5 fighters from the UK who could emulate Michael Bisping and win UFC gold

#2. Arnold Allen – UFC featherweight

Could Arnold Allen have the skills to win the UFC featherweight title?

While he isn’t as well-known as some of the more popular UK-based fighters on the roster right now, it’s arguable that Arnold Allen is perhaps the second-most accomplished British fighter in the UFC.

After all, ‘Almighty’ is currently ranked at No.7 in the featherweight division and since arriving in the promotion, he’s put together a tremendous record of 8-0, stretching his overall ledger to 17-1.

More importantly, Allen has not been snacking on weak opposition. Sure, he was expected to beat the likes of Alan Omer and Jordan Rinaldi, but to defeat Gilbert Melendez, Nik Lentz and Sodiq Yusuff is hugely impressive, however you look at it.

Could ‘Almighty’ make a run at the title, then? It’s definitely possible. If he can get past veteran contender Dan Hooker this weekend, then it’d be hard not to consider him a genuine contender for the gold.

With his excellent fundamentals both on the feet and on the ground, realistically, he’d stand a chance at defeating anyone in the division, including current champion Alexander Volkanovski.

Sure, ‘Almighty’ would be an outside bet, but despite his lack of finishes, he definitely has the talent to hold UFC gold in the future.

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#1. Leon Edwards – UFC welterweight

Given a title shot is likely to come in 2022, Leon Edwards might have a genuine shot of becoming welterweight champion

Naturally, the fighter from the UK who is probably closest to claiming gold inside the octagon right now is Leon Edwards.

That’s because ‘Rocky’, who is currently riding a lengthy 10-fight unbeaten streak dating back to 2015, seems all set to challenge current UFC welterweight kingpin Kamaru Usman for his title at some point in 2022.

There’s no denying that Edwards has developed into a truly fantastic fighter over the years. When he debuted in the octagon in 2014, the native of Erdington appeared to be a largely one-dimensional striker. However, in the years that have followed, he’s grown hugely and is now a tremendous grappler.

The one problem that ‘Rocky’ will have in terms of winning the title? Usman is the man who was responsible for his last defeat. Right now, ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ looks practically unbeatable, possessing the best wrestling in the division and frightening power in his hands, too.

Despite that, any fighter competing for a UFC title stands a chance and, of course, any fighter can lose on any given day. So when you consider that Edwards could claim gold with one big shot or could catch Usman on an off-day and outwork him, he’s got to be considered the most likely fighter to follow in Michael Bisping’s footsteps.