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MOORE: Breaking down the state of European fighters in the UFC (Part Six - Featherweight)
Jul 31, 2015 - 12:25:07 PM MOORE: Breaking down the state of European fighters in the UFC (Part Six - Featherweight)

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By: Dan Moore, MMATorch UK Columnist

A couple of years ago I wrote a series of articles for MMATorch covering every single European fighter on the UFC roster. As we know only too well, a lot can change in the MMA landscape, and it certainly has as far as who's still on the roster, and who isn't. Over the next few weeks I will take a look at who's on the roster in 2015 (division by division), and report on how they're all doing. I will also attempt to predict what outside talent may join them in the next year or two. This week I take a look at the UFC featherweight division (Check out part one with the heavyweight division here, part two with the light heavyweight division here, part three with the middleweight division here, part four with the welterweight division here, and part five with the lightweight division here).

INTERIM CHAMPION

There isn't a whole lot left to write about Conor McGregor (18-2 MMA, 6-0 UFC) that the average UFC fan doesn't already know. His rise through the ranks has been nothing short of sensational, and he's passed every test with flying colours. As a fan you either love him or loathe him, but either way you want to pay money to see him fight. His arrival on the scene has been an unexpected blessing for the UFC, but they've actually done a fantastic job marketing him up to this point.

In my humble and slightly biased opinion, UFC 189 was the single best MMA event of all time. That event is going to be hard to beat in terms of pre-fight excitement, but if Aldo vs. McGregor ever happens it's got a chance to emulate it, or even surpass it. McGregor has overtaken Michael Bisping and Alexander Gustafsson as the biggest European star in the UFC, and his star will only shine brighter if he actually manages to beat Aldo.


VETERAN

One man who has already felt the full force of the Conor McGregor hype train is Dennis Siver (22-11 1 NC MMA, 11-8 1 NC UFC). Russian by birth but now a naturalised German, Siver has been around the block and is an established veteran near the end of his career. A failed drug test and two consecutive losses to McGregor (UFC Fight Night 59) and Tatsuya Kawajiri (UFC Fight Night 69) leave him perilously close to the exit door though.


ESTABLISHED

Bosnia born Mirsad Bektic (10-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) and Russian Zubaira Tukhugov (17-3 MMA, 2-0 UFC) are both heading toward a place in the featherweight top 15. Bektic has looked phenomenal in his three UFC wins, and although there are bigger tests to come, he's a real talent who could go far. Tukhugov has beaten both Douglas Silva de Andrade (UFC Fight Night 36) and Ernest Chavez (UFC Fight Night 53). Although not as highly rated as Bektic, he also looks destined for bigger and better things.

It doesn't get much better than winning decisively in front of your home country fans, and that's exactly what happened to Rob Whiteford (12-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) just two weeks ago. After losing a short notice debut fight to Jimy Hettes (UFC Fight Night 30), Whiteford has bounced back with two consecutive wins, first against Daniel Pineda (UFC 171), and then as previously mentioned against Paul Redmond (UFC Fight Night 72).

Chances are the UFC will re-arrange Whiteford's once before scheduled fight against Mike Wilkinson (9-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC). England vs. Scotland is always good fun and Wilkinson needs to fight soon to build on any momentum he received after beating Niklas Backstrom (8-2 1 NC MMA, 1-2 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 53 last October. Backstrom on the other hand needs a win after two consecutive losses that followed his excellent debut win over Tom Niinimaki (UFC Fight Night 41).


NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

I have a lot of friends who have been raving about Arnold Allen (10-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) for quite some time now, including during his spell with Cage Warriors. Just over a month ago in Berlin he proved the hype was justified with a fantastic victory over Alan Omer (UFC Fight Night 69). If a fight can't be found for him in Dublin this October, expect to see Allen given a spot on the planned London card early next year.

Makwan Amirkhani (12-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) has had two UFC fights thus far and he hasn't even broken sweat. Andy Ogle (UFC on FOX 15) was dispatched in eight seconds, and Masio Fullen (UFC Fight Night 69) managed to survive for an impressive 101 seconds. Amirkhani has the likability factor, he comes across as humble, and he's proved he's got the skills to pay the bills. Expect the UFC to promote him toward the top order of a European fight card coming to a town near you.


COMING SOON

Although he was signed toward the end of last year, we still haven't seen Bekbulat Magomedov (16-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) make his UFC debut. He was provisionally signed back in 2013, but that deal fell through due to contract issues, so he's effectively waited almost two years for his debut and it's still not forthcoming. I think he's going to be worth the wait. Expect to see a smaller and more inexperienced version of Khabib Nurmagomedov, someone who executes an exceptional takedown and is well rounded enough to be very competitive.


HEADING FOR THE EXIT

If he doesn't get a fight on the Dublin card in October, expect Paul Redmond (10-6 MMA, 0-2 UFC) to be released very soon. Granted his two losses have come against talented opponents, but on both occasions he looked out of his depth. Damien Stasiak (8-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) suffered a defeat at the hands of Yaotzin Meza (UFC Fight Night 64) on his home turf, and it's hard to imagine he gets more than a one more chance to redeem himself.


ALREADY DEPARTED

Andy Ogle (9-6 MMA, 1-5 UFC) got more chances than most in the UFC but he couldn't capitalise on any of them and was released after his eight second loss to Amirkhani in Stockholm. To his credit he lost to some very capable and talented fighters but he could have no complaints when his release papers arrived in the post. Akira Corassani (12-6 1 NC MMA, 3-3 UFC) is another who was released after losing at UFC on FOX 16 (to Sam Sicilia) and he officially retired the day after the UFC let him go.


ON THE RADAR

Unlike some other divisions, the European based featherweight talent pool isn't particularly strong. Probably the best known is Daniel Weichel (35-9 MMA) but he's the property of Bellator and it's unlikely they will release him anytime soon. Slovakian, Ivan Buchinger (29-4 MMA) is very well known in Europe and holds wins over current UFC stars Steven Ray and Mairbek Taisumov. His most notable loss came in Cage Warriors against current UFC interim champion Conor McGregor.

One FC star Marat Gafurov (11-0 MMA) and BAMMA superstar Tom Duquesnoy (10-1 1 NC MMA) are two talents I'd love to see in the UFC. Frenchman Duquesnoy is a real explosive talent who's extremely exciting to watch. At only 22 years old he's still very inexperienced, but I definitely see him joining the UFC soon. Magomed Idrisov (5-0 MMA) is another talent destined for the UFC in the next couple of years if he stays unbeaten as he climbs the ladder.

Next week I'll cover the men's Bantamweight and Flyweight divisions.

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