UFC news 2024: Australia’s top 10 rising MMA stars hoping to reach the UFC
Australia is full of MMA talent such as former UFC champions Alexander Volkanovski and Robert Whittaker, but who is following their footsteps? BRENDAN BRADFORD goes through our 10 best rising stars.
From ‘The Human Highlight Reel’ to ‘Juggernaut’ and ‘Street Buddha’, Australia is about to witness the next generation of MMA stars break through.
These are the fighters who will follow in the footsteps of Alex Volkanovski and Rob Whittaker and make waves in the UFC over the next few years.
Some of them you’ll know, others you’d better keep an eye on.
Here are the top 10 rising stars of Australian MMA.
HARRY WEBB – Lightweight (5-0)
Nicknamed “The Human Highlight Reel”, 24-year-old lightweight Harry Webb is the brightest prospect in Aussie MMA.
The Ballarat brawler has compiled an impressive 5-0 record in a little over a year in the professional ranks, and won the HEX lightweight title in March.
Less than two months later, his gym – Infinite MMA – was firebombed in a targeted late-night attack.
No one was harmed after two men doused the front of the gym in accelerant and set it ablaze, but Webb was temporarily left without a place to train.
That didn’t stop him from winning the Eternal lightweight title in August, despite fighting for two rounds with a broken jaw.
COLBY THICKNESSE – Featherweight (5-0)
He’s one of Alex Volkanovski’s closest training partners, and 25-year-old Colby Thicknesse seems destined to follow in the former featherweight champion’s footsteps and crack the UFC.
‘Slickness’ 5-0 after debuting back in 2020.
Fighting out of Freestyle Fight Gym in Windang, he has learned not only from Volk, but from the elite crew of high level fighters and trainers who regularly pass through, including Craig Jones and Frank Hickman.
GEORGE MANGOS – Featherweight (5-0)
George Mangos has been touted as the Australian featherweight since Alex Volkanovski.
No pressure.
But so far the 21-year-old has absolutely lived up to those lofty expectations.
The two-time Hex champion has 100% finish rate, stopping all five of his opponents in the professional ranks.
That’s an impressive streak that began in his amateur days when he stopped another six opponents inside the distance.
He most recently scored a slick second round submission win over Jarrett Wilbraham in September, defended his Hex title in the process.
JACINTA AUSTIN – Flyweight (7-2)
The Eternal flyweight champion Jacinta Austin is all action, and could become Australia’s next female UFC fighter. Currently, Casey O’Neill is the only Aussie woman in the UFC.
The 29-year-old Austin won the Eternal flyweight title in May.
The versatile Sydneysider has fought all over the world, and even boxed on a Tim Tszyu undercard in 2021.
“The Juggernaut” is in training for her next fight, and those in the know say it’s just a matter of time until the UFC shows interest.
JONO MICALLEF – Welterweight (6-1)
Jono Micallef has already caught the eye of the UFC.
With a 5-1 record compiled since August 2022, Micallef was recently signed up to appear on Dana White’s Contender Series.
Micallef has a huge following in Melbourne and is coming off an impressive submission win over talented Kiwi Matt ‘The Viper’ Vaile in early September.
He will fight Mohamed Ado (5-0) on October 15 on DWCS in Las Vegas.
DOM MAR FAN – Lightweight (5-2)
The 23-year-old young gun from Brisbane is another prospect in a stacked lightweight division in Australia.
Training out of the accomplished Team Compton Training Centre in Brisbane, “Street Buddha” started at the age of 17, before devoting himself to it at 20.
Mar Fan has a 5-2 record, and is only two defeats were to the UFC-bound Quillan Salkild.
He already has plans on making the UFC in 2025, and is adamant on following in the footsteps of his idol Khabib Nurmagomedov by becoming lightweight world champion.
SEBASTIAN SZALAY – Featherweight (7-1)
Seb Szalay is another rising featherweight contender learning from the best at Freestyle Fight Gym.
He’s riding a six-fight win-streak, culminating in a unanimous decision victory over Dimps Gilles for the Eternal title in August.
Fresh off his Eternal title win, Szalay already has his sights set on making the UFC.
ANTHONY DRILICH – Flyweight (8-1)
Western Australia keeps churning out talented MMA fighters, and Anthony Drilich is another in line for a shot at the UFC.
The 8-1 Drilich won the Eternal flyweight title in October 2023 with a fourth round submission win over Frank Jankowski.
He backed that up with two consecutive title defences early this year, and seems primed to take the next step on the journey to the UFC.
SEAN GAUCI – Flyweight (9-1)
The man standing in the way of Drilich’s path to the UFC is Sean Gauci.
Gauci and Drilich have been linked to a flyweight fight for several years – and were booked to fight in 2022.
Now they’ll throw down on Dana White’s Contender Series next month, with a possible UFC contract on the line.
Gauci won the HEX flyweight title in his last fight in May, but his big claim to fame is a unanimous decision win over Steve Erceg, who fought for the UFC flyweight title earlier this year.
ISI FITIKEFU – Middleweight (9-1)
Isi Fitikefu is one of Rob Whittaker’s oldest training partners, and ‘The Reaper’ is adamant he has what it takes to make the UFC.
“He’s outstanding, his work ethic is like nothing I’ve ever seen and he hits like a truck,” Whittaker told this masthead. “I want to see him in the UFC.
“He actually had a contract, then he got injured and lost it, but he just works harder than anyone in the gym. He’s an animal.”
Fitikefu is coming off a win over Hiroyuki Tetsuka in early September, and also holds victories over Cam Rowston, Kitt Campbell and Josh Della – Jack Della Maddalena’s brother.
FIGHTERS ON THE VERGE OF UFC DEBUTS
The most recent season of Dana White’s Contender Series has been an unprecedented success for Aussie fighters.
The show, which has already seen Jack della Maddalena, Jack Jenkins,Jimmy Crute, Tom Nolan and others get their big breakthroughs, has again unearthed a host of talent.
Cody Haddon was arguably the pick of the Aussie bunch, scoring a first round submission win over Billy Brand in August.
The all-action 26-year-old already made a promise to White after his electrifying DWCS win.
“If I’m ever in a boring fight, Dana White can cut me.”
Haddon gets another chance to showcase his talent in a few weeks when he will make his UFC debut proper in Las Vegas.
Perth is rapidly becoming Australia’s leading MMA breeding ground, and Quillan Salkild (7-1) is another WA prospect to watch.
The 24-year-old phenom landed a UFC contract with a dominant three round unanimous decision win and wants to get back in the mix before the end of the year.
Meanwhile, Kaan Ofli made it all the way to the final of The Ultimate Fighter before being stopped by Mairon Santos.
Still, ‘Genghis’ Kaan is too good not to one day feature in the UFC.
More Coverage
UFC 312: Volk teammate promises to get revenge on Topuria
Colby Thicknesse was listening to Triple J’s Hottest 100 countdown when he received a message that changed his life. Now the Wollongong fighter has vowed to get revenge.
‘On my list’: The one thing Israel Adesanya is yet to achieve
Israel Adesanya has accomplished most of his goals, but there’s one thing he still hasn’t done. ‘The Last Stylebender’ opens up to BRENDAN BRADFORD on what he still needs to achieve.