The UFC has a surplus of fighters who are either already deserving of a title shot or not far away from being given a chance at fighting for the belt. This is because the top MMA promotion is stacked with elite talent in every weight class the company has to offer. There can only be one belt holder at a time, and most champions only fight twice a year. That means it takes a lot to be given a championship opportunity. Here are the 10 fighters who are most deserving of getting their first title shot.
It is worth noting that fighters who already have a title fight booked don't qualify for this list. That means Cory Sandhagen won't show up on this list because he has a championship bout scheduled for UFC 320.
Likewise, fighters who are deserving of a title shot but have already previously fought for the belt won't be appearing on this list. Petr Yan could be next in line after Sandhagen to fight for the Bantamweight Championship, and Aljamain Sterling isn't far from a title shot, but they are both former belt holders. Islam Makhachev, Alex Pereira, and Ciryl Gane fit both descriptions, as they are all former champions/ interim champions, and they are officially scheduled to fight for gold once again.
10. Michael Morales
Michael Morales is one of four welterweights on this list, which proves why the 170-pound division is currently one of the best weight classes in the UFC. Morales is worthy of a title shot now, but he will likely have to wait his turn for quite a while. With an 18-0 record, Morales has the second-most wins for a fighter with a flawless record.
He doesn't rank higher because his two biggest wins are against Gilbert Burns and Neil Magny. Burns is well past his prime, and Magny is just the gatekeeper of the welterweight division. Both of those victories came in Performance of the Night fashion, though. A high-profile win or two more will put Morales in a prime position to compete for a championship belt. The zero at the end of his record is getting harder and harder to ignore.
9. Joshua Van
While Joshua Van is expected to take on Alexandre Pantoja as the next championship contender for the flyweight division, that fight hasn't been officially booked. This is despite the fact that the two faced off in the octagon after UFC 317, which was a card in which both fighters had standout performances.
Pantoja beat Kai Kara-France, but before that, Van ended up victorious in what may go down as the fight of the year. Van bested Brandon Royval in a battle where the fighters landed a three-round UFC record 419 significant strikes. Van threw 204 of those, and he impressed despite taking the fight on short notice.
UFC President Dana White rewards fighters who put on a show and are willing to fight anybody at any time, especially when it saves a pay-per-view card after an injury pullout. Van has the entertaining style that can make him a genuine superstar, and it's just a matter of time until Van fights Pantoja.
8. Anthony Hernandez
Anthony Hernandez's eight-fight winning streak inside the UFC at 185 pounds is technically the largest in the division as some of Khamzat Chimaev's wins technically came at welterweight. It is unclear if anybody will beat Chimaev anytime soon, but if anybody could do it, it would be Hernandez.
Chimaev pursues takedowns relentlessly, but Hernandez might be just as good in that regard. In fact, his 54 takedowns are the most in UFC middleweight history. Nobody has taken Chimaev on at his own game. Hernandez isn't a slouch in the standup game, either. His 62.8% significant strike accuracy is the fourth-best in UFC history.
The fighter nicknamed “Fluffy” has a somewhat unorthodox style, but it works quite well. He will take on Reinier de Ridder in October, and he'll certainly receive a title shot if he wins that fight. De Ridder just narrowly missed the cut for this list.
7. Ian Machado Garry
Ian Machado Garry's nickname, “The Future,” is fitting because he seems poised to one day hoist gold. Machado Garry is the biggest thing to come out of Ireland since Conor McGregor. His skill set really has no flaws. He can win on the ground or in grappling exchanges.
Machado Garry's lone loss came against the No. 1 fighter on this list. He also beat Carlos Prates, a welterweight who narrowly missed inclusion in these rankings. Unfortunately, out-of-the-octagon drama has taken the spotlight away from how talented Machado Garry is as a fighter. Make no mistake about it, though, Garry is a killer.
6. Sean Brady
Like Machado Garry, Sean Brady only has one blemish on his resume, but his lone loss came against somebody who'd go on to become champion. Brady is 18-1, but he lost to Belal Muhammed at UFC 280. Unfortunately, Brady hasn't been super active. He has only fought one time in each of the last five years, and that fact prevents him from ranking inside the top five here.
It will also almost surely ensure that he must get one more win before he fights for the belt in a stacked welterweight division. Nonetheless, Brady has an impressive resume and a skill set that is championship caliber. He has notable wins against Gilbert Burns, Kevin Gastelum, and Leon Edwards, the latter two of which came via submission.
Brady is one of the best jiu-jitsu experts in the UFC. If Brady can appear more frequently inside of the octagon, a championship opportunity would certainly come his way.
5. Arman Tsarukyan
Arman Tsarukyan should have already fought for the lightweight belt, but injury pullouts and suspensions have been bigger enemies for him than the competition he has actually faced in the octagon have. Tsarukyan pulled out of his scheduled title fight against Islam Makhachev just a day before UFC 311. That is no way to get in Dana White's good graces, but regardless, Tsarukyan has a championship-caliber resume.
Tsarukyan is 22-3 with wins in nine of his last 10 fights. He is an excellent grappler and certainly has a case to be the next to take on Ilia Topuria. Paddy Pimblett, another up-and-comer without a title fight to his name, might have the edge on Tsarukyan for a title shot, not because he is more deserving but because he and Topuria have a rivalry. Justin Gaethje has also been rumored as Topuria's next opponent, although he has already fought for the belt before.
4. Nassourdine Imavov
Nassourdine Imavov had a case for a title shot after he beat Israel Adesanya, a former champion and one of the best middleweights ever. There is no denying him now after a dominant victory against Caio Borralho. Imavov displayed great takedown defense and elite striking in his recent Fight Night contest.
Imavov is 17-4 overall, and he has shined bright over the last two seasons. Had it not been for a loss to Sean Strickland in 2023, Imavov could rank at the top of this list. There are a number of worthy contenders in the middleweight division, but Imavov should be at the front of the line.
3. Movsar Evloev
Based just purely off wins, Movsar Evloev would have a claim to ranking first on this list. His 19-0 record is tied for the best undefeated record in the UFC. However, fans view Evloev as a boring fighter. He has gone to decision in all nine of his UFC fights.
Dvalishvili, for example, wasn't given a title shot until he won 10 straight fights because he was a decision merchant, and Dvalishvili is arguably even more entertaining than Evloev when it comes to performances inside the octagon. Dvalishvili is certainly a better fight promoter, too.
Even so, winning is the ultimate goal in the UFC, so a title shot is likely inevitable for Evloev. It is certainly something that he deserves.
2. Lerone Murphy
It isn't always just about collecting wins in the UFC. The manner in which fighters end up victorious plays a part in getting title shots. Evloev has more wins with an unbeaten record than the 17-0-1 Lerone Murphy, but Murphy is coming off a highlight-reel performance against Aaron Pico.
Not only did Murphy win via spinning back elbow, but his victory came over Aaron Pico in his UFC debut. Pico was a longtime Bellator fighter, so a loss against UFC competition made the top promotion in the sport look all the better. Murphy needed a highlight finish, and the fact that he got one all but confirms that he will be next in line for a title shot.
Jean Silva is a fellow featherweight worth mentioning. With just six UFC wins to his name, Silva has a little way to go before he receives a title opportunity. He isn't far off, though, especially because he is a bad man and a massive star.
1. Shavkat Rakhmonov
Shavkat Rakhmonov was all the hype at the end of 2024. Dialogue surrounding the fighter nicknamed “Nomad” has been quiet ever since, and that is quite an unfortunate reality. Rakhmonov was supposed to fight Belal Muhammed for the Welterweight Championship at UFC 310. Instead, Muhammed pulled out of the fight because of a bone infection, and Rakhmonov had to take on a fellow undefeated fighter in Machado Garry.
At the time, Rakhmonov was 18-0, and Machado Garry was 15-0. While Rakhmonov's streak of 18 consecutive victories via finish ended against Machado Garry, he did extend his unbeaten streak to 19 wins, which is still tied for the most in the UFC. Rakhmonov was again supposed to fight for the belt at UFC 315, but this time, he was the one who had to pull out because of injuries.
A title shot later on in 2025 was reportedly promised, but Rakhmonov has since been jumped in line by Islam Makhachev. The former Lightweight Champion vacated his belt to contend for champ-champ status, which has further delayed a championship bout that seems inevitable for Rakhmonov.
When it does come, all MMA fans will be watching, as Rakhmonov hasn't really been challenged thus far in his MMA career. He has the making to become an all-time great UFC fighter, but timing hasn't been on his side as of recent.
