MMA Fighters to Keep an Eye on In 2022/2023
Mixed martial arts, commonly known as MMA is one of the most popular and watched full-contact sports on the globe. If you’re an MMA fanatic, you’ll know of the more famous fighters like Jon Jones, Max Holloway, and who could forget Conor McGregor? These legends are known for their performance in the octagon and in some cases, their antics and mischief outside of the cage!
Regardless of what they get up to in their personal lives, these athletes make MMA one of the most thrilling and watchable sports around. Now it’s time to take a look at some upcoming MMA fighters who could soon become legends in the field. Here are some of the up-and-coming stars you can expect to see going into the new year and beyond.
Khamzat Chimaev
Khamzat Chimaev resides from Chechnya, Russia. The 28-year-old fights in both middleweight and welter positions. Chimaev’s style of fighting is both freestyle wrestling and MMA which makes for a fascinating combination. The mixed martial arts star has been hailed as one of the most dominant figures of the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship). However, it doesn’t end there.
Chimaev moved to Sweden with his mother at 18 years old. Because of this, the fighter became a wrestler and secured four gold medals when he competed in the Swedish Nationals. If that wasn’t enough, Chimaev has earnt a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu! It’s safe to say if there is one MMA rising star to watch out for, it’s Chimaev.
Yaroslav Amosov
Yaroslav Amosov is a Ukrainian fighter that’s another one to watch over the next year. He possesses numerous World Sambo titles that is certainly nothing to be sniffed at. In Amsov’s early career, he joined the Sambo club at the tender age of 15. This was an interesting move to make as he had no interest to fight. Amosov trained at Kyiv’s Hermes Club during his spell with Sambo, before making his way to MMA.
Amosov’s first MMA fight was against Vitaliy Maystenko. He certainly got off to a great start as he won via TK0 in the first round! The fighter’s last title fight was competing against Douglas Lima. As you would expect, Amosov won and achieved the Bellator’s welterweight title.
Michael Page
Michael Page is a British fighter that commonly goes by the moniker ‘Venom’. Page launched his career at the incredibly young age of 3! By 6 years old, Page had fought in his first match. The MMA star lives and breathes the sport, and it certainly shows in his results. Predominantly known for his unorthodox fighting style, Page has won too many fights to mention.
A fun fact for you about Page. The fighter originates from a kickboxing family, meaning it’s truly in his blood! Thanks to Page’s unique style of fighting, he manages to make his opponents look daft, and this can sometimes make it highly entertaining to watch from behind the ring. Before you catch Page in action next, why not head to an internet bookmakers and place a bet on the game? There are online bookies that allow you to bet on all your favourite sports.
Victoria Lee
Born in May 2004, Victoria Lee is only 18 years old. However, the fighter has so much to offer for this brilliant sport and we could not be happier! Women tend to fare well in MMA, and we’re delighted about this. At 16 years old, Lee joined the ONE Championship in 2020, before signing a contract to sight in the atomweight division.
As it stands, Lee’s list of accolades continues to grow and grow. Some of the most notable include 2019 Pankration Junior World Champion, 2020 Pankration Junior World Champion, and 2020 IMMAF Wrestling Junior State Champion. What is definitely for certain is we can expect to see a lot more of Lee going into 2023.
Mackenzie Dern
If there is one thing that brings us MMA fans plenty of joy, it’s seeing women kill it in MMA. One of those females that does just that is Mackenzie Dern. She is a formidable fighter who began her journey when she was only 14 years old! Now 29, the fighter has partaken in over 100 professional grappling matches. This easily makes her one of the best female grapplers in the MMA world.
In fact, Dern currently ranks 6th among the female divisions and competes in the strawweight division. Not only is Dern a professional mixed martial artist, but she’s also a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner too. Some accolades to Dern’s name include being the former world’s No. 1 ranked IBJJF competitor!
Paddy Pimblett
Paddy Pimblett is an English mixed martial artist who is currently competing in UFC’s lightweight division. When starting out in 2012, Pimblett racked up an impressive 3 – 0 record, before signing up for Cage Warriors. Moving onto 2016, Pimblett secured the Cage Warriors featherweight championship title. What followed was his move over to the lightweight division where he won two additional matches before making his home at the UFC.
In September 2021, Pimblett made his debut at UFC Fight Night 191. As one of the leading fighters in the octagon, Pimblett won his first UFC fight, which definitely makes him one of the leading fighters to look out for. You can see Pimblett next in the ring in December where he is competing against Jared Gordon. We promise it’s one you will not want to miss out on!
There are countless reasons why we love MMA. For starters, it’s as real as it gets. When fighters climb into the ring, they’re fighting for their careers! When compared to other sports, MMA is one of the few that provides excitement and entertainment throughout.
If you’re an MMA lover, you’ll be happy to know there are a string of new and upcoming fighters who are sure to take the world by storm. Whatever division you follow, get ready to immerse yourself in the fun and adrenaline MMA is best known for.
