5 UFC fighters who will justify the hype behind them and 5 that won't

Sean O'Malley (L) and Shavkat Rakhmonov (R) (Twitter: @Ross_Markey)
Sean O'Malley (L) and Shavkat Rakhmonov (R) (Twitter: @Ross_Markey)

#4. Will justify: UFC women's flyweight Casey O'Neill

Casey O'Neill has an excellent opportunity to move into the title picture and possibly challenge UFC women's flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko. She made her debut last year and has been impressive ever since. Having already fought tough competition in her short career, she has proved that she's capable of defeating seasoned veterans.

O'Neill has an unbeaten 9-0 MMA record, with 4 of those wins coming inside the octagon. Her most recent win saw her earn a split decision against Roxanne Modafferi in a hard-fought bout, after which 'The Happy Warrior' promptly retired.

She's currently dealing with a setback as she recovers from a torn ACL. When she returns, the No.11-ranked women's flyweight will definitely be a fighter that could live up to the hype.


#3. Will justify: UFC lightweight Paddy Pimblett

Paddy Pimblett has become a star for the UFC since debuting last September. He is 2-0 inside the octagon and earned Performance of the Night bonuses in both wins against Luigi Vandramini and Rodrigo Vargas. He will look to extend improve to 3-0 in the promotion this Saturday when he fights Jordan Leavitt in London, England.

'The Baddy' has shown he has all the makings of being a big draw for the promotion. He is en vogue as it pertains to media and seems to be a fighter the promotion has high hopes for in the United Kingdom. The scouser is very charismatic and has been well-received by fans when he has been in attendance at pay-per-view events.

If Pimblett improves to 3-0 inside the octagon, the next logical step would be to feature him on a pay-per-view card. Since his first career loss in 2013, the former Cage Warriors featherweight champion has only lost title fights.

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