The Best of the Rest: Top Unranked Featherweights

LEAVE A COMMENT! WHO ARE YOUR HIGHEST RATED UNRANKED FIGHTERS?



1. Hakeem Dawodu - Ranked #20 by Tapology and #11 in my personal rankings, Mean Hakeem's time is now. His biggest opportunity appears in the form of Shane Burgos, #12 ranked featherweight in the UFC official rankings, come January 23 on UFC 257. His striking is top level, a muay thai fighter, and at 29 years old he has entered his prime. On a 5-fight win streak in the UFC, we are waiting to see if Hakeem can over-achieve come January. 


2. Grant Dawson - Ranked #29 by Tapology and #13 in my personal rankings, "KGD" is an awesome wrestler unbeaten in the UFC. 4-0 in the octagon, Dawson has shown dominance in the cage and his upside is huge at only 26-years old. A high-profile prospect, without a fight booked, we'll see if the UFC slow-plays or fast-tracks Dawson's career.


3. Ilia Topuria - Ranked #25 by Tapology and #15 in my personal rankings, this kid looked amazing in his first two UFC performances. The Spanish-Georgian prospect is a jiu-jitsu specialist with powerful and effective hands. He is only 23-years old with a mature attitude. Still undefeated at 10-0, we can expect Topuria to be challenged with bigger fights in 2021. Interestingly, he is already rated on Tapology as one of the "Greatest MMA Grappler of All Time."

1. Chase Hooper
2. Ryan Hall
3. Illia Topuria

Hooper's age is his biggest upside, but will he develop his striking to the level? And can he survive in the UFC long enough to grow into his man body? UFC will have to slow play him if he's gonna survive.

Hall would be great if he fought. He was in my rankings but I took him off due to inactivity. 

And yeah Topuria is the real deal...Spanish pundits were super high on him before he made his UFC debut and continue to predict big things (although biased)

I don't know if he'll be top, but Giga Chikadze has been fun to watch transition from Glory Kickboxing to MMA, and so far they have fed him, and he is growing MMA wise. 

I think it will be fun to watch this guy, so far I have. 4-0 in 2020. Reason? I love strikers in MMA who learn the ground game (certain man named Anderson Silva) and I want to see if he does the same. 

* Edited at 12.24.2020, 12:52 PM ET *

Frontikick,

I wonder who Giga will fight next?

Grant Dawson? They are side-by-side in the Tapology rankings.

Gavin Tucker? If he didn't take too much damage in his last fight, maybe this will be the Giga's matchup?

Barboza? #15 in the official rankings. this is the perfect matchup for two exceptional strikers.

Jeremy Stephens? #8 in the rankings, will the UFC give him a shot at the Top 10..its a fight he definitely could win, between 2 bangers.

Darren Elkins? Nate the Train? Two more Top 30 guys hovering right around Giga, both coming off wins...

what do you think? what match-ups will get made?

* Edited at 12.24.2020, 1:17 PM ET *

I agree, Barboza is perfect, he is pretty worn by now but still a tough test, and it's a good fight for Giga to show off his skills vs. a game striker, but I think they want to bring him up slowly if you look at his last opponent.

I think Dawson would be too much for him at this point, but Barboza won't be a threat submission wise and the fight will likely stay standing. 

* Edited at 12.24.2020, 1:28 PM ET *