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.
- “The Muscle Hampster” hopes to show the UFC he’s not just strength, but skill, too.
- A brother of a current UFC fighter hopes to continue the family tradition of making MMA’s big leagues with a win in LFA.
- Fresh off “The Ultimate Fighter” this heavyweight fighter and former collegiate football player is ready to show what he looks like as a full-time fighter.
- A 20-year-old Argentinian phenom looks to reach 11-0 by the end of the month – and carry his country’s torch all the way to a UFC championship.
- A Joe Lauzon underling is eager to return to the cage and display his striking improvements in a five-round bout.
Josiah Harrell
Record: 5-0
Age: 23
Weight class: Welterweight
Height: 5’7″
Birthplace: Ohio
Next Fight: Saturday vs. Tracy Reeder (5-0) at CFFC 113 in Bensalem, Penn. (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 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. Four years later, he’s an undefeated professional at 5-0.
The skinny: Nicknamed “The Muscle Hampster” after former NFL running back Doug Martin, Harrell is a bulky welterweight who admits he loves ice cream – but only in between camps. He still has a lot to improve on and with a high potential ceiling that’s not a bad thing. Harrell spends some time training with and under UFC legend Matt Brown and UFC Hall of Famer Mark Coleman. Talk about a pair of role models, eh? His wrestling has looked stupendous through five pro fights and he has a 100 percent finishing rate. The other parts of his game will come along if they haven’t already. It’s just been tough to tell where they’re at, since he hasn’t needed to show them. That’s a pretty damn good sign within itself.
In his own words: “I think a lot of people are like, ‘Oh, he’s just another wrestler.’ But if you dive deep or get deep enough, I started in 2018. I’m really actually new. If you look at how many times I’m hit, if you look at how much damage I do compared to them, if you look at the pace and everything, I am constantly improving. You will not see the same person that I’ve fought (like before). If I fight tomorrow, the next day I’m going to be a different fighter. I haven’t had to do anything when it comes to changing my game because nobody has stopped the first thing. ‘OK, he’s just a wrestler.’ It’s not that. It’s that they haven’t been able to stop that at that point.
“If I can hold cards, I will. If they can stop it, cool, we’ll have some fun and keep going. I’d say the most dangerous thing about me is probably my pace and we haven’t really even made it that far yet.”
“… (The UFC) is going to happen. In my mind, it’s inevitable. If I keep going in the direction I’m going, it’s going to happen. I don’t mind having to wait a little bit. I know my ego wants it now and everyone wants it to happen now, but I also know that the longer they wait the better I’m getting now. Either way, everything is going up when it comes to entertainment, when it comes to fighting, when it comes to life. All directions are pointing up. It’s already been so difficult finding fights. I’m just trying to be pushed.”
Christian Natividad
Record: 4-0
Age: 25
Weight class: Flyweight
Height: 5’5″
Birthplace: Ewa Beach, Hawaii
Next Fight: Oct. 14 vs. Israel Galvan (5-2) at LFA 144 in Sioux Falls, S.D. (UFC Fight Pass)
Background: If the Natividad surname rings a bell in your MMA brain, it’s probably because Christian Natividad is the brother of UFC fighter Kevin Natividad. Four years younger, Christian is following a similar path with some differences – and ultimately the same immediate goal: to make the UFC. It wasn’t until his junior year of high school Natividad inquired to join the wrestling team. Originally told it was “way too late,” Natividad proved everyone wrong. A couple years later, Natividad was wrestling collegiately at Southern Oregon University. With bigger things on the mind even still, Natividad moved to Arizona in pursuit of a potential Arizona State University opportunity. While it didn’t work out, Natividad found martial arts as a hobby. The hobby turned into a professional pursuit. The UFC has been on the mind, which is why he’s landed at Fight Ready MMA in Glendale, Ariz..
The skinny: Natividad is still early on his career, but has struggled to stay active – not of his own doing. Not many are signing up to throw hands with the Hawaii-born flyweight. If he gets to 5-0, he could be an earlier-than-usual UFC signing, though his skills and fundamentals are up to par – just ask Deiveson Figueiredo, who Natividad has worked with in the past. Cage-time experience will amplify this and he could be a solid addition to the promotion’s roster in 2023.
In his own words: “I feel like most people always say they’re born for something, like, ‘I was born to fight. I was born for this.’ My goals growing up changed. One day, I wanted to be a professional skateboarder. One day, I wanted to become an officer in the military. Now, I want to fight MMA as a career pathway. I didn’t grow up wanting to fight, but goals changed growing up and I stumbled upon a goal that I’ve had with all these different interests: I just like to work my ass off. It’s working out really well.”
“… I could 100 percent (compete in the UFC right now). The biggest eye-opener for me was sparring with ‘Figgy,’ the champion at flyweight. I gave him about four rounds while he was here at Fight Ready and seeing how I hold up with him definitely showed I was ready for the UFC at that point and that was about maybe six to eight months ago. Over the past six to eight months, all I’ve done is nothing but grow.”
“… (Fans should expect) lots of knockouts from me. The flyweight division, I know there’s not a lot of eyes on it. I know it’s fast-paced fighting. A lot of people don’t want to see flyweights. They want to see heavyweights because of knockouts. Heavyweights throw hard and knock each other out whenever. I feel like at 125, I’ll be able to knock most of these guys out and give a show to all the haters watching around the world.”
Jordan Heiderman
Record: 5-0
Age: 31
Weight class: Heavyweight
Height: 6’3″
Birthplace: Norfolk, Neb.
Next Fight: Oct. 14 vs. Daiqwon Buckley (3-0) at LFA 144 in Sioux Falls, S.D. (UFC Fight Pass)
Background: Athletics have been in Jordan Heiderman’s life for its entirety. As he grew up, he wrestled. But it was football that ultimately was his first real pursuit – and he was great at it. He played defensive tackle at Indiana University until his time expired in the program. After his senior year, he pivoted to fighting. In 2015, he made his amateur MMA debut. In 2018, he turned professional. He balanced his training with a non-related day job for as long as he could. But when an offer came to be on “The Ultimate Fighter, Season 30,” he decided to go all-in on MMA. The experience changed hm, hist outlook on the sport, and his abilities. While Zac Pauga eliminated him in the bracket semifinal, Heiderman thinks he’s a much more polished product, ready to show it in his first post-TUF fight.
The skinny: Heiderman has always had the intangibles necessary for success at heavyweight. He’s an athlete through and through – big, strong, quick, and powerful. His wrestling foundation is certainly key in a weight class where bombs are usually the weapon of choice. While “The Ultimate Fighter” and its rapidity of fight turnarounds may have hindered Heiderman in the short term, his experience with high-level coaching and big-bodied teammates will likely prove invaluable. No longer working 50-60 hours a week, all signs point toward fans seeing the best Heiderman in his next bout. The UFC always needs heavyweights and he’s already on their radar. Simple math suggests a UFC call could wait him with a win.
In his own words: “I think it was a great decision (to go on ‘TUF’). I met a lot of cool people, some great connections there. I think it’s just going to open a lot of doors for me. I’ve got to just continue to get better and keep winning. … Practices were pretty challenging, because I’m not used to training with guys at the same level as me or even tougher in certain aspects of the game. It was a great experience that way, seeing where I’m weak and what I need to work on. It also opened more doors for me and I got my name out there and ended up getting to go train in a bigger gym with some tough dudes.”
“… Since the show, it opened my eyes to a lot of things I need to get better at. The fact that I was only training part-time before the show and I still did well, just meant that I had a lot to offer and prove at. That made me even more hungry. That’s what led me to reaching out to other gyms and getting the right coaching and getting the right practice partners and becoming a better MMA fighter.”
“… This next fight is going to be tough. He’s a tough cat. I’m excited for it and I’m going to get a solid win out of here. Hopefully, I get called up. If not, I want that LFA belt. We’ll see what happens. … It’s always been my goal and my passion to be a professional athlete. To be able to live that life, it’s been pretty crazy.”
Francisco Prado
Record: 9-0
Age: 20
Weight class: Lightweight
Height: 5’10”
Birthplace: San Lorenzo, Santa Fe, Argentina
Next Fight: Oct. 15 vs. Adrian Perrone (6-0) at Samurai Fight House 6 in Mar del Plata, Argentina
Background: Francisco Prado can’t even remember when he started his fighter’s path. That’s how high the percentage of his life has been training martial arts. He remembers growing up wanting to be a black belt, not just in one discipline – but them all. Karate was first, with hopes of finding an outlet for his bad behavior at home and school. MMA began at 14 – when he had his first amateur fight. After five first-round wins and no losses against grown men, Prado turned professional at 16. Since his pro debut in 2019, Prado has racked up victories against increasingly difficult and experienced competition. He has a 100 percent finishing rate with six submissions and three knockouts/TKOs.
The skinny: Prado is 20 and shouldn’t be rushed. At the same time, the UFC has seemingly figured out a way to slowly craft younger talent into elite prospects without rushing them. That wasn’t always the case. Booked for two fights this month, Prado has the ability to add two more credible wins to his resume and finish out 2022 with a record of at least 11-0. At that point, I expect the UFC to glance at him, in fear of another promotion snatching him up.
In his own words: “I am a finisher. I am 9-0 as a pro with all finishes. Seven first round finishes. And I am only 20 years old. … My special attribute is that I have a winner mentality. I know how to win and always get it done before the decision. … I was born this way. And I worked really hard to get to this level. I think my talent and hard work is what will take me far in the UFC.”
“… I think I can beat a bunch of guys in the UFC today. I see fighters in the UFC and I believe I can do a lot better things than many of them. … I am going to win the 155-pound belt on Oct. 15 in Samurai Fight House 6. And then I am going to defend my belt in the main event of Samurai Fight House 8 in December 2022. Once I do that, my team is going to call the UFC and I hope I did enough to make it. If not, I am going to stay active so I can make the UFC before I turn 21 which will be in June 2023.
“… I want to be the youngest champion in UFC history. But what I do know is that I will be the first champion from Argentina. I want to open the doors for my countrymen who come after me because there is a lot of talent in Argentina. The talent is there, it is the lack of opportunity in the past that has been the problem for us.”
Carlos Lozoya
Record: 7-2
Age: 27
Weight class: Flyweight
Height: 5’5″
Birthplace: Las Vegas
Next Fight: Oct. 30 vs. Cleveland McLean (16-9) at Fury FC 70 in Edinburg, Texas (UFC Fight Pass)
Background: Born in the fight capital of the world, Carlos Lozoya began his combat sports journey in the world of jiu-jitsu. From a young age he trained under Sergio Pena. Submission grappling was his first competition. To compliment his jiu-jitsu, he joined the wrestling team in high school. He earned a wrestling scholarship to the University of North Idaho where he became nationally ranked. After his first year, Lozoya pulled an audible. He wasn’t a fan of the academic work, so he pivoted and fought an amateur MMA bout – against a fellow unknown at the time named Sean O’Malley. From 2016-2019, Lozoya was active duty military – so MMA and jiu-jitsu was put on hold for the ranger battalion. There he met Connor Matthews. When his wife got accepted to Harvard, Lozoya moved to Massachusetts and joined Matthews at Lauzon MMA, where he’s been for over a year now.
The skinny: Lozoya is a combat sports lifer who has surrounded himself with fantastic, knowledgeable role models throughout his MMA career. His stint as a ranger went hand in glove with the mental strengthening needed for the next level. The physical is there, too, though – and so are the results. In July, Lozoya picked up perhaps his most marquee win to date when he submitted TUF and DWCS standout Ricky Steele with a mounted triangle. The win extended his streak to five, including three finishes. Always in need of flyweights, the UFC should definitely recruit Lozoya if he wins his upcoming bout.
In his own words: “I love the idea of five rounds, because to me that’s more time for me to finish someone. I think 100 percent without a doubt I’m going to finish Cleveland (McLean). I think it’s going to be a great fight, because he’s a great competitor. He has a lot of experience, but I think five rounds and 25 minutes of work, I’m just too much. I know I’m going to finish Cleveland. All respect to him. I don’t want to talk sh*t, but I think I’m just excited for the extra time. If you can expect anything, it’s going to be a finish.”
“… 100 percent I can propel myself to the UFC. I think if I get an impressive finish, 100 percent I can hopefully get that call. If not, hopefully I can get a belt (for Fury FC) to make myself more undeniable. I think that’s kind of where my head is at. I’m not really expecting anything. I’m hoping and praying for it, but that’s out of my control sometimes. I just hope this can be enough. … I’ll let the fight speak for itself.”
Fighters worth watching who didn’t crack the list, yet are on the verge of something big:
- Michele Martignoni (7-1) – Friday vs. Dominique Wooding (9-4) at Cage Warriors 144 in Rome, Italy (UFC Fight Pass)
- Dominique Wooding (9-4) – Friday vs. Michele Martignoni (7-1) at Cage Warriors 144 in Rome, Italy (UFC Fight Pass)
- Tracy Reeder (5-0) – Friday vs. Josiah Harrell (5-0) at CFFC 113 in Bensalem, Penn. (UFC Fight Pass)
- Greg Velasco (4-0) – Friday vs. Kevin Sears (9-6) at CFFC 113 in Bensalem, Penn. (UFC Fight Pass)
- Dejan Kajic (14-7-2) – Oct. 12 vs. JC Lamas (9-7) at BFL 74 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (UFC Fight Pass)
- Diego Silva (15-7) – Oct. 14 vs. Muin Gafurov (17-4) at LFA 144 in Sioux Falls, S.D. (UFC Fight Pass)
- Matt Vaile (11-2) – Oct. 15 vs. Will Chope (39-18) at Beatdown Promotions 2 in Eatons Hill, Queensland, Australia
- Jesse Murray (9-4) – Oct. 21 vs. Bruno Assis (12-6) at LFA 144 in Sioux Falls, S.D. (UFC Fight Pass)
- Zach DiSabatino (10-2) – Oct. 29 vs. Aaron Lacey (7-3) at Cage Titans 56 in Plymouth, Mass.
