means he’s almost guaranteed to improve.

Currently, Aliakbari is signed with the Absolute Fighting Berkut promotion out of Russia, but plenty of fighters have made their way to the UFC via that promotion before, including Magomed Bibulatov and Artem Lobov. If Aliakbari can complete his time there and continue to build his record, the UFC could come knocking in 2018 and with such an attractive style, the Iranian Olympian could become a star of the Octagon.

About the author

Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.

Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.

Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.

His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.

Outside of work, Scott likes to go to the gym, walk his dog, and travel.

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Edited by Tanya Rudra