Every champion in MMA history started out somewhere.
For those who make it to the highest stage, the journey begins long before they strap on UFC, Bellator, or PFL gloves. Modern-era fighters progress through the regional ranks with hopes of accomplishing the highest accolades. Many will try, few will succeed.
This month, five fighters on the verge of achieving major promotion notoriety – one for the second time – return to the cage for what could be their stepping-stone fight. There are dozens of fighters close to making the jump in the coming weeks, but these five are particularly exemplary.
- Considered by some the best pound-for-pound fighter in the Australia-New Zealand area, an Alexander Volkanovski training partner aims to prove his UFC worth just in time for a Sydney event.
- A compact lightweight plans to once again show he’s not just size and strength, when he tries to skillfully put on a UFC eye-drawing performance.
- Great on the mic and in the cage, a Carolina-based bantamweight sets out to confirm his UFC call is long overdue.
- A 21-year-old phenom has the opportunity to continue his utter domination on the regional scene. Will it be his final bout before the inevitable UFC step up?
- An exciting and young Texas flyweight is carving out a nice highlight reel, which he’ll look to add to in a potential UFC contract-earning Fury FC main event.
Justin Van Heerden
Record: 11-5
Age: 29
Weight class: Featherweight
Height: 5’11”
Birthplace: South Africa
Next Fight: June 10 vs. Rod Costa (7-4) at Eternal MMA 76 in Perth, Western Australia (UFC Fight Pass)
Background: Growing up, Justin van Heerden did “every sport you could possibly think of.” Born in South Africa, Van Heerden briefly lived in Atlanta before they settled in Australia when he was approximately 13. In 2013, Van Heerden jumped on Google in search of an MMA gym – which he found. His entry was jiu-jitsu and he already had a wrestling background. The martial arts became mixed and Van Heerden fell in love. He was a non-competitor at first, unsure of his pursuit of competition. But a last-second withdrawal from an amateur card presented the opportunity for Van Heerden to give it a try. He did, and won by triangle choke. The feeling of victory hooked him. In 2017, Van Heerden turned professional. He had some bumps in the road early, taking short-notice fights at various weight classes. But since mid-2020, he’s 6-1 including an Eternal MMA championship clinch. He’s also enlisted the help of coach Joe Lopez and training partner Alexander Volkanovski.
The skinny: Van Heerden might be the most UFC-ready regional prospect of an entire continent. As long as you’re not living on Antarctica, that’s an impressive feat. With a bachelor’s degree in communications, Van Heerden has done an excellent job of making noise across Australia and New Zealand. He understands the self-promotion aspects of the fight game. When it comes time to fight, he puts his money where his mouth is – or in this case, his fists where his opponent’s mouth is. Always willing to take on tough challenges, Van Heerden has fought as often as the regional scene has allowed him to. He currently holds gold for Eternal MMA, the continent’s top regional promotion. With a win upcoming, it’ll be five in a row for him. That’s perfect timing considering a UFC 293 in Sydney is right around the corner, set for September.
In his own words: “I’m out here fighting very tough guys and having to adapt and build every single time. Everything in my career from the early stages to now was all essential and led to this. … I know that if I just continue the road down the way I am now, I’m going to reach the pinnacle of the sport. I’m going to be competing against the best guys in the world. I’m going to have the opportunity to show I can be one of the best fighters to ever come out of this country.”
“… My ability to put on a pace and my size and attributes for this weight class are pretty rare. I put on exciting fights and I put people away. It doesn’t matter if it’s on the ground or on the feet, if there’s a split second to finish, I’m going to do that. I think that’s sort of what puts me ahead of people. It’s exciting when I’m fighting people. It’s technical. It’s high level, but at the same time I’m putting people away. At the end of the day, that’s what we want to see. Fans want to see finished fights.”
“… If you look at Alex (Volkanovski) fights, people have seen improvements from fight to fight. It’s like, ‘How does this guy keep getting better?’ That’s how it is (with me), because I’m following that example. Like you said, the gym we have, the talent, and the people on the mats, the leadership we get from Joe and what he expects and needs, you’re going to improve and keep getting better. I’m mixing it up constantly with people who are already fighting at that level and I understand where my skills and abilities match up. Without a doubt if they called me and said they wanted me in the UFC, I could compete with the best guys in the world.”
Josiah Harrell
Record: 6-0
Age: 24
Weight class: Lightweight
Height: 5’7″
Birthplace: United States
Next Fight: June 16 vs. Michael Roberts (9-8-1) at LFA 160 in Owensboro, Ky. (UFC Fight Pass)
Background: Football was Josiah Harrell’s first love. Originally from Ohio, he set out to walk on at the University of Cincinnati. Unable to walk on in the first semester, Harrell ran into financial issues that caused a life pivot. Self-described as “a little emotional,” Harrell packed up his stuff and began calling army recruiters left and right. That path also was cut short. Due to a small scar on the back of his neck, Harrell was not allowed to swear in after he completed training. A bit lost, Harrell started coaching wrestling. After a discussion with a former coach of his own, Harrell decided to give amateur MMA a one-time shot. If it went well, he’d continue. If not, it was back to school. Five years later, he’s an undefeated professional at 5-0.
The skinny: Harrell is a beast, which is a gift and a curse in his case. It’s hard for him to find fights due to a lack of willing opponents. It’s also proven, at times, difficult for him to fit the mold of a specific weight class. His last fight, Harrell admits, his heart wasn’t into fighting. But through missing weight, suffering early adversity and a foul in the fight, Harrell proved something to himself, and the fire is lit. He maintains a level-headed approach to fighting now, something that will surely elevate his skills. It’s just a matter of putting in the work, time, and finding the right weight class. If all goes well, expect to see Harrell in the UFC by the end of 2023.
In his own words: “I will do what I need to do to win. I’m not going to go in there and… I call them brutes… I’m not going to be a brute. I’m going to go in there and do what I need to do and be as efficient as possible and get out. It’s just about getting me to a place where I once thought I had to be that fighter and have slowly realized, ‘No, I can still be me and fight in a cage and express myself how I want compared to how these people want me to express myself.’ That’s all fighting really is. It’s an art. I’m not a brute, but that’s how I always thought I had to express myself.”
“… Daddy Dana knows about me. I think we’ve already been seen and the UFC does know about me. I just know they don’t want to take a risk (right now) if I’ve missed weight. That’s something that’s important. I think if we make weight, we fight, and do out thing, I hope we can get a quick turnaround and immediately get on a Contender Series or a short-notice fight or whatever. I do want to say this: by the end of December, I’m going to be making my UFC debut.
John Sweeney
Record: 12-3
Age: 28
Weight class: Bantamweight
Height: 5’7″
Birthplace: South Carolina
Next Fight: June 16 vs. Allan Begosso (7-2-1) at LFA 160 in Owensboro, Ky. (UFC Fight Pass)
Background: As an overweight teenager, John Sweeney didn’t take wrestling seriously. He wasn’t interested to begin with. It was actually his dad who talked him into the activity. With wrestling, however, came weight loss – and winning. Both things Sweeney liked. To complement wrestling, Sweeney signed up for karate. It was his first official lesson in striking, though growing up with 10 blood-related aunts and uncles meant a lot of “crazy as hell” cousins, and a lot of toughness built on the playground. Over time, his combat sports experience grew, but revolved around wrestling, through his first (and only) year competing collegiately. Sweeney encountered some disciplinary issues, so his life pivoted away from wrestling. He dropped out of college and before long made his pro MMA debut. He hasn’t looked back.
The skinny: In a day and age where seemingly everyone is getting signed left and right, we seldom have “must-sign” prospects sitting on the shelf. Sweeney is one of them. But rather than sit around and feel bad for himself, Sweeney has remained active in a continuous attempt to prove he’s worth a major promotion’s investment. He’s riding a six-fight winning streak with a combined opponent record of 49-22 at the time of the bouts. That’s impressive. Although he is not a finishing machine, Sweeney is far from boring – and has mic skills. Perhaps donning LFA title gold will do the trick in getting that UFC call, especially considering the level of opposition he’s facing in his next bout. Perhaps a late addition to Dana White’s Contender Series this summer?
In his own words: “This title shot is huge. I’ve been fighting and training for a long time to get an opportunity at a world title. I’m older and more mature. I’m feeling like I’m in a great place in my career. This should be the moment right here that pushes me and really gets me to this next step. I’ve been training my ass off. I stay ready. I have the skills to compete with anyone in the world. I’ve got the strength and the speed and the mental. This opportunity means a lot and then we’ll see what’s next.”
“… My last fight vs. Ary (Farias) showed me I can be on the ground with a seven-time jiu-jitsu world champion, a black belt. I competed with a guy who competed at heavyweight and beat guys heavyweight in jiu-jitsu. I dominated this guy on the ground. All my last couple fights have been good opponents whether standup or grappling. … I have a whole list of stylish wins. They all help you and motivate you and give you confidence going into the next fight.”
“… The UFC is the goal. If that happens next, then awesome. If it doesn’t happen, then, hey, it’s OK because I’m going to just keep winning and keep fighting. If it happens, cool. I’ll love it and the UFC will have gotten themself a superstar, who won’t shy away from the camera. I’ll talk sh*t and I’m f*cking flashy with great skills, wrestling, jiu-jitsu, and striking.”
Austin Bashi
Record: 9-0
Age: 21
Weight class: Bantamweight
Height: 5’3″
Birthplace: Michigan
Next Fight: June 24 vs. Ricky Bandejas (15-7) at Lights Out Championship 12 in Wayne, Mich. (Spectation Sports)
Background: Introduced to MMA by a cousin, Austin Bashi began his MMA journey at eight years old. The goal from the start was to become a UFC champion, a trajectory Bashi continues in line with. He started with jiu-jitsu and muay thai tournaments. After a high school wrestling career, Bashi officially entered MMA competition at 18. After a 2-0 amateur career, Bashi turned professional. Built as one of the faces of the then-reborn (and now dormant, again) XFC promotion, Bashi won five fights under the banner. Once outside the promotion, Bashi took a step up in competition for Shamrock FC and Lights Out Championship, as he handily defeated opponents with 6-1, 8-1, 9-3, and 7-3 records respectively.
The skinny: Bashi is a rare breed and it’s not just because of his ridiculous pro record at 21. That’s unusual, yes, but his ability to conceptualize his career pathway with visions of both the immediate and the long term is immaculate. He’s admittedly in no rush to join the UFC and has purposely put off accepting an offer from the promotion. It’s about going far, not going fast. In terms of how his development is coming, Bashi could wreck some UFC fighters as things stand. He’s so well-rounded that it’s not that he really has to fill any holes. It’s just about bettering himself anywhere. The word “phenom” shouldn’t be used loosely – and with Bashi it isn’t. His UFC stint is just a matter of “when” not “if.”
In his own words: “I still have some to work on but I’m happy how the last fight went. … I just need to bring everything together and mix it up more. I mix up my strikes with my shots and my shots with my strikes. Just mixing it up and not letting the opponent know what we’re going to do at a given time (has been my focus).
“… It was a no-brainer to take this fight against a tough opponent (Ricky Bandejas). … His name has been thrown out before. We were familiar with this guy and know how he is. He’s literally fought the best in the world so far in his career. I feel like this is a great test for me. … This fight is honestly is pretty much a UFC or Bellator fight. It’s a super high-level fight and will show me where I’m at. This is definitely a gauge.”
Josh Walker
Record: 7-1
Age: 25
Weight class: Flyweight
Height: 5’8″
Birthplace: Texas
Next Fight: June 25 vs. Alberto Trujillo (8-2) at Fury FC 80 in Houston (UFC Fight Pass)
Background: Josh Walker entered MMA the way many “new breed” fighters did, as a UFC fan. Inspired by Jon Jones, Walker decided to enter wrestling, since his single-parent family couldn’t afford MMA classes. He wrestled in high school, then continued on to compete in college, when he began to take fights and found his current gym WAR Training Center. Walker went 5-1 as an amateur and turned professional in 2021. In a little over two years, Walker has emerged as one of the region’s top flyweights. He’ll have a chance to claim his first major regional title in his first Fury FC headliner.
The skinny: Walker checks a lot of boxes, but to put it simply, he’s young, exciting, and talented. Despite his brevity at the professional level, Walker has already shown a lot of UFC-ready signs despite competing in arguably the most technical weight class possible. His build has been step-by-step. With each fight, a more difficult foe has been presented. Should he win gold for rising UFC feeder league Fury FC, he’ll establish himself as the best regional flyweight in Texas, one of the U.S.’s most robust regional scenes. UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard is a former Texas-based promoter who is clearly plugged into acquiring talent from the Lone Star State. So don’t be surprised if Josh Walker gets a quick turnaround for Dana White’s Contender Series or a short-notice opportunity should he win in June.
In his own words: “My fight IQ and ability to tough it out in tough situations makes me stick out. I make good, conscience decisions, and keep a calm mind in there. I’ve beat fighters who have more skill than me, who are better than me. But my being a competitor and wrestling all those matches and doing all the jiu-jitsu and stuff like that, I’ve really taken the time to hone myself in the gym and practice. How I compete is what really separates me from a lot of other fights.”
“… I realize that in MMA, you don’t have a very long career – especially in my weight class. I’m already eight pro fights in. I’m as ready for my UFC debut as I’ll ever be. I’m the type of guy who rises to the occasion. When I get the opportunity to fight in the UFC, I will rise to the occasion and be successful. … My short-term goal is to make the UFC. My long-term goals are to become champion and become a household name.”
“… I believe I can make an impact at 125 right now. Right now, the division is kind of light. There are not many flyweights who are fighting at a super high level. It’s not like bantamweight where there are so many former world champions and title contenders in the weight class. There’s not that murderers’ row of guys to take out at flyweight.”
Fighters worth watching who didn’t crack the list, yet are on the verge of something big:
- Moses Diaz (5-0) – June 2 vs. Roberto Hernandez (6-1) at Cage Warriors 155 in San Diego (UFC Fight Pass)
- Roberto Hernandez (6-1) – June 2 vs. Moses Diaz (5-0) at Cage Warriors 155 in San Diego (UFC Fight Pass)
- James Clarke (7-3) – June 3 vs. Ricardo Hernandez (10-10-1) at Durham Fight Series 1
- Blake Donnelly (7-1) – June 10 vs. Quillan Salkilld (3-1) at Eternal MMA 76 in Perth, Western Australia (UFC Fight Pass)
- Rod Costa (7-4) – June 10 vs. Justin Van Heerden (11-5) at Eternal MMA 76 in Perth, Western Australia (UFC Fight Pass)
- Nathan Ghareeb (8-2) – June 16 vs. Saul Almeida (20-13) at Combat FC 4 in Wilmington, Mass. (UFC Fight Pass)
- Bekzod Abdurakhmonov (7-0) – June 16 vs. Derik de Freitas (7-5) at Combat FC 4 in Wilmington, Mass. (UFC Fight Pass)
- Wendel Aruajo (7-3) – June 16 vs. Vilson Ndregjoni (7-3) at CFFC 120 in Atlantic City, N.J. (UFC Fight Pass)
- Vilson Ndregjoni (7-3) – June 16 vs. Wendel Aruajo (7-3) at CFFC 120 in Atlantic City, N.J. (UFC Fight Pass)
- Azamat Bekoev (15-3) – June 16 vs. Dylan Budka (5-1) at LFA 160 in Owensboro, Ky. (UFC Fight Pass)
- Dylan Budka (5-1) – June 16 vs. Azamat Bekov (15-3) at LFA 160 in Owensboro, Ky. (UFC Fight Pass)
- Allan Begosso (7-2-1) – June 16 vs. John Sweeney (12-3) at LFA 160 in Owensboro, Ky. (UFC Fight Pass)
- Alfan Rocher-Labes (9-2) – June 17 vs. Deiby Tachon (7-1) at MMA GP in Bordeaux, France
- Matias Olmedo (6-0) – June 22 vs. Marco Munoz (11-3) at FFC 62 in Lima, Peru (UFC Fight Pass)
- Axel Sola (5-0) – June 23 vs. Soslan Gagloev (3-0) at ARES FC 16 in Paris (UFC Fight Pass)
- Giovanna Canuto (4-0) – June 23 vs. Hilarie Rose (6-6) at LFA 161 in Commerce, Calif. (UFC Fight Pass)
- Igor Siqueira (9-1) – June 23 vs. Cody Davis (7-1) at LFA 161 in Commerce, Calif. (UFC Fight Pass)
- Cody Davis (7-1) – June 23 vs. Igor Siqueira (9-1) at LFA 161 in Commerce, Calif. (UFC Fight Pass)
- Ergys Sigeta (5-0) – June 23 vs. Bradley Desir (10-7) at Unified MMA 51 in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada (UFC Fight Pass)
- Teshay Gouthro – June 23 vs. Eric Shelton (16-8) at Unified MMA 51 in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada (UFC Fight Pass)
- Justice Torres (7-0) – June 25 vs. Matt Jones (9-4) at Fury FC 80 in Houston (UFC Fight Pass)
- Michael Aswell (7-0) – June 25 vs. Yadier DelValle (4-0) at Fury FC 80 in Houston (UFC Fight Pass)
- Oumar Sy (8-0) – June 30 vs. Martin Ottaviano (15-6) at KOF 1 in Rennes, France
