5 UK fighters who could climb into UFC title contention feat. Paddy Pimblett

The UK has been producing UFC fighters for well over two decades now, dating back to the debut of Ian Freeman in 2000. To date, three British fighters have won titles in the octagon.

Right now, there are a number of highly rated fighters from the UK on the UFC's roster, but can any of them climb into title contention?

Leon Edwards and Tom Aspinall, of course, have already reached the top, and only time will tell whether others follow them.

Here, then, are five UK fighters who could climb into UFC title contention.

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#5. Muhammad Mokaev - former UFC flyweight contender

Okay, so Muhammad Mokaev isn't technically part of the UFC's roster right now, having strangely not had his contract renewed in the summer of 2024.

Why was 'The Punisher' allowed to depart the promotion? It's never been confirmed, with various rumors about his backstage behavior floating around, but it definitely wasn't anything to do with his fighting skills.

Born in Dagestan but calling the UK home since he was a child, Mokaev joined the UFC in 2022 and quickly took his overall record to 13-0 with seven straight wins in the octagon.

Given that he took out two former flyweight title challengers in Tim Elliott and Alex Perez, as well as the current de facto top contender Manel Kape, it's easy to see why he was so highly rated.

Had he been kept around, it's no stretch to suggest that Mokaev probably could've been next in line for flyweight champ Alexandre Pantoja. He may well have been favored by some to beat the Brazilian, in fact.

So will Mokaev ever return to the UFC? It's probably more likely than not. Other fighters have left under blacker clouds than 'The Punisher' and been brought back by Dana White, and to be honest, the 125-pound division needs more talent.

Therefore, to see Mokaev return after winning a couple more fights on the regional circuit should be expected, and if that's the case, he'll easily climb into contention.

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#4. Mick Parkin - UFC heavyweight contender

It's probably fair to state that Mick Parkin is the least well-known fighter on this list. Despite being ranked at No.13 in the heavyweight division right now, the native of Sunderland has not yet appeared in a main card showcase.

However, anyone who can go 4-0 in the UFC is no joke, and while he hasn't scored many explosive finishes just yet, we have seen flashes of talent.

Parkin's knockout of Lukasz Brzeski in his most recent fight saw him display quick hands and heavy punching power. In his previous outings, meanwhile - all of which went the distance - he showed a decent chin, solid cardio and some strong takedowns, too.

Despite this, if Parkin were competing in any other division, it'd be a massive reach to suggest he could be a future title contender. At heavyweight, though, a thin division full of ageing fighters, a couple of big wins could push him there quickly.

Essentially, if Parkin can win against Marcin Tybura this weekend, he could climb into the top 10, which doesn't put him far off contention at all.

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#3. Arnold Allen - UFC featherweight contender

In some ways, it's arguable that Arnold Allen is already a title contender. After all, he's ranked at No. 7 in the featherweight division, was ranked even higher at one point, and has headlined two UFC events.

However, since his defeats to Max Holloway and Movsar Evloev, he's almost become a forgotten man of sorts at 145 pounds.

'Almighty' has not fought now since July 2024, when he got back to his winning ways by defeating Giga Chikadze via decision. There's no denying, though, that there are other, hotter fighters in the featherweight division now, and the title picture seems to have left him behind.

Can he return to it, and get back to where he was pre-Holloway? There's no real reason why he can't.

At the age of 31, he's still in his physical prime and there's no signs that he might be a shot fighter. More importantly, he's still very skilled in all areas, and even in his two losses, he was never truly out of the fight.

Assuming 'Almighty' gets a big fight in his return bout, then it's definitely easy to imagine him returning to title contention, and depending on some variables, he could yet challenge for the gold.

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#2. Lerone Murphy - UFC featherweight contender

While Arnold Allen has dropped out of featherweight title contention and is looking to climb back up, his fellow UK fighter Lerone Murphy is still looking to ascend the ladder.

'The Miracle' broke out as a star in the making in 2024 by defeating veteran contenders Edson Barboza and Dan Ige. Next on the list for the native of Manchester is No. 8-ranked Josh Emmett in what will be his second UFC headliner.

Murphy hasn't made too many headlines just yet, largely because he's only been able to finish two of his foes in the octagon.

However, his overall MMA record of 15-0-1, with seven of those wins coming in the big show, is absolutely nothing to sneeze at.

Put simply, 'The Miracle' is one of the most technically skilled strikers in the division, and at 5ft 9in, he's also rangy for a 145 pounder, making him difficult to catch. He's also proven his toughness, surviving an early knockdown from Ige to largely dominate the Hawaiian.

If Murphy can take out Emmett in their upcoming fight - particularly if he can finish the veteran - then the hype around him should become difficult to ignore.

In a division that is currently in flux with no champion, Murphy is probably just one or two wins away from a title challenge. Could he become a champion? It's hard to say, but it'd be risky writing him off.

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#1. Paddy Pimblett - UFC lightweight contender

The next UK-based fighter to really push himself into title contention in the UFC could be Paddy Pimblett.

Easily the biggest name on this list, 'The Baddy' has been a divisive figure of sorts since his arrival in the promotion in late 2021. This is largely because to some fans, he's a rare example of a fighter who's been protected by the matchmakers due to his potential star power.

However, whether that's the case is debatable. Maybe he was given more publicity than a fighter of his status initially warranted in his early days, but he has largely delivered in the octagon.

Outside of a tight decision win over Jared Gordon, Pimblett has basically dominated his opponents, impressively submitting Jordan Leavitt and Bobby 'King' Green and comfortably outpointing Tony Ferguson.

At 6-0, 'The Baddy' has moved into the top fifteen at 155 pounds and is now ranked at No. 12. However, it's safe to say that the Liverpool native will have his toughest test in his next fight.

The co-headliner of UFC 314 will see Pimblett square off with perennial contender Michael Chandler. 'Iron Mike' is ranked at No. 7, has fought the likes of Dustin Poirier, Charles Oliveira and Justin Gaethje, and is widely seen as one of the promotion's poster-boys.

Given that this fight will also be Pimblett's first five-rounder in the octagon, and to say it's a difficult assignment would be an understatement.

However, with great risk could come a great reward, and a win for 'The Baddy' would absolutely propel him into title contention. In fact, he could perhaps even argue for a title shot outright.

Given that this fight is set to take place next month, it's safe to say that Pimblett is about as close as it gets to title contention, making him the UK-based fighter best positioned to do so next.