5 most exciting prospects in the UFC welterweight division right now

Throughout the history of the UFC welterweight division, a dominant champion has emerged as a cut above the rest.

Matt Hughes reigned over the division between 2001 and 2006, barring a loss to BJ Penn, which he later avenged. The American handed over the crown to Georges St-Pierre, who is widely considered the greatest fighter of all time. St-Pierre defended the 170 lb strap nine times before vacating it in 2013.

Tyron Woodley held the belt for three years before losing to Kamaru Usman, whose championship reign continues to this day. During Usman's rise up the ranks at 170 lb, it became clear to those in the know that he was a champion in waiting.

Usman is likely in the final stages of his pro MMA career. Considering his age, knee injuries and accomplishments thus far, most are of the opinion that 'The Nigerian Nightmare' has just a handful of fights left in him. As a result, fans have begun to speculate as to who will be the next long-reigning 170 lb champion.

That said, we thought we'd rank the five most promising prospects in the welterweight division at the moment.

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#5. Ian Garry (8-0 overall, 1-0 in the UFC)

Ian Garry came into the UFC with a ton of hype. The undefeated prospect was touted as one of the best 170-pounders to emerge out of Cage Warriors, the leading MMA promotion in the United Kingdom.

Garry made his UFC debut at UFC 268 in Madison Square Garden, New York City, last year. The 24-year-old took on Jordan Williams and knocked the American out cold in the first round. In his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, the Irishman referenced his compatriot Conor McGregor:

“Joe, a wise Irish man once said before me, he stepped in this very cage and he said, ‘We’re not here to take part, we’re here to take over.’ And this is the takeover part 2.”

Watch his full post-fight interview with Joe Rogan below:

Garry is an incredibly promising addition to the already stacked 170 lb division. ‘The Future’ has even opted to move to the U.S. for his training camps. In preparation for his bout with Williams, he trained at Sanford MMA, where the likes of Michael Chandler, Derek Brunson and Gilbert Burns train.

Many have drawn comparisons between Garry and Conor McGregor. The combination that Garry used to knock Jordan Williams out was a slick counter-strike, a weapon that McGregor himself has mastered.

#4. Kevin Holland (22-7 overall, 9-4-1NC in the UFC)

Kevin Holland first appeared on the UFC's radar during an unsuccessful outing on Dana White's Contender Series (DWCS). While he did secure a win on DWCS, his in-cage antics and incessant chatter during the fight likely turned off Dana White and the promotion's matchmakers.

Two months after his appearance on DWCS, Holland was offered a short-notice fight against Thiago Santos, a middleweight contender at the time and a future title challenger. 'Trailblazer' accepted the bout and had a decent showing against the formidable Brazilian. Despite losing a unanimous decision on the night, he was offered a UFC contract.

Since joining the promotion, Holland plied his trade in the middleweight division for his first 13 fights. In 2020, the American went on a scintillating 5-0 run and even broke into the 185 lb rankings following his TKO win over MMA veteran Ronaldo 'Jacare' Souza.

Watch Kevin Holland's record-breaking run in 2020 below:

Following decision losses to top middleweight contenders Marvin Vettori and Derek Brunson, it became apparent that 185 lb wasn't the ideal weight class for Holland. He fought just once more in the division before finally opting to drop down to his more natural weight class, welterweight.

At UFC 272, Holland took on Alex Oliveira in his first welterweight bout since joining the promotion. He secured a second-round TKO victory, earning a 'Performance of the Night' bonus for his efforts.

Kevin Holland's ceiling at welterweight largely depends on how seriously he takes it. He has the skills to compete with the best at 170 lb and matches up very well with some of the division's top-15 fighters. At just 29, Holland has a lot to offer and could be set for a rapid ascent up the ranks if all goes to plan.

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#3. Sean Brady (15-0 overall, 5-0 in the UFC)

Sean Brady has slowly built a name for himself in the UFC's 170 lb division. He joined the UFC in 2019 and made his promotional debut against Court McGee in 2019, winning via unanimous decision.

The undefeated prospect went on to secure submission victories over Ismail Naurdiev, Christian Aguilera and Jake Matthews. He quickly gained a reputation for being an extremely dangerous grappler, as well as being the owner of one of the best back tattoos in the game.

In his most recent bout, he took on Michael Chiesa. Given Chiesa’s grappling credentials, this matchup was a real threat to Brady’s perfect pro MMA record.

Nevertheless, he secured a unanimous decision win over the then-No.6-ranked welterweight to make a huge leap in the rankings. The fact that he outgrappled one of the best grapplers in the weight class effortlessly showed that Brady is a force to be reckoned with in the welterweight division.

Now among the top ten, Sean Brady refused to make a callout following his win over Chiesa. Rather, the Philadelphia native requested that the UFC brass put him in a five-round headliner. In his post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier, he said:

“I want one of these main events everybody keeps getting. I want five rounds. I want to prove I can go five rounds. [I want] A top-ten or a top-five guy. It’s about to be a new year. We can go back to Philly [Philadelphia], go back to the Wells Fargo Center… Me, the Daukaus brothers, Andre Petroski, Pat Sabatini, all the New Jersey guys… We’ll pack that place.”

Watch Sean Brady’s post-fight interview below:

#2. Shavkat Rakhmonov (15-0 overall, 3-0 in the UFC)

Shavkat Rakhmonov is an ominous presence in the UFC’s 170 lb division. Think Khamzat Chimaev, without all the hype.

Rakhmonov joined the UFC two years ago and has won all three of his fights since making his promotional debut at UFC 254 in 2020. The Kazakh phenom boasts an unblemished professional MMA record of 15-0. He has finished all of his opponents so far in his career, beating eight by way of KO/TKO and seven by submission.

‘Nomad’ has been likened to rising star Khamzat Chimaev. The duo are very similar, as both possess elite wrestling, impeccable submission skills and devastating power in their strikes. The only difference between them is the way they carry themselves. Rakhmonov’s soft-spoken demeanor is a stark contrast to Chimaev’s outspoken nature.

The promotion has been looking to push Chimaev up the welterweight ladder at an unprecedented pace, considering his performances and the way he has resonated with the fans. However, the promotion has a fighter just as good as 'Borz' in Rakhmonov, who is primed to take over the 170 lb division in the coming years.

At just 27, Rakhmonov has a long way to go in his career. It'll be interesting to see how his career pans out. A matchup with Chimaev down the line will undoubtedly be an explosive encounter.

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#1. Khamzat Chimaev (10-0 overall, 4-0 in the UFC)

Without a doubt, Khamzat Chimaev is the hottest prospect in the UFC at the moment. The Russian-born Swedish fighter made waves in the MMA community with a couple of dominant outings on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi in July 2020.

Subsequently, Chimaev took on Gerald Meerschaert at UFC Vegas 11. 'Borz' knocked Meerschaert out just 17 seconds into their fight, establishing himself as one of the most intriguing prospects in MMA across all weight classes.

Despite his incredible 3-0 start in the promotion, there wasn't much talk of Chimaev competing for a title as he was still unranked. The three fighters he faced were unranked as well, with two of them no longer being a part of the promotion.

He was then booked to fight then No.11-ranked Li Jingliang at UFC 267 last year. Many believed that the Chinese welterweight would pose a threat to Chimaev and that the matchup would be a conclusive litmus test to show whether he was a legitimate championship contender. He secured a double-leg takedown in the very first round and effortlessly choked out Jingliang.

There was no doubt after the bout that Chimaev is a real threat to Kamaru Usman's reign as the UFC 170 lb champion. His background in combat sambo, coupled with his underrated striking, will prove to be a real handful for anyone.

In his post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier, 'Borz' put the entire division and roster on notice.

Chimaev is reportedly set to square off against No.2-ranked Gilbert Burns in his next bout. A win over 'Durinho' would likely see 'Borz' fight for the title next.

A Chimaev-Usman bout down the line has the potential to be reminiscent of the Matt Hughes-Georges St-Pierre bouts of the past. It remains to be seen how things will play out atop the welterweight division.