Fighters to Watch 2021, Part III: Featherweights
Shifting the focus to the 145-pound weight class in our ongoing look at the collection of fighters I'm keeping tabs on heading into the new year.
FEATHERWEIGHT
CHAMPION
AMANDA NUNES: We covered Nunes’ greatness in Part II when discussing the bantamweights, so I’ll keep it quick and simply say that right now, “The Lioness” has no equal and while appreciate the skills of each of the two contenders listed below, they have a long way to go before they’re capable of hanging in with the “Queen of the Jungle” in my opinion.
CONTENDERS
MEGAN ANDERSON: it’s so difficult to know what to expect from Anderson at this point because she has looked so good over her last two outings — a first-round submission win over Zarah Fairn and a first-round knockout win over Norma Dumont — but struggled mightily in her two UFC appearances against quality opponents.
She was always tabbed to be a contender and works with an excellent group with James Krause and the Glory MMA & Fitness crew, which means improvements and sharper focus are certainly possible, especially given that it’s been nearly a year since we’ve seen Anderson inside the Octagon. From a physical standout, she has all the attributes to be a superstar — great height and reach or the division, obvious pop in her hands, a developing offensive game on the ground — but thus far, in the biggest moments, she’s faltered, and that’s a difficult thing to overcome as an athlete and overlook as an evaluator.
Anderson is slated to face Nunes at UFC 259 in March. How that plays out will go a long way to determining how she’s viewed going forward.
FELICIA SPENCER: it’s pretty much the same thing with Spencer as it is with Anderson, except for the fact that the Orlando-based Canadian submitted the Aussie in their head-to-head meeting in May 2019.
While she rolled through Anderson and Fairn, the 30-year-old Spencer got out-worked in a game effort against Cris Cyborg, and then got thoroughly outclassed in a “too much, too soon” pairing with Nunes last summer.
Her toughness and dominant ground game give her some solid foundational building blocks to work with, but given the overall lack of talent in the division, it’s difficult to know how Spencer will progress. The upside is there for her to be the heir to the throne if Nunes eventually opts to walk away, but I need to see her compete more frequently in order to get a better read on things.
FEATHERWEIGHT
CHAMPION
ALEXANDER VOLKANOVSKI: I honestly don’t know what more people want to see from Volkanovski in order to acknowledge just how talented the Australian champion is inside the Octagon. He’s 9-0 in the UFC, 22-1 overall, and has won 19 consecutive fights.
19.
The former rugby man excels by being a superior athlete with outstanding conditioning and an intense focus inside the cage. He’s good-to-great in all facets, and has the type of approach that has to be frustrating to deal with because he just works at an above average pace with great precision from the outset and never down-shifts. Even when he was down early in his second fight with Max Holloway, Volkanovski simply stayed the course, stuck to the game plan, made the requisite changes, and did what he needed to do in order to secure the victory.
As strange as this may sound given that he’s earned back-to-back wins over “Blessed” heading into this year, but his impending date with Brian Ortega feels like the fight that could really establish his excellence because “T-City” looked phenomenal in his most recent outing and a victory there would eliminate any talk of the current champ having a stylistic edge over the former champ.
CONTENDERS
MAX HOLLOWAY: the Hawaiian believes he won both fights with Volkanovski, but is employing his trademark “it is what it is” approach to his current situation, jumping into a headlining assignment against Calvin Kattar this coming weekend in order to show he’s still one of the very best in the featherweight division.
While I and most others believe that to be true, this year and this fight in particular are critical for Holloway because despite how close those two bouts with Volkanovski were — and they were super-tight — he does enter Saturday’s main event with just a single victory in his last four outings, which makes me wonder if he’s taken an ever-so-slight step back over the last two years.
When you’re running at an elite level, a five- or ten-percent drop off can have a massive impact, and it could be the case that Holloway is now just a step behind the current champ and some of the other contenders. Or it might simply be that he landed on the wrong side of the nines and tens in a couple of ultra-competitive rounds against an outstanding fighter and he’ll use this early 2021 start to show that “The Blessed Express” is still moving full steam ahead. CHOO CHOO!
CHAN SUNG JUNG: my every instinct tells me that Jung is more of a high-end gatekeeper than a bona fide title threat, but every time I question his contender status, the South Korean standout turns around and delivers a dominant effort.
He was very disappointed with his performance against Brian Ortega last year, so I’m really curious to see how he responds whenever he returns in 2021. He’s evolved into such a different, more complete fighter than the brawler who burst onto the scene in the WEC and his wins over Frankie Edgar and Renato Moicano in 2019 showcase just how dangerous he is, so it will be interesting to see which top tier talent he’s paired off with to start the year and how that one plays out.
CALVIN KATTAR: the 32-year-old is one of the more under-appreciated fighters in the UFC in my opinion, but that could / should change in 2021, especially if he’s able to beat Holloway on Saturday.
The New England Cartel member has some of the best boxing in the promotion, as well as an excellent gas tank and growing confidence. He had a tendency to start a little slow in the past, but I think his last loss forced him to find ways to combat that, as he looked great right out of the gate in each of his two 2020 starts.
This weekend’s main event pairing with Holloway could, in many ways, be a career-defining fight for Kattar, as a win carries him into title contention, but a loss leaves him facing the dreaded “Can he win the big one when it counts?” question.
This year will determine if he’s the evolutionary replacement to Jeremy Stephens or a certified championship contender.
ZABIT MAGOMEDSHARIPOV: I need to see him go five rounds and still have something left in the gas tank in the fourth and fifth; it’s as simple as that.
Like everyone else, I think Magomedsharipov has a world of talent and potential, however, if he’s going to be a legitimate championship contender, the 29-year-old has to beat a Top 5 opponent in a five-round fight where he either (a) blows them out and earns a finish or (b) successfully navigates 25 minutes without spending the final two rounds “protecting a lead.”
As good as he’s looked thus far, that is a massive question that needs to be answered before I can fully support Zabit being consider a true title threat.
BRIAN ORTEGA: in terms of pure skill and talent, Ortega might be the best fighter in the division and one of the 10 best fighters on the roster; there is just a different level of fluidity and precision to the way he does things in the Octagon.
What I want to see in 2021 is whether he can continue to build upon the adjustments and improvements he made ahead of his blowout win over Chan Sung Jung last year and develop into the utterly scary, fully formed version of himself.
He looked like a vastly improved fighter last time out and if he’s going to continue in that direction this year, Ortega could very well be the one sitting atop this division in the not too distant future.
IN THE MIX
EDSON BARBOZA: the Brazilian veteran moved to featherweight after a split decision loss to Paul Felder knocked him out of contention at lightweight, so it had to be frustrating as hell to suffer the same fate in his 145-pound debut opposite Dan Ige in May.
Barboza bounced back with a good win over Makwan Amirkhani in his sophomore showing at 145, and I want to see where he lands over the course of this year.
Can he string together a couple more quality wins and establish himself as a Top 5 talent? Is he a 6-10 guy that can be counted on to deliver entertaining fights like he was at ‘55? Does he age into being the guy you have to beat to break into the Top 10 or Top 15?
SHANE BURGOS: this one is more about solidifying my beliefs rather than seeing if Burgos can reshape them or change them because I think the guy he is now — an 8-15 range action fighter — is who he is long term based on what we’ve seen thus far.
His two losses in the UFC (and his career) are against the two best opponents he’s faced, Kattar and Josh Emmett. That’s not necessarily a bad thing or something that can’t change, and he’s also 29, so it’s not like he’s passed his prime or anything either, which means he might actually end up forcing me to change my mind, but I gotta see it.
I gotta see him go out and get a victory over a Top 10 guy before I’ll entertain the possibility that he’s more than a very good fighter destined to a long run in the lower third of the featherweight rankings.
JOSH EMMETT: the Team Alpha Male representative is on the sidelines for at least the first half of 2021 after having another procedure done to aid in his recovery from ACL reconstruction that took place after his win over Burgos.
He got elevated into the Top 5 too quickly after his win over Ricardo Lamas, and sits at No. 7 in the division now, and I’m genuinely not sure where he really fits, which is why he is someone I want to watch this year.
His power is undeniable and genuinely fight-changing, which means he could snatch up the soul of anyone he’s paired against, even one of these contenders, but he might also be the best possible replacement for Jeremy Stephens, which wouldn’t be a terrible way to make a living.
DAN IGE: there probably weren’t many people that knew Ige carried a six-fight winning streak into his bout with Kattar last summer, but the former Contender Series competitor has rattled of a half-dozen victories prior to getting out-worked by this weekend’s headliner.
What I want to see if 2021 is if the Hawaiian can make the little adjustments, little improvements needed to go from being someone that is constantly in tight, hotly contested battles to asserting himself a little more and really clarifying his position in the division, because his standing looks a lot different if his split decision wins over Barboza and Mirsad Bektic go the other way.
EMERGING
ARNOLD ALLEN: first and foremost, I just want to see Allen fight in 2021 because it’s closing in on a full year since the 26-year-old Briton has set foot in the Octagon.
Secondly, I want to see if he can take a step forward and graduate from this “emerging” group and position himself either of the two categories above. Allen is 7-0 in the UFC, 16-1 overall, and has passed every test he’s been given thus far, so it’s really about getting him in there with a ranked opponent and seeing what happens.
I’ve been really high on his potential from the time he arrived in the UFC and still believe he’s one of the best young fighters in the division, but he’s logged seven appearances in six years on the roster and it’s time to take the training wheels off and see what he can do against the best the division has to offer.
GIGA CHIKADZE: the former kickboxer went 4-0 in 2020, is now 5-0 in the UFC, and he looks more and more comfortable each time out.
Much like Allen, the year ahead, for me, is about seeing how he does as he starts to face more experienced, more skilled competition. You can only beat the guys they put in front of you and that’s all Giga has done thus far, however I haven’t seen anything yet that convinces me his success continues as he begins working his way up the divisional ladder.
HAKEEM DAWODU: currently riding a five-fight winning streak, Dawodu was scheduled to face Burgos at UFC 257, but was forced out of the pairing due to a shoulder injury.
Even though he’s six fights into his UFC career, I’m still not sure of where “Mean Hakeem” fits in the division.
At times, he’s looked like a potential contender or someone that can thrive as an action fighter in the 6-12 range in the division similar to the career Cub Swanson crafted for himself. Then at other times, I think he’s a little over-hyped and too hesitant inside the Octagon to be more than an occasionally fun, occasionally frustrating guy who will live on the fringes of the Top 15 for the next four or five years.
This was supposed to be the year we found out more about where Dawodu fits in the featherweight ranks and this early injury setback delays those answers.
MOVSAR EVLOEV: the undefeated Russian is one of the emerging fighters I’m highest on in the entire UFC; I just love his all-around skill set, ultra-focused approach, and overall upside.
He’s set to face veteran Nik Lentz at UFC 257 and how that one plays out will obviously set the course for his year. A dominant effort against “The Carny” would likely carry him to the doorstep of the rankings and a biggest matchup, and I think the way they matchup stylistically will help illustrate where Evloev fits at the moment as well.
Like Allen, I could see Evloev using 2021 to move up one or two groupings.
BRYCE MITCHELL: “Thug Nasty” has been on a roll since reaching the UFC and posted back-to-back excellent efforts against Charles Rosa and Andre Fili to extend his winning streak to five inside the Octagon.
The 26-year-old Mitchell is the furthest ahead of this group and getting the biggest push, which also makes him the one we should find out the most about in 2021. He’s due for another step up in competition, which likely means a date with someone from the “in the mix” group, and a win there would go a long way to showing that the camo-loving former Ultimate Fighter bronze medalist is more than just a cult favorite in the featherweight division.
LERONE MURPHY: “The Miracle” is the dark horse of this cluster of fighters, as he’s 1-0-1 in the UFC 9-0-1 overall, and still flying under the radar heading into his matchup against Douglas Silva de Andrade next week.
Look, I was sleeping on Murphy when he arrived in the UFC — I told him that when we spoke last week (story next week on UFC.com!) — but I’m wide awake to his talents now. I love what he showed against Ricardo Ramos, and think he has the potential to be a late-blooming, “surprise a lot of people” type in the 145-pound weight class.
Think Rob Font, but with a British accent and up a division.
GAVIN TUCKER: with each crisp outing Tucker posts, he gets further and further away from that ugly loss to Rick Glenn in his sophomore appearance in the Octagon and closer and closer to earning contender status in the featherweight division.
Tucker really prides himself on being a martial artist and a craftsman in the cage, and I’m intensely interested to see how far he can go with outstanding fundamentals, a strong gas tank, and zero interest in the trappings of being a professional fighter in the age of Instagram.
He looked outstanding in his last appearance against Billy Quarantillo and should get a considerable step up in competition now that he’s put together a tidy three-fight winning streak.
SODIQ YUSUFF: the 27-year-old got a very good win over Andre Fili on the opening card of 2020, but failed to make a second appearance in the Octagon over the rest of the year, pushing that effort into the background and slowing his momentum just a little.
Right now, I think there is a big gap between the top six fighters in the division and the next 10-15, maybe even 20, with Yusuff included in that second group and everyone in there being somewhat interchangeable, at least in terms of the numbers next to their names.
I want to see if he can elevate his game to a point where he either (a) joins that top tier or, at the very least, (b) really establishes himself at the top of that next grouping before 2021 is out. The UFC is high on him, he has excellent fundamentals and good pop, so the opportunity will be there; he just has to take advantage of it.
PROSPECTS
CHASE HOOPER: I loved what I saw from Hooper in 2020 because while there were defensive issues and tactical mistakes, he showed the kind of heart and toughness you just can’t teach, and given that he’s only 21, I’m willing to bet on him correcting those issues and blossoming into a very dangerous fighter for years to come.
That being said, this year has to be all about showing those improvements.
The UFC should slow play things with Ben Askren’s fictional son because he’s 21 and doesn’t need to be hustled up the divisional ladder at this point, but regardless of who he’s in there with, Hooper needs to show marked defensive developments, as well as improvements in his striking and wrestling if he wants to take a positive step forward in 2021.
I think his worst-case scenario is a career like Alex Caceres, with Ryan Hall being his most likely comp, and his top-end projection (for me) being Demian Maia, if he can sharpen his striking to where guys can’t sell out against him trying to close the distance like Maia did over his career.
CHARLES JOURDAIN: is it weird to still be high on someone that is 1-2-1 in the UFC through four fights?
Maybe I’m a homer that is rooting extra hard for my fellow Canadian, but I still think Jourdain has the opportunity to develop into a Top 15 fighter in the UFC, but he needs to show it quickly or else he’ll be back on the regional circuit trying to work his way back to the Octagon.
The 25-year-old has solid power and good striking when he’s flowing, but he’s too hesitant at times and feels like a guy that needs a sharp coach in his life to help him tighten things up. Get him with the right striking coach and I think the flashes become more frequent and he becomes more consistent overall.
I’m really curious to see what, if anything, Jourdain changes up in 2021 and if he can tap into his obvious upside.
LUDOVIT KLEIN: the Slovakian featherweight will be featured in the “I Want to Know More About” section of 10 Things I Like whenever he’s slated to compete again because that’s exactly why he’s on this list: I want to know more about him.
He looked outstanding in his debut win over Shane Young at UFC 253, but he came in well over the 145-pound limit and I need to get a better read on what kind of impact that played on his performance.
Klein has won eight straight overall, is 17-2 for his career, and turns 26 in late February, so he could be someone that becomes a long-term fixture in the division beginning this year, but like so many other athletes on this list, I need another look before I can settle on where I think he fits in the featherweight ranks.
JONATHAN PEARCE: given how good he looked against Kai Kamaka at the end of November, I absolutely have to make a point of watching Pearce’s next fight; it’s just that easy.
He got thrown to the wolves up a division in his debut, getting trucked by Joe Lauzon — in Boston no less — in 93 seconds, but returned to featherweight and showed out against Kamaka, finishing him with ground-and-pound late in the second.
Pearce is 28, so early in his prime, trains with John Crouch and them at The MMA Lab, and a won five straight before the Lauzon fight. He’s got some upside, and I want to get another look to determine where he falls in the wide range of prospects to come out of that gym over the years.
ILIA TOPURIA: he turns 24 in 10 days, but Topuria already has two very good wins inside the Octagon and is my pick as the top prospect in the division.
He showed very good grappling skills on the regional circuit and in his debut, then flashed quality hands and solid power in his sophomore effort, knocking out Damon Jackson in a little more than half a round at the start of last month.
Without getting too ahead of myself and projecting Topuria too high up the divisional hierarchy before he’s faced a proven UFC commodity, I get strong Pedro Munoz vibes from the emerging newcomer and am really curious to see if he can sustain his success as he works his way up the ladder.
YOUSSEF ZALAL: though he lost to Topuria in October, Zalal still had an excellent rookie season in the UFC, going 3-1 and establishing himself as one of the top young talents in the division.
He only turned 24 in September and with Marc Montoya in his corner, Zalal should have a chance to develop into a Top 15 fixture, though there are things he needs to continue improving in order to get there. He’s lost before, so I’m not worried about what the setback will do to him mentally the way I would be if it were his first professional defeat, however I really would like to see him in there with a more experienced foe next time out in order to see how he bounces back.
WILD CARDS
KRON GRACIE: I honestly don’t know whether Gracie wants to continue pursuing a career inside the cage, which is why he lands here.
He hasn’t fought since losing to Cub Swanson in October 2019, but is capable of strangling a good number of featherweights if he does opt to return. He’s only 32, so there is still plenty of time to get back to it, and he’s obviously talented enough to be a Rani Yahya-type at the very least, but again, there is a very real possibility that the fight with Swanson ends up being the last time we see Gracie compete in the Octagon.
RYAN HALL: Hall is the active version of Gracie — a guy who can make very talented fighters look bad, but has struggled to consistently make his way into the Octagon either because he didn’t like the matchups being offered to him or injuries got in the way.
He’s in a strange place because he 4-0 in the UFC and a former Ultimate Fighter winner and wants to face ranked competition, but his style is such that it doesn't land well with a lot of viewers (or Dana White) and not many people want to risk getting embarrassed by the guy that looks like he has no business being in the Octagon.
I’m holding out hope that we get a Ryan Hall fight in 2021.
NATE LANDWEHR: the 32-year-old Landwehr is a little crazy, and that makes him interesting to me going forward.
He honestly feels like the successor to Darren Elkins, whom he beat in May, for the “tough out who is never in a boring fight” title, but I could also see him (a) catching some bodies because of his IDGAF approach or (b) getting slumped routinely in entertaining scraps because of his IDGAF approach.
Either way, I’m tuning in.
YAIR RODRIGUEZ: we learned late last year that Rodriguez was in some trouble with USADA, who subsequently announced he’d been suspended six months for multiple whereabouts violations, which will delay his 2021 debut until the summer, at least.
He’s only fought three times in the last three years, and didn’t make an appearance in 2020, which makes it difficult to know where he fits in the division at the moment. He’s shown flashes of brilliance in the past and always profiled as someone with legitimate championship upside, but the longer we go between seeing him in the cage with a current contender, the more I question whether that remains the case.
Hopefully we see Rodriguez back in action in the second half of this year.
Next Up: Lightweight