A Fighter’s Path: The Path of The Undefeated

Welterweight:

#15 Khamzat Chimaev

Age: 26 | Sweden | 9-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC

The rookie of the year by almost every MMA media outlet, Khamzat Chimaev burst onto the MMA scene when he accepted a short-notice fight on Fight Island, where he proceeded to maul his opponent. He then fought a week later in a different weight class and did the same. His path began when he was 5-years-old in Chechnya, Russia when he first began wrestling. He later moved to Sweden where he would capture three Swedish National Championships in freestyle wrestling. He was 6-0 in the sport with victories all over Sweden and the Middle East before he went to Fight Island to corner friend and teammate, Alexander Gustafsson. After an injury left John Phillips without an opponent, Chimaev stepped in and fought that weekend and the following weekend against another newcomer. Chimaev has since fought one ore time in a one-punch knockout of Gerald Meerschaert back in September. For most, Chimaev is their fighter to watch in 2021 and he will be returning to action against Leon Edwards on March 13.

Notable Victories: Gerald Meerschaert, Rhys McKee, John Phillips

Sean Brady

Age: 28 | United States | 13-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC

Move over Will Smith, Sean Brady is the baddest man to ever come out of Philadelphia. After going undefeated as an amateur, Brady began his pro debut with seven straight victories under the CFFC banner. He capped off his promotional stint by winning and defending the CFFC Welterweight Championship. He left the promotion to face former ‘Ultimate Fighter’ winner Colton Smith, in a fight he won via unanimous decision. Two victories later he was offered the opportunity to face another fellow ‘Ultimate Fighter’ winner Court McGee, in his UFC debut. He won via unanimous decision in a very impressive opening UFC fight. He is now 13-0 and 3-0 for the promotion most recently submitting Christian Aguilera. Brady is looking to keep his undefeated record intact when he collides with Australia’s Jake Matthews on March 3.

Notable Victories: Christian Aguilera, Court McGee, Ismail Naurdiev, Colton Smith

Shavkat Rakhmonov

Age: 26 | Kazakhstan | 13-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC

Like Sean Brady, Shavkat Rakhmonov is a surging welterweight with a ton of hype behind him. Unblemished and undefeated, Rakhmonov competed in the Northern Asia regional scene the majority of his career. In just his seventh pro bout he faced current UFC Middleweight Jun Yong Park in a fight where he submitted Park in the second round. In his first five years competing as a pro, he racked up 12 consecutive victories which led him to the UFC. He was matched up with three different opponents in 2020 before finally getting matched up with UFC veteran Alex Oliveira. He was the slight underdog going in but proved that his record from overseas is very legit. He finished Oliveira in the first round becoming just the second man to ever do that other than Donald Cerrone. Rakhmonov has yet to be booked for a fight in 2020 but you can expect he will likely be matched up with an opponent just outside the Top 15.

Notable Victories: Alex Oliveira, Jun Yong Park

Miguel Baeza

Age: 28 | United States | 10-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC

MMA Masters’ Miguel Baeza has looked primed and ready for the big show since making his UFC debut in 2019. After making his mark on the Florida Regional scene between 2015 and 2019, the Puerto Rican-American was awarded with an opportunity on Dana White’s Contender Series. He was matched up with Victor Reyna after an injury forced his original opponent off the card. He proceeded to win the bout via unanimous decision. In his UFC debut he was slated against Hector Aldana, a fight he would win comfortably in the second round. In his second bout, he was slated against UFC veteran and fan-favorite Matt Brown. To the surprise of many he was a favorite heading into the fight. After getting dropped in the first by the veteran, he knocked out Brown early into the second round with a left hook. Baeza followed that up with a huge November win over Takashi Sato. Dana White envisions him being a huge star in Puerto Rico so we can expect the organization to build him up gradually.

Notable Victories: Takashi Sato, Matt Brown, Hector Aldana

Orion Cosce

Age: 26 | United States | 7-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC

It’s not everyday two siblings get signed to the world’s largest MMA promotion. Back in August that is what happened when Orion and Louis Cosce emerged on the Contender Series. Younger brother Louis unsuccessfully made his debut against Sasha Palatnikov in November of this past year. Orion was forced out of his matchup with Nicolas Dalby due to injury, but is expected to return later this year. At 7-0, Cosce holds a 100% finishing rate which includes six by way of T(KO). His aggressive style is exciting but will also leave him vulnerable to being finished himself. It will be interesting to see the UFC’s approach to building up another undefeated welterweight in the organization’s most stacked division.

Notable Victories: Matt Dixon