5 best UFC debuts of 2023

With just three shows remaining, the year 2023 is almost over for the UFC, and it’s worth looking back at some of the events that have passed, including the year’s debuts.

As with any year, countless fighters have debuted in the UFC in 2023, and of course, some have made a far bigger impact than others.

But who had the best octagon debut this year? Nobody made the kind of impact that Michael Chandler did in 2021, but it’s fair to say that a handful of fighters definitely exploded onto the scene.

Here are the five best UFC debutants of 2023.

#5. Diego Lopes – UFC featherweight contender

Given the number of UFC debutants who have produced wins in their first octagon appearance this year, it seems weird to include a fighter who made a losing effort on this list.

However, given the nature of his first fight, it’s hard not to consider Diego Lopes’ debut as one of the best of 2023.

The featherweight prospect came into the promotion on short notice at UFC 288 in May, taking his fight with Movsar Evloev with just four days to prepare.

It sounded like madness, especially as Evloev was 16-0 at the time and had beaten highly-rated veterans like Dan Ige and Hakeem Dawodu.

Remarkably, though, Lopes took the fight to the Russian and pushed him harder than he’d ever been pushed before. He had him hurt with strikes in the first round and came close with numerous submissions across the fight.

While Evloev eventually won the decision, it could easily have gone the other way, and had Lopes not been tired out due to his lack of preparation, he probably would’ve won.

Since then, Lopes has reeled off two straight wins, proving he’s for real, and it’s likely he’ll climb into contention in 2024. For pushing a ranked fighter to his absolute limit, the Brazilian definitely fits on this list.

#4. Sharabutdin Magomedov – UFC middleweight contender

Thanks to a violent reputation, a wild look, and an unbeaten 11-0 record, the UFC debut of Dagestan’s Shara Magomedov was one of the most highly-anticipated of 2023.

While he didn’t finish his opponent, Bruno Silva, it’s safe to say that ‘Shara Bullet’ largely lived up to all of the hype afforded to him.

Setting a furious pace for a first trip to the octagon, Magomedov took the fight to Silva with a ferocious assault of strikes, hurting his foe more than once.

His performance, admittedly, wasn’t perfect, as he gave up a couple of takedowns to the Brazilian and didn’t seem capable of escaping to his feet.

However, ‘Shara Bullet’ was so active with strikes from the bottom that observers would’ve been forgiven for believing that allowing takedowns was all part of a grander plan from the Dagestani.

In the end, Magomedov received a pretty clear-cut unanimous decision, and it was hard not to be impressed by his showing. How far he can go in the promotion remains to be seen, but based on this, he’s got the potential to do very well. Overall, this was definitely one of 2023’s best debuts.

#3. Bo Nickal – UFC middleweight contender

Arguably, no debuting fighter in 2023 arrived in the UFC with more hype than Bo Nickal, and while it’s fair to question the quality of his opposition, it’s hard to argue that he didn’t live up to his reputation.

Nickal’s reputation, of course, came from his amateur wrestling career. A three-time NCAA Division I National Champion, few fighters in UFC history could match his credentials on the mat, and his two bouts on Dana White’s Contender Series showed off his huge potential.

Despite the pressure on his shoulders, then, it’s probably fair to say that his octagon debut couldn’t have gone much better.

Faced with a far more experienced foe in the form of Jamie Pickett, ‘The Allen Assassin’ recovered from an early slip to easily overpower Pickett on the ground. From there, he secured an arm triangle choke and forced him to submit.

Nickal has since defeated another overmatched opponent in the form of Val Woodburn, and he’s expected to return in 2024. With any hope, the promotion can find him a tougher challenge, because based on this outstanding debut, he’s clearly ready for it.

#2. Ismael Bonfim – UFC lightweight contender

While Ismael Bonfim’s gaudy unbeaten record was eventually snapped by the surging Benoit Saint-Denis in July, it’s hard to argue that his UFC debut wasn’t one of the best of 2023.

Faced with the dangerous Terrance McKinney in front of his home fans in Brazil, it would’ve been easy to imagine ‘Marreta’ wilting under the pressure.

However, that wasn’t the case at all. After a pretty wild exchange of strikes early in the bout, Bonfim appeared to be the heavier hitter and had McKinney visibly worried with some of his shots before the first round ended.

Even ‘T-Wrecks’ couldn’t have imagined what would happen next, though. ‘Marreta’ once again hurt him in the second round, rocking him early on, and as the round went on, he knocked his mouthpiece out with a one-two.

Sensing the end was near, Bonfim then delivered a sickening flying knee that sparked ‘T-Wrecks’ out instantly, sending him crashing to the ground unconscious.

To say that this knockout was nasty would be an understatement. Nearly twelve months later, it still stands as one of the best of 2023, and it goes without saying that it belongs on the list of the year’s best debuts, too.

#1. Ikram Aliskerov – UFC middleweight contender

It might not have been quite as devastating as Ismael Bonfim’s knockout of Terrance McKinney, but it’s safe to say that Ikram Aliskerov’s UFC debut was no less effective.

More to the point, given that his debut win came over a more highly-rated opponent than McKinney in the form of Phil Hawes, it’s arguable that Aliskerov belongs right at the top of this list.

The native of Dagestan had earned his contract with a 2022 win on Dana White’s Contender Series, but despite a strong record of 13-1, his biggest claim to fame was being an early victim of Khamzat Chimaev.

That changed when he faced Hawes at UFC 288 in May. Remarkably, in the early going, it looked like the fight would belong to ‘Megatron’, as he backed Aliskerov up with a series of kicks at a frenetic pace.

It didn’t take long for Aliskerov to turn the tables, though. Remaining calm, he simply picked his spot and annihilated Hawes with a brutal one-two, sending him slumping to the mat out cold.

Aliskerov didn’t even need to follow the shots up, as it was clear that the fight was over, and in an instant, a star was born. Since then, the Dagestani has also melted Warlley Alves, and it seems like he’ll be a man to watch in 2024.

Overall, then, it’s definitely arguable that Aliskerov’s octagon debut was the best of 2023.