5 under-the-radar fighters to keep an eye on at UFC 275

#2. Jack Della Maddalena – UFC welterweight

Jack Della Maddalena looks like a serious prospect in the welterweight division

UFC 275’s main card opener is set to see one of the most intriguing welterweight prospects in some time go to war, as Australia’s Jack Della Maddalena returns to the octagon for the second time to take on Russian veteran Ramazan Emeev.

Maddalena was largely an unknown fighter prior to his octagon debut in January, but his stoppage of Pete Rodriguez was so vicious that it was hard not to see him as a possible future star. The Aussie needed just three minutes to dispatch Rodriguez, using a nasty jab to set up a big fight-ending combination.

Emeev is likely to provide him with a tougher test this weekend, as he’s more battle-tested and experienced, holding five wins inside the octagon, including victories over Sam Alvey and David Zawada.

However, he’s had issues with more explosive foes before, and judging by his debut, Maddalena is a very explosive fighter indeed. Therefore, it’s likely that the Australian will be able to pick up another big win, making him an under-the-radar fighter to watch closely this weekend.

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#1. Manel Kape – UFC flyweight

Manel Kape's explosive striking makes him a man to watch this weekend

Arguably the fighter closest to a title shot outside of the top three fights this weekend, current flyweight contender Manel Kape is largely flying under the radar going into his fight with Rogerio Bontorin.

Quite why fans are largely ignoring Kape is hard to say, given what he’s recently done inside the octagon. The native of Angola has won his last two bouts with vicious knockouts, most notably turning out the lights of Ode' Osbourne with an incredible flying knee last August.

Currently ranked at No.14 in the flyweight division, ‘Starboy’ does have a pair of recent losses that are probably going to keep him out of outright contention even if he wins here. But a big win over Bontorin, particularly if it comes via knockout, will elevate him towards that area.

So can he win? Bontorin is a solid fighter in his own right, but he hasn’t officially won a bout since August 2019 and he was also knocked out violently by Kai Kara-France in their clash in 2021, which should give Kape hope.

With that considered, then, if ‘Starboy’ can deliver the kind of knockout that he’s shown himself to be capable of, he might even steal the show altogether, making him a fighter to keep a close eye on this weekend.