5 ranked UFC fighters who you've probably never heard of

Decided by a panel made up of MMA media members, the UFC’s rankings are often criticized. However, they do act as a strong barometer of where fighters stand in their respective divisions.

All UFC fans have heard of the fighters at the top of the rankings. However, lower down at the bottom end of the top 15, it’s possible for some combatants to be ranked before they become well known.

Whether these fighters will continue to climb up the rankings and become UFC superstars is obviously impossible to say. However, for now, they’ve made their way into the top 15 while still remaining largely unknown.

Here are five ranked UFC fighters whom you’ve probably never heard of.

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#5. Tagir Ulanbekov – ranked #15 in the UFC flyweight division

Tagir Ulanbekov could be the latest protege of Khabib Nurmagomedov to taste UFC success

Unsurprisingly, UFC fans will be well aware of the sheer amount of talent coming out of the Dagestan region of Russia.

Khabib Nurmagomedov is obviously the most well-known product of the region. However, Islam Makhachev and Magomed Ankalaev are two of the fastest-rising stars in the UFC right now too.

Many UFC fans won’t have heard of him just yet. However, it’s quite possible that #15 ranked flyweight Tagir Ulanbekov could well be the next fighter to join them on that rapid ascent up the ladder to the top of the promotion.

A part of Nurmagomedov’s Eagles MMA team alongside the likes of Makhachev and Zubaira Tukhugov, Ulanbekov made his UFC debut last October. There, he beat Bruno Silva and then returned to the octagon at UFC 267, where he outpointed the debuting Allan Nascimento.

Like his more famous coach, Ulanbekov has a game that is centered firmly around his wrestling and ground control.

The Dagestani landed four of his five takedown attempts against Nascimento. He then controlled the Brazilian from the top for 12 minutes of the 15 their fight went for. It was a highly impressive showing, and the fact that Ulanbekov was able to fend off many submission attempts was also a big plus.

To climb up the ladder, though, Ulanbekov will need to finish his opponent next time he fights. However, the fact that six of his 13 career wins have come by submission bodes well.

Don’t be surprised to see him rise up the flyweight ranks quickly, and become much more well known for UFC fans in the process.

#4. Casey O’Neill – ranked #14 in the UFC flyweight division

Casey O'Neill is largely unknown for UFC fans, but she has serious talent.

The UFC women’s flyweight division is often considered one of the weakest the promotion has to offer. Thus it stands to reason that many of the fighters ranked in the top 15 right now aren’t exactly considered big stars. However, one such fighter whom UFC fans might not have heard of, but who is also extremely dangerous, is Casey O’Neill.

‘King Casey’ hails from Scotland, but grew up in Australia and now fights out of the famed Tiger Muay Thai gym. That has been home to more well-known UFC stars like Alexander Volkanovski, Dan Hooker and Brad Riddell.

Like those fighters, O’Neill has an impressive striking style, but if anything, she has become more well-known for her grappling in the octagon.

A member of the UFC’s roster since February 2021, O’Neill has already picked up three victories during this period. More impressively, all three wins have come via finish, with her most recent one being over Antonina Shevchenko, the sister of current UFC flyweight champion Valentina.

She is only ranked #14, and is largely unknown in the eyes of most casual fans of the promotion. However, some hardcore observers have already talked up O’Neill’s chances of earning a flyweight title shot in 2022. If ‘King Casey’ can achieve that, she certainly won’t be unknown for much longer.

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#3. Movsar Evloev - ranked #13 in the UFC featherweight division

Movsar Evloev is on a five-fight UFC winning streak.

It's difficult for any fighter to remain largely unknown in the UFC after putting together a five-fight winning streak. However, that's exactly what Movsar Evloev has done.

The native of Russia has entered the octagon on five occasions, and has never been beaten. That has helped him up to the #13 spot in the UFC's featherweight rankings. Nevertheless, he remains largely off the radar of the promotion's fans, particularly casuals. There are many reasons for that.

Firstly, none of Evloev's victories in the octagon, including those over Nik Lentz and Hakeem Dawodu, have come on the main card of a UFC event. Secondly - and probably more importantly - none of them have come via finish.

Evloev has fought conservatively during his UFC career thus far, largely using his powerful wrestling background to win his fights. That probably explains the promotion's reluctance to really push him.

However, there's no disputing his effectiveness in the octagon. The Russian averages four takedowns per fight, and it's rare his opponents can escape his grasp.

If he can begin to fight in a more exciting manner - preferably in his next fight with Ilia Topuria at UFC 270 - things could change. For now, though, he remains largely unknown for fans of the promotion.

#2. Sergei Pavlovich – ranked #15 in the UFC heavyweight division

Sergei Pavlovich has dropped out of the spotlight due to his inactivity, but he remains a dangerous heavyweight

The UFC heavyweight division has seen many solid prospects rise to fame in the past few years.

The likes of Tom Aspinall and Chris Daukaus have broken through while the best prospect – Ciryl Gane – now holds UFC gold. However, one ranked heavyweight whose name might not be that well known with UFC fans is #15 ranked Sergei Pavlovich.

There’s a simple reason why Pavlovich remains largely unknown with fans despite his obvious talents. The big Russian hasn’t fought since October 2019, where he defeated Maurice Greene via TKO.

That win was his second inside the octagon, and he followed that with a thunderous knockout victory over Brazilian prospect Marcelo Golm. Since then, though, Pavlovich has been on the shelf, with planned fights against Gane and Aspinall both falling through due to injuries.

Nevertheless, the Russian remains one of the more talented heavyweights on the UFC’s roster. At 6’ 3” and 238lbs, he isn’t the biggest fighter in the division, but he makes up for that with his speed and surprisingly heavy hands.

At the time of writing, Pavlovich is set to return to the octagon in December to take on Tanner Boser. As he’s still only 29, he could still climb the ladder to the top, becoming a much more known entity in the process.

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#1. Sean Brady – ranked #13 in the UFC welterweight division

Sean Brady remains unknown despite being on the verge of the welterweight division's top ten.

The UFC’s welterweight division has traditionally been one of the promotion’s most stacked. So it should come as a surprise that any fighter ranked inside the top 15 might be flying under the radar with UFC fans.

However, #13 ranked Sean Brady would probably be a name plenty of UFC fans would not even recognise. That is despite the fact that he’s 4-0 in the promotion and 14-0 in MMA overall.

There’s a reason why Brady remains outside the conscience of casual UFC fans. None of his four victories in the octagon have come on the main card of a UFC event. While most of the promotion’s fights are televised these days, he has yet to secure a truly viral finish.

Nevertheless, there’s no denying the 28-year old, who fights out of Renzo Gracie’s camp in Philadelphia, has been impressive. Brady has finished his last two opponents. He has taken out Christian Aguilera and Jake Matthews via submission, and won a $50K bonus for the former victory.

Brady’s next fight could shine the spotlight on him. He’s pegged to face off with #7 ranked Michael Chiesa in his first main-card bout later this month. If he can win that one, he’ll definitely become more prominent in the eyes of UFC fans.

For now, he remains a somewhat unknown entity, which doesn’t sit well, considering his talent.