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#2. Micheal Chandler - UFC lightweight
Michael Chandler started his MMA career not in the UFC but at Strikeforce. He moved to Bellator in 2010.
In 2011, he defeated Eddie Alvarez to become the Bellator lightweight champion. Chandler made a reputation for being an explosive striker. He was also a good wrestler and dominated most of his opponents on the ground. Over the years, Chandler became a three-time champion.
Michael Chandler signed with the UFC in 2019. He was among the most high-profile signings in recent memory. Dana White showed faith in him from the start. 'Iron' Michael Chandler made his debut against No.6-ranked lightweight Dan Hooker. After beating Hooker, his next fight was a title shot against Charles Oliviera, which he lost.
While many fighters grind for years, the former Bellator champ got a title shot in his second UFC fight. No one receives such opportunities unless White favors them. Many believe Chandler has what Tony Ferguson calls ''Dana White privilege.''
#1. Kevin Holland - UFC middleweight
Kevin Holland's rise was sudden and happened at a blistering pace. Khamzat Chimaev is the only other recent UFC fighter who rose to fame so quickly. Chimaev's hype train slowed due to him contracting COVID-19, but Holland's stock has only gone up.
Kevin Holland's popularity exploded after he fought five times in 2020. In August, he derailed the Joaquin Buckley hype train. His outspoken persona and flashy style also grabbed the attention of fans. He ended 2020 with a highlight-reel knockout of UFC veteran Jacare Souza.
Though 2021 has not been such a good year, Kevin Holland's popularity keeps growing. The 28-year-old's latest fight was arguably the year's most controversial. He got buzzed after an accidental headbutt and got choked out moments later. After review, the loss was overturned to a no-contest. 'Trailblazer' handled the situation very well.
White did not like Holland in the beginning, but 'Trailblazer' has played all his cards right, and it paid off. White is now impressed by the middleweight's skills as well as his star power.
