5 unranked UFC fighters who'll break into the rankings in the near future

#2. Sean O’Malley (14-1 overall, 6-1 in the UFC)

Unlike the other fighters on this list, UFC star Sean O’Malley has fully embraced the fact that he is unranked. While most fighters aspire to climb the rankings and take on the highest-ranked opponents, O’Malley has taken a different approach to his career so far.

The self-proclaimed ‘unranked champ’ has stated on numerous occasions that he doesn’t really care about the rankings. In an appearance on the No Jumper podcast, O’Malley had this to say:

“For me, I have a contract to fight a certain amount of fights, and I’m gonna get paid a certain amount of money whether I fight Louis Smolka, the dude I was supposed to fight, or I fight Petr Yan, the No. 1 bantamweight in the UFC. I get paid the same."

Watch O'Malley's full interview on the No Jumper podcast below:

Sean O’Malley got the UFC brass and Dana White’s attention with a stunning one-punch KO victory against Alfred Khashakyan on Dana White’s Contender Series. His unorthodox style, all-action approach and impenetrable confidence has made him a huge star ever since.

Watch O'Malley's performance on Dana White's Contender Series below:

KO/TKO victories over Jose Alberto Quinonez, Eddie Wineland, Thomas Almeida, Kris Moutinho and Raulian Paiva have seen O’Malley emerge as one of the most entertaining fighters in the UFC.

Sean O'Malley's skills are undeniable. With just a few more fights left on his current contract with the UFC, he is expected to sign a more lucrative deal sometime in 2022. The new deal should ultimately give him the motivation to take on higher-ranked and higher-caliber opponents.

2022 could be a massive year for 'The Sugar Show'.

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#1. Alex Pereira (4-1 overall, 1-0 in the UFC)

Alex Pereira is one of the most decorated and accomplished kickboxers in the world. The Brazilian is undoubtedly an exciting addition to the UFC's middleweight division.

Pereira has gained a reputation for possessing an incredible amount of power and has produced some vicious knockouts in the kickboxing ring. Furthermore, he remains the only man to have knocked out the reigning UFC middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya.

Pereira began competing in MMA in 2015 and accrued a 3-1 record before being signed by the UFC.

He made his promotional debut at UFC 268: Usman vs. Covington 2 in New York City, where he took on Andreas Michailidis. ‘Po Atan’ displayed his defensive abilities on the mat in the first round and knocked Michailidis out with a sensational flying knee in the second.

Following Pereira’s victory, analysts and fans started to fantasize about a potential match-up between the flashy Brazilian and Israel Adesanya.

Stylistically, it would be a sight to behold, as two elite strikers squaring off with no intention of shooting for a takedown will definitely produce fireworks. There is an extremely engaging storyline as well, with Adesanya most likely looking to avenge his KO loss to Pereira in kickboxing.

In a video posted to his YouTube channel FREESTYLEBENDER, Israel Adesanya gave his take on Pereira’s victory. He said:

“Good job, Pereira. That was nice. One thing I notice is everyone always holds on to that win he has over me like it’s the be all end all. I hope he does well. I hope he does well through the ranks. In the next four fights, I hope to see him."

Watch Adesanya’s reaction to Pereira's knockout below:

At 34, there are doubts regarding how long Pereira can continue to compete at the highest level. Expect the UFC to fast-track the Brazilian up the rankings as soon as possible.

With Adesanya currently lapping the fighters in the middleweight division, we could see Pereira not only enter the rankings, but potentially take on 'The Last Stylebender' in 2022.