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 Dricus Du Plessis training partner had his ticket booked for Canada, so when an opportunity to fight on “Dana White: Lookin’ for a Fight” popped up he took it with the intentions of earning a UFC contract.
- One of the prospects in all of Canada hopes the second time fighting in front of Dana White will be his ticket to the UFC.
- A Team Alpha Male flyweight has already changed his life through fighting, so imagine what a UFC deal would do.
- An Italian-born UAE Warriors titleholder welcomes another tough challenge that could attract the eyeballs of UFC matchmakers.
- A New England-based fighter, who is an alum of both “The Ultimate Fighter” and Dana White’s Contender Series angles to show he’s finally UFC ready.
Mark Hulme
Record: 11-3
Age: 29
Weight class: Welterweight
Height: 6’2″
Birthplace: South Africa
Next Fight: Friday vs. Zackery Powell (6-1) at Unified MMA 55 in Toronto (UFC Fight Pass)
Background: Mark Hulme’s road toward a UFC opportunity has been far from run-of-the-mill. A rough-and-tough kid growing up, Hulme struggled to like and succeed in school. He discovered the UFC and immediately felt he’d found a direction – but his father made him finish school before he permitted him to pursue professional fighting. He found success during his amateur career early on, and eventually turned professional. Rather than pursue the UFC right away through the regional scene, Hulme pivoted toward promotions like ACA, M-1 Global, and Brave CF. He trained in Russia, where he came to an important realization that any fighter is capable of mental toughness. The highs were fun, but the lows were most important. Hulme credits a 100-plus kilometer trek through South African mountains as a mental refresher during which he found purpose and rejuvenated his career. He also credits Team CIT and teammate Dricus Du Plessis for putting him on the straight path – which has led to a current three-fight winning streak.
The skinny: Hulme trains day in and day out with one of the best middleweights in the world. He’s a thoughtful guy who is not afraid to learn a lesson even if it means failing. From Day 1, it seems Hulme has tried to take the toughest tests available – and has benefited long-term from his short-term shortcomings. With a strong life compass, Hulme thinks it’s not a coincidence a UFC opportunity has fallen into his lap. With “Dana White: Lookin’ for a Fight” scheduled for Unified MMA in Toronto, on the eve of UFC 297, the promotion needed a replacement fighter – and Hulme happened to be in town to support Du Plessis. The stars do seem to be aligning for Hulme, who expects to impress the UFC brass in his ultra-short-notice bout against one of Canada’s best.
In his own words: “To play a small part in Dricus’ journey to become the UFC middleweight champion is the biggest honor of my life. As we landed, he went, ‘Did coach tell you you have a fight?’ I said, ‘No, what do you mean?’ He said, ‘You didn’t get the message?’ I’m like, ‘No.’ I went and checked and I saw the message from my coach. … I just replied, ‘I’ve got this coach.’ This is my life, dude. This week I came to realize while I was water-loading… No sane human being is going to do this unless they f*cking love it.
“I don’t (just) like this sport. I didn’t get into this sport because I wanted a way to make millions fighting. I just f*cking love this sport. I’ve dedicated my whole life to it. I’ve lived in the gym for like three years when I was 18-21. I’ve sacrificed my whole life, my whole being, everything so that I can get the opportunities to get to the UFC. Here we find ourselves now. Basically, the statement goes: Many people do MMA, but I f*cking love it.”
“… I’ve worked so much on myself. I’ve worked so much on my mindset. I’ve worked so much on my skill set. I’ve got men behind me, men of stature. … I’m going to perform. I’m performing in front of Dana White. I’m performing in front of all the fans who are coming from South Africa, not only for Dricus Du Plessis but also for me. That brings a genuine excitement for me. That is something that I can look forward to. I love this.”
Mateo Vogel
Record: 8-3
Age: 27
Weight class: Featherweight
Height: 5’8″
Birthplace: Canada
Next Fight: Friday vs. John Nguyen (6-3) at Unified MMA 55 in Toronto (UFC Fight Pass)
Background: A lifelong athlete, Mateo Vogel played hockey growing up. Somewhere along the way, jiu-jitsu entered his life and became his first martial arts. Grappling tournaments were his first form of competition, but his UFC fandom pivoted him into fighting. Without an amateur fight, Vogel hopped into the professional ranks and debuted in 2018. He won his first three fights by submission and the fire inside him grew even bigger. In 2023, he won the BFL featherweight title, then had his first international break – an opportunity on Dana White’s Contender Series. Vogel lost to Timmy Cuamba by unanimous decision in a competitive affair. It’s evident the defeat on the biggest stage to date has bugged Vogel.
The skinny: Vogel has wins over current UFC fighters Garrett Armfield and Serhiy Sidey. He’s always aimed to take on the best competition available. Even when it results in a loss, Vogel grows from the experience. He isn’t afraid to fail, which is a positive character trait for any fighter. Even though he disagrees with the decision, Vogel doesn’t think he was himself – largely because of mental lapses and not finishing the fight. Vogel said he tried to be “too perfect” rather than shoot for the stoppage. With a fire lit under him like never before, Vogel vows to show his true self against Dana White on what many are calling one of the most high-profile events in Canadian MMA history. If contracts are handed out (which they likely will be) look for the winner of Vogel vs. Nguyen to walk home with the paperwork.
In his own words: “People like to ask all these questions on fight week like, ‘How do you feel about Dana being there? How do you feel about this thing that’s different or this thing that’s different?’ A good friend of mine gave me some good advice. There is no difference. There is no difference between any fight. Every fight is the same as any other fight. The only thing that’s different is the eyeballs looking at it. I just really got to fixate on bringing my game and doing my thing. That’s what I’m best at. That’s when I belong with the best of the world.”
“… I bring big balls in terms of the way I fight. I come in there and I don’t usually hold anything back. I go for the kill. I have an exciting style. It’s very rare you’ll ever see a dull fight of mine. I think that’s been evident in most of my outings. It’s just I go out there with a different kind of intention. Very quickly, I became a fan favorite because I bring the action every time. A lot of guys say that, but in my case, I really do. How many fights have you seen me where I’m dripping in blood or came back from almost being knocked out? I go in there and I really make it a war.”
“… I know that I can compete with the best in the world and I’ve known for a while. I train with guys in the UFC like Charles Jourdain. Look what he’s done recently. Him and I talk about it all the time. I belong at the UFC level. I think I can hit the ground running as soon as I get a contract. It’s not a matter of if, it’s when.”
Jack Duffy
Record: 6-0
Age: 28
Weight class: Flyweight
Height: 5’7″
Birthplace: San Francisco
Next Fight: Friday vs. Devon Jackson (3-1) at Urijah Faber’s A1 Combat 17 in Sacramento, Calif. (UFC Fight Pass)
Background: Martial arts runs in Jack Duffy’s bloodline. His father took jiu-jitsu lessons from Brazilians at a local park and signed his sons up for BJJ when Duffy was nine to help prevent bullying issues at school. At 12, Duffy transitioned to MMA. Initially, Duffy trained with Team Carnage for eight years. In 2012, he made his pro debut at 17. When his skills outgrew his resources, he moved to MMA Gold. In 2017, Duffy switched to Team Alpha Male – a place he thinks he’ll never outgrow. For the past six years, Duffy has found consistent results despite intermittent appearances. Injuries, COVID-19 pandemic-induced gaps, and pivoting to a sober lifestyle contributed to the lack of competition. Four years ago, Duffy decided to stop doing and selling drugs and focus solely on a healthy lifestyle – one that he found and which has freed him. He’s now 6-0 with six finishes and building a name for himself in Urijah Faber’s A1 Combat.
The skinny: Duffy has passed each test with flying colors – despite an admittedly unstable outside-the-cage lifestyle. The admittance of past shortcomings shows maturity and growth, but also raises his potential ceiling to new heights. Now, Duffy eats clean. He’s sober. He doesn’t even like to drink out of plastic bottles. The self-described “obsessive behavior” has him feeling better than ever – which is scary for anyone he faces going forward. Duffy has great grappling and wrestling, unsurprising for a TAM-trained athlete. His fights are quick, so it’ll be interesting to see what he’ll look like should he ever need the full 15 minutes. That’s a good problem to have, though. With another victory, Duffy will be a perfect candidate for Dana White’s Contender Series later this year. But who knows? Maybe a short-notice UFC call will come before that.
In his own words: “My first five fights, I was just partying my ass off. I would always get injured in training camps and I was never able to really embody a true athlete where my body was all strong and I wasn’t getting all these injuries. I just had little injuries take me out from all the partying. Four years ago, I quit drinking. I quit nicotine and got off everything. I’m just way more healthy. I’ve just been kind of on a health journey since then, slowly introducing more organic foods and the real athlete lifestyle. … I’ve never felt stronger than now. My weight has never been better. It’s definitely changed my life.”
“… I would like to go straight to the UFC after this one. I would wait for Contender Series or get another one in between. I would rather get one soon, though. My grandma is getting old. I want her to know that I made it. My parents are trying to move out to Hawaii so I’m trying to get in the UFC so I can help them retire and get that going. I’m hoping to make it in right after this one. Either way, I’ll be in there and there’s none of them who can stop me. Once I get there, I’m going to run straight to the top.”
“… I could win the belt tomorrow. I’ll run through all the dudes at the top. I would take all of them out. I have everything that you literally need to be the best in the world. That’s what definitely makes me the best in the world. I’m excited to go out there and prove it. I would win the UFC championship tomorrow if I was fighting in it.”
Wisem Hammami
Record: 8-1
Age: 26
Weight class: Welterweight
Height: 6’2″
Birthplace: Italy
Next Fight: Sunday vs. Omran Chaaban (5-1) at UAE Warriors 46 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UFC Fight Pass)
Background: “The desire for redemption from a difficult and problematic life” is why Wisem Hammami began MMA. From his humble beginnings, Hammami felt disrespected by those around him. He now describes himself back then as “a very angry boy.” He didn’t have many role models or motivators during his rise up the MMA ranks. Through hard life lessons, he became his own motivator. Born and raised in Italy, Hammami eventually connected with Tunisia’s Mounir Lazzez, the first Arab in the UFC. Now based in the United Arab Emirates, Hammami has established himself as one of the region’s best pound-for-pound fighters. In August, he won the UAE Warriors welterweight title with a first-round knockout of Omran Chaaban.
The skinny: Hammami is the next Middle East-based fighter who should make the jump to the UFC. The region is still in its infancy, when it comes to sending fighters to the promotion but the sport in the region is certainly growing with promotions like Brave CF and UAE Warriors firing on all cylinders. Hammami has become one of the poster boys for UAE Warriors and for good reason. He’s excited. He’s got personality. He’s willing to test himself against relatively difficult competition. Should he win, he’d be a perfect candidate to debut on either of the UFC’s Middle East events scheduled for 2024 (Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi).
In his own words: “I have never had motivators or great coaches. I have always been my own motivator. I have always been inspired by great fighters but the main motivation comes from within and you can’t buy that or train that.
“I am growing a lot first of all I think my mentality is different and very strong. I work hard, as always, all year round. I’m hungry, young, and I’m not afraid of anything – but above all I really want it. … I think I can do well in the UFC, and if they call me, I’m ready. Fans should expect a new version of Wisem Hammami as every match there will be a new version of me.”
This interview was conducted using an English-language translator.
Mitch Raposo
Record: 8-1
Age: 25
Weight class: Flyweight
Height: 5’5″
Birthplace: Fall River, Mass.
Next Fight: Jan. 27 vs. Justin Valentin (4-2) at Cage Titans 63 in Plymouth, Mass. (UFC Fight Pass)
Background: Around 2010, Mitch Raposo was introduced to MMA through a neighbor. “The bug got me,” Raposo says. He fell in love instantly and became a hardcore fan. Too young to fight amateur or pro, Raposo supplemented his drive to compete with high school wrestling. It was all part of his bigger plan to become a professional fighter. In 2019, Raposo turned professional at 21 following a 6-0 amateur career. Over the years, Raposo got looks at Lauzon’s MMA and with The New England Cartel, all the while keeping his home base of Regiment Training Center. Raposo competed at bantamweight on “TUF 29” as part of Team Volkanovski. He was eliminated in the opening round by Liudvik Sholinian. He then competed on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2021 and lost by submission to Jake Hadley. Since, Raposo has finished back-to-back fights including a highlight-reel knockout to win the CES flyweight title.”
The skinny: Raposo has matured tremendously throughout his pro career. He was highly touted from the jump, so the spotlight was on. But don’t mistake bumps in the road for lasting failure. He’s improved from his defeats, which have only come in UFC tryout-esque experiences. Cross-training at the best locations across New England, alongside guys like Rob Font and Calvin Kattar, can only help him. He was a pivotal part of Font’s camp for Deiveson Figueiredo in December. He’s also spent time in Las Vegas at Xtreme Couture, getting different looks with top-tier talents including Amir Albazi and Cody Durden. Raposo’s biggest challenge has been finding willing opponents. He went through a training camp to fight top regional talent Cleveland McLean in November, only to have McLean pull out on fight day. His upcoming opponent will serve as a litmus test and an opportunity for matchmaker Mick Maynard to take another look should Raposo win.
In his own words: “With the way I’m feeling right now, I know in a year I will be in a completely different position. This will all be worth it. My frustration and my hunger (to stay active) is just all part of the plan. That’s the truth of it all. There are so many guys who believe they deserve to be in the UFC. I’m going to go out there and just let my performances speak for themselves. I feel like I’ve done that and I’ve just got to really go out there and remind them. If I go out there and do what I know I can do, there’s no denying me after this one.”
“… I feel like when I go out there now, I want to show the UFC. It wasn’t that I wasn’t skilled enough to be there before. It was maybe that I wasn’t mature enough. Now, you’re seeing it in my performances. The No. 15 guy in the country (per Tapology regional rankings) Cleveland McLean pulled out the day of our fight. There’s only so much I can do. Just is a stud. We’ve been on the same circuit for a while. I have a lot of respect for Justin. But I have the most to lose. These guys beat me and they think they can get their shot. I kind of take it personal in a way. I really want to go out there and show this guy is not in my league. He’s 4-2 and beat some good guys and has been around, but he’s facing a whole different beast, a whole different animal. It’s kind of like that Kobe Bryant quote, ‘Different animal, same beast.'”
Fighters worth watching who didn’t crack the list, yet are on the verge of something big:
- Zackery Powell (6-1) – Friday vs. Mark Hulme (11-3) at Unified MMA 55 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada (UFC Fight Pass)
- John Nguyen (6-3) – Friday vs. Mateo Vogel (8-3) at Unified MMA 55 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada (UFC Fight Pass)
- Cody Peterson (6-1) – Friday vs. Quang Le (6-0) at LFA 174 in Prior Lake, Minn. (UFC Fight Pass)
- Quang Le (6-0) – Friday vs. Cody Peterson (6-1) at LFA 174 in Prior Lake, Minn. (UFC Fight Pass)
- Kegan Gennrich (7-2) – Friday vs. JaCobi Jones (6-2) at LFA 174 in Prior Lake, Minn. (UFC Fight Pass)
- Samandar Murodov (9-0) – Jan. 20 vs. Bobur Kurbonov (13-5) at UAE Warriors 46 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UFC Fight Pass)
- Alex Da Silva (23-5) – Jan. 20 vs. Dinislam Kamavov (13-2-2) at UAE Warriors 46 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UFC Fight Pass)
- Alden Coria (7-2) – Jan. 21 vs. Alberto Trujillo (8-3) at Fury FC 85 in Houston, Texas (UFC Fight Pass)
- Magomed Kadimagomedov (5-0) – Jan. 26 vs. Nacim Belhouachi (3-2) at Hexagone MMA 13 in Paris
- Michael Aljarouj (10-3) – Jan. 27 vs. Liridon Ramani (6-3) at JSC 1 in Nimes, France
- Mathias Poiron (7-0) – Jan. 27 vs. Keweny Lopes (9-1-1) at JSC 1 in Nimes, France
- Keweny Lopes (7-0) – Jan. 27 vs. Mathias Poiron (7-0) at JSC 1 in Nimes, France
- Vinicius Pires (6-0) – Jan. 27 vs. Apollo Gomes (9-1) at LFA 175 in Cajamar, Sao Paulo, Brazil (UFC Fight Pass)
- Anderson Ferreira (18-4) – Jan. 27 vs. Samuel Silva (11-4-1) at LFA 175 in Cajamar, Sao Paulo, Brazil (UFC Fight Pass)
- Fernando Laurenco (17-3) – Jan. 27 vs. Rafael Pereira (10-4) at LFA 175 in Cajamar, Sao Paulo, Brazil (UFC Fight Pass)
- Marco Tulio (9-1) – Jan. 27 vs. Vinicius Pires (9-1) at LFA 175 in Cajamar, Sao Paulo, Brazil (UFC Fight Pass)
