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.
- A fighter who lost on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2022 has become the focal point for the UFC president to scout a local show in Boston.
- An Invicta champion from Brazil continues to build notoriety and her first title defense could propel her to the next level.
- A rising, 25-year-old welterweight has competed in martial arts for 22 years already, but has bigger and better aspirations on his mind – including being one of the highest-paid athletes ever.
- An undefeated heavyweight from the northeast United States looks to keep his pristine winning percentage maintained and catch some eyeballs in the process.
- A former UFC fighter on an incredible win streak hopes another win against a nationally-imported UFC alumnus is enough to get him another opportunity in the biggest of big leagues.
Connor Matthews
Record: 5-1
Age: 30
Weight class: Featherweight
Height: 5’8″
Birthplace: Fall River, Mass.
Next Fight: March 15 vs. Andrew Cruz (8-4) at Combat Zone 79 in Boston (CZMMA.com)
Background: It all began with American kempo karate for Connor Matthews – but hockey became his main thing growing up. He played various other sports, too, but always returned to combat sports. Matthews began full-on MMA training during his sophomore year of high school, inspired by the likes of Georges St-Pierre. During his senior year of hockey, Matthews suffered a severe shoulder injury in a playoff game that derailed his path toward a professional hockey career. By the following summer, Matthews pivoted away from college hockey to full-time MMA. In need of a job to supplement his MMA career, Matthews ended up joining the U.S. Air Force as a combat controller. However, the demanding role put MMA on the back burner. After his deployment, Matthews struggled to get back into the “real life” of an average Joe. That’s when MMA surfaced again. He took a few amateur fights and was stunned by his constant rate of improvement. Six fights into his professional career, he’s now 5-1.
The skinny: Matthews had his big opportunity on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2022. While opponent (and now member of the UFC roster) Francis Marshall was just a step ahead, Matthews’ toughness stunned UFC president Dana White, who said the bout was one that could easily have taken place at a UFC event. White has a certain attachment to fighters on DWCS, even if they don’t get a contract that night. Now, Matthews is the centerpiece for a filming of “Dana White: Lookin’ For a Fight” in Boston. Even though he’s coming off a loss, it’s pretty clear who is in the UFC brass’ crosshairs as they scout Combat Zone 79, an event run by UFC featherweight Calvin Kattar.
In his own words: “My focus is the biggest thing that separates me from the rest. My mental toughness, my focus, and it’s the perspective between actual real combat and putting myself in really stressful situations and staying calm and relaxed when getting in a cage and fighting. I feel like I’ve dealt with harder, worse things. MMA is a child’s game compared to the other stuff I was doing. My life isn’t on the line. Well, it is a little bit, but not as much as so as being in combat or jumping out of planes.”
“… I wouldn’t be where I’m at right now if I don’t go through that fight on the Contender Series. I think it was a very, very necessary fight for me to grow as a person. I’m happy that I had that fight. I’m happy that I didn’t even win that fight because I don’t think if I was to have an opponent that was as good as Francis Marshall and I just went through him, I would’ve got to the UFC but I wouldn’t have been as prepared as I am right now.”
“… I think everything happens for a reason. Just the fact that I’m getting this opportunity with perfect timing after my last fight, it’s enough time for me to rebuild myself, fix things I need to fix, and then get another opportunity to fight in front of Dana. I think there’s a very good possibility if I go out there and I do what I need to do that I’m going to get a contract and be in the UFC soon.”
Valesca Machado
Record: 12-3
Age: 27
Weight class: Women’s strawweight
Height: 5’4″
Birthplace: Brazil
Next Fight: March 15 vs. Danni McCormack (6-2) at Invicta FC 52 in Denver (YouTube)
Background: Valesca Machado was skeptical of martial arts the first time she stepped foot inside a gym. She wasn’t there for herself, but rather to politely accept an invitation from her brother-in-law. Quite frankly, at the time, she didn’t want to be there at all. But through her training, Machado discovered a lot about herself and her internal feelings. Through fighting, she learned how to channel her mental, physical, and emotional well-being and progress in the right direction. After an 8-2 start to her professional career, Machado had a big break: a shot on “Dana White’s Contender Series” in 2021. She lost a unanimous decision to Piera Rodriguez, but has since gone 4-0. In November, she won a one-night tournament to earn the Invicta FC strawweight title.
The skinny: The UFC knows where it needs to go to pick up future female stars and that’s Invicta FC. Any time a fighter holds gold for Invicta, the general consensus is they’re on the tip of the UFC’s tongue. At 27, Machado is still improving despite her championship status. She has evolved noticeably since she last fought in front of UFC president Dana White. Machado brings a unique personality and look to the cage, extremely proud to be a Black woman “from the favela,” who finds new success every day. If she defeats another legit prospect in Ireland’s Danni McCormack, Machado has to be the next UFC call-up at 115 pounds.
In her own words: “What makes me stand out is that I am a Black woman from the favela. I have to fight 10 times harder to earn my place in any environment. This is what makes my strength stand out, strength my determination and my persistence.”
“… I keep imagining myself there, in the UFC. I think I have characteristics for the promotion and I always see myself there. … I’ve already proved everything I had to prove and I did a grand prix and obtained my title.”
This interview was conducted using a Portuguese language translator and was edited for spelling, grammar, and clarity.
Isaac Moreno
Record: 5-0
Age: 25
Weight class: Welterweight
Height: 6’0″
Birthplace: Texas
Next Fight: March 24 vs. Armus Guyton (7-4) at Fury FC 76 in San Antonio (UFC Fight Pass)
Background: Karate was the entry port into martial arts for Isaac Moreno, who began at age three. While other kids were doing what normal fifth-graders do, Moreno was winning world championships. A lifelong competitor, he competed in the U.S. Open, the WAKO world championships, and beyond. Fighting is all Moreno did and continues to do. He attributes much of his success and inspiration for martial arts greatness to his uncle and best friend, Arturo Reyes, who is a black belt out of Gracie Barra and Moreno’s coach. With a tight-knit team around him and fighting in his bloodline, Moreno has gone 5-0 as an MMA professional after a 5-0 career as an amateur.
The skinny: Moreno is as focused and driven a competitor as you’ll ever talk to. His aspirations are sky-high and he’s not afraid to let you know it. Despite the confidence, there’s no cockiness. At 25, he already has 22 years of competition under his belt. A boxing-style camp centered around him, filled with people who care about him, will likely serve as a major catalyst as he goes forward. He won’t just be another face at a massive gym with dozens of fighters. He’s a proud point fighter, which sounds mundane given the antiquated stigma of the term from its overuse in boxing. However, think more of a Stephen Thompson, Raymond Daniels, or Michael Page, than someone dancing around to barely squeak out a decision. Moreno has all the tools to make it to the UFC soon. It’s just a matter of when, not if.
In his own words: “The style of karate that I do is point fighting. It’s about hitting and not getting hit. … I have a solid wrestling and jiu-jitsu base because I have a black belt (my uncle) who’s constantly on my ass. I have a solid team who just dedicate themselves to a specific part of playing a specific role for me. That’s what sets me apart the most. I just have to worry about fighting.”
“… All the announcers have said the same thing since I was an amateur, ‘Don’t blink.’ Don’t blink because you never know what’s going to happen. I make people run into stuff. People are going to run into stuff when they fight me. They might say, ‘Oh, this guy is really not that fast. Oh, this guy is really not that technical. Until you get into the cage with me, that’s a different story. Now they’re saying, ‘Damn, that guy is fast. Damn, that guy does understand angles. Damn, his distance management is crazy.'”
“… Mark my words. I’m going to be a world champion, a welterweight world champion, for sure. Then, we’re going to decide if I’m going to go up to 185 or go down to 155. … I’m going to be one of the world’s highest-paid athletes and I’m going to be a world champion. That’s why we’re not rushing anything. We already know what I’ll do.”
Greg Velasco
Record: 5-0
Age: 29
Weight class: Heavyweight
Height: 6’2″
Birthplace: United States
Next Fight: March 31 vs. Ronald Coleman (3-0) at CFFC 117 in Philadelphia (UFC Fight Pass)
Background: Greg Velasco has always immersed himself in sports. After a collegiate wrestling career at Rider University came to an end, Velasco turned to boxing and muay thai, then fell in love with MMA. He got a few amateur fights under his belt and turned professional not long thereafter, in 2021. In his first 29 months as a pro, Velasco went 5-0 with a CFFC heavyweight title capture. He finished four of those five fights inside the distance.
The skinny: If you’ve watched MMA for any period of time, you probably realize heavyweights are hard to come by. The paths for many heavyweights aren’t linear. Sometimes it takes years and years to reach the big leagues. For Velasco, also known as “The Viking King,” he’s 27. He holds a major regional promotional title in the United States. He’s still green but winning, which means there’s still room for improvement but what he has is already getting him by. Given his division and standing, I expect Velasco to – at minimum – get a “Dana White’s Contender Series” call if he wins his upcoming fight.
In his own words: “When I fight, I really try not to get emotional. I try to just take it as a business trip. I go out there and I relax and just try to focus on the game plan and see what they give me and feel it out as I go. A lot of guys get emotional. They try to play into the game of all the sh*t talk and disrespect and getting hype and blowing up. I just really try to sit back. I respect every martial artist, everyone who goes in there with me. I respect them completely and I know how hard this game is. Fighting is fighting, so I don’t have to disrespect you to go out there and fight you. For me, it’s always been staying calm, staying focused, implementing your game plan, and emitting your will on the person.”
“… I’m just taking it fight by fight, but if the UFC gave me the call, I’d be super grateful and happy. I’m going up against another very tough opponent, an undefeated guy. He’s a big, athletic, knockout guy. I’m hoping if I can get a nice, solid win on him, that would be great. I’d love to get that next call and I’m hoping with my resume I can keep building it. Hopefully, they can’t deny me. I’m trying to be undeniable.
Shane Campbell
Record: 21-8
Age: 35
Weight class: Welterweight
Height: 6’0″
Birthplace: St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
Next Fight: March 31 vs. Darrell Horcher (14-6) at Unified MMA 50 in Enoch, Alberta, Canada (UFC Fight Pass)
Background: Shane Campbell has fought seemingly forever. For over a decade, he’s displayed his finishing abilities, fan-friendly style, and karate-striking skills inside the cage. But in 2015, after a breakthrough performance for World Series of Fighting, Campbell punched his ticket to the biggest show of them all, the UFC. However, his tenure with the promotion was relatively short-lived. He went 1-4 with three-straight losses leading to his UFC exit. Since then, he’s gone 11-2 with seven finishes and three regional titles captured across two weight classes.
The Skinny: Campbell is fun to watch and now he’s racking up consistent results. Despite his age, he’s better than he’s ever been, while still keeping the excitement level high with his ability to finish on the feet or ground. Pretty soon, Campbell will run out of people to fight – the ultimate calling card of someone who should elevate up a level. With another win over a fellow UFC alum, Campbell should finally get the call back to the promotion where he can proudly represent Canada once again.
In his own words: “(A UFC return) has been the goal since the moment I got released, but nothing is perfect. Life is not easy. As close as I was a couple of times to getting back in the UFC, it’s been a rollercoaster for me, like most people. This is just the journey that I’m excited to keep doing. As for the destination, who knows where the destination is exactly? I’ll see on the other side. But the journey? You can’t deny that. You have to enjoy the journey to get to any destination, no matter what.”
“… My last camp was pretty challenging. There were a lot of obstacles I had to overcome, but I’m a game fighter. When I got in there, that was one of my best showings in a while. I smashed that guy and dominated in every aspect. I did things that I’ve never done before. … It was textbook. It was perfect. I was really, really proud of myself for (it).”
Fighters worth watching who didn’t crack the list, yet are on the verge of something big:
- Muhammad Naimov (8-2) – March 3 def. Dylan Schulte (4-4) at Tuff-N-Uff 131 in Las Vegas (UFC Fight Pass)
- Jean Matsumoto (13-0) – March 10 def. Marlon Basilio (7-1) at LFA 154 in Cajamar, Sao Paulo, Brazil (UFC Fight Pass)
- Carlos Prates (16-6) – March 10 def. Eduardo Ramon (21-8) at LFA 154 in Cajamar, Sao Paulo, Brazil (UFC Fight Pass)
- Lucas Fernando (9-1) – March 10 def. Jansey Silva (8-3) at LFA 154 in Cajamar, Sao Paulo, Brazil (UFC Fight Pass)
- Yuri Panferov (5-0) – Wednesday vs. Davis Oracio Jr. (4-4) at Combat Zone 79 in Boston (CZMMA.com)
- Eddy George (5-0) – Wednesday vs. Jerome Featherstone (4-1) at Combat Zone 79 in Boston (CZMMA.com)
- Shauna Bannon (4-0) – Wednesday vs. Minna Grusander (6-4) at Invicta FC 52 in Denver (YouTube)
- Montserrat Rendon (5-0) – Wednesday vs. Maria Jose Favela (4-2) at Invicta FC 52 in Denver (YouTube)
- Harry Hardwick (9-3-1) – Friday vs. Shoaib Yousaf (9-3) at Cage Warriors 150 in London (UFC Fight Pass)
- Joseph Luciano (7-1) – Saturday vs. Kaleb Rideout (7-2) at Eternal MMA 74 in Southport, Queensland, Australia (UFC Fight Pass)
- Kaleb Rideout (7-2) – Saturday vs. Joseph Luciano (7-1) at Eternal MMA 74 in Southport, Queensland, Australia (UFC Fight Pass)
- Serhiy Sidey (7-1) – Saturday vs. Walel Watson (15-13) at BTC 19 in Kingston, Ontario, Canada (BTCfight.ca)
- Ali Alqaisi (13-6) – Sunday vs. Ahmed Faress (17-7) at UAE Warriors 40 in Abu Dhabi (UFC Fight Pass)
- Solomon Renfro (10-3) – March 24 vs. Glaucio Eliziario (10-7) at LFA 155 in Niagara Falls, N.Y. (UFC Fight Pass)
- Jerell Hodge (9-3) – March 24 vs. Rafael do Nascimento (8-1) at LFA 155 in Niagara Falls, N.Y. (UFC Fight Pass)
- Rafael do Nascimento (8-1) – March 24 vs. Jerell Hodge (9-3) at LFA 155 in Niagara Falls, N.Y. (UFC Fight Pass)
- Luz Vazquez (3-0) – March 25 vs. Beriuzka Canelon (2-2) at Empire MMA 4 in Bogata, Colombia
- Justice Torres (6-0) – March 26 vs. Nick Talavera (5-1) at Fury Challenger Series 3 in Houston (Facebook)
- Michael Aswell (6-0) – March 26 vs. Austin Lutchen (5-2) at Fury Challenger Series 3 in Houston (Facebook)
