The octagon returns to its second favourite city this Saturday, as London plays host to the UFC for the tenth time. With the promotion having a storied history with the UK, who could be next to emerge from the nation into the upper echelons of the UFC.
Michael Bisping remains the only Brit to ever become a UFC champion, whilst only Dan Hardy has made it as far as a title bout! Can any of our top four make it?
4. Arnold Allen
After training in multiple disciplines as a teenager, Arnold Allen also amassed a perfect amateur boxing and kickboxing record before making his MMA debut aged just eighteen. A seven-fight winning streak was to follow, with just one of those going past the first two rounds, before Marcin Wrzosek outpointed a then twenty-year-old around Allen at Cage Warriors 69.
Two victories later, Allen stepped in as a late replacement for fellow Brit Mike Wilkinson at UFC Berlin in 2015. His opponent, Alan Omer had controlled the fight for the opening two rounds and looked to be heading for a victory. Allen had other ideas and submitted the German in his own backyard to earn himself a performance of the night bonus!
Two wins have followed, both in London over Yaotzin Meza and most recently Makwan Amirkhani at UFC London last year. Visa issues have prevented the Suffolk man from competing recently, but the Brit remains within a couple of victories from the featherweight rankings.
3. Leon Edwards
Fighting out of Birmingham by way of Jamaica, Leon Edwards represents one of only five Brits in the latest UFC rankings, and deservedly so with a four-fight winning streak and a 6-2 octagon record.
The twenty-six-year-old joined the UFC after becoming the BAMMA welterweight title. Despite losing his debut (a narrow split decision loss in Brazil), Edwards bounced back in the best way, with an eight second KO of Seth Baczynski in Krakow, Poland. Four consecutive wins over top welterweights Albert Tumenov, Vicente Luque and Bryan Barberena leave Edwards ranked at 15 in the latest rankings.
Can the UTC Birmingham stand out crack the top ten in 2018? His conquest starts at UFC London against Germany’s Peter Sobotta!
2. Brett Johns
Representing Wales… unbeaten bantamweight contender Brett Johns holds a perfect record of 15-0 and holds a 3-0 record inside the octagon. ‘The Pikey’ picked up three titles before joining the promotion, including the Cage Warriors and Titan FC bantamweight crowns.
Johns picked up dominant decision victories over Kwan Ho Kwak in Belfast, Albert Morales in Scotland, setting up his Vegas debut against former bantamweight title challenger Joe Soto. Not only was Johns victorious in Vegas, but he submitted his opponent in just thirty seconds with the ultra-rare calf slicer, becoming only the second to perform that in octagon history.
The man from Wales pulled off this outrageous calf-slicer submission on his last showing 😱
The biggest test of his career comes on April 21st as he takes on fellow prospect Aljamain Sterling. A win for the Welshman would take him into the top ten at 135-pounds!
1. Darren Till
Liverpool’s own Darren Till tops our list, with 2018 set to be a huge year for the twenty-five-year-old. After successfully campaigning to bring the octagon to Liverpool, with the card set for May 27th, the Scouse star will headline his second consecutive European fight night.
It wasn’t all plain sailing for Till, who moved to Brazil after being stabbed at a party in 2012. The short-term plan was to stay for a few months before returning, but three-and-a-half years passed and he had built up a 12-0 record in the sport, fighting both in Brazil and Argentina.
Till got the call up from the UFC to fight Wendell Oliveira on nine days notice. After a tough first round, ‘The Gorilla’ came back in the second round, took his opponent down and stopped him with brutal elbows.
Wins across Europe followed, with a draw to Nicolas Dalby earning fight of the night bonuses in Dublin. After defeating Bojan Velickovic, he called out Donald Cerrone on seven weeks notice and headlined UFC Gdansk, stopping the vastly experienced ‘Cowboy’ towards the end of the first round.
Ranked at seventh in the welterweight division, the likes of Stephen Thompson, Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington have been slated to challenge Till in his backyard Echo Arena. Will Till find himself in title contention in 2018?!
