Every calendar year, a handful of fighters enter the UFC relatively unnoticed—only to finish the year as fan favorites or ranked contenders. Just look at Kevin Vallejos, who debuted in 2025 and is already in the Featherweight Top 15 after going 3-0 with two vicious knockouts.
With 2025 officially in the rearview mirror and 2026 already underway, several unranked UFC fighters should be firmly on your radar heading into the new year—and we’ve got you covered.
But before diving into the new list, let’s take a quick look at how last year’s picks aged.
Payton Talbott started 2025 on the wrong foot with an upset loss to Raoni Barcelos, but rebounded strong, capped off by retiring Henry Cejudo and breaking into the Bantamweight Top 15.
Jean Silva followed up his breakout 2024 with three fights, scoring stoppages over Melsik Baghdasaryan and Bryce Mitchell before suffering his first main-event loss to Diego Lopes.
Ramazan Temirov fought just once, earning a decision win over Charles Johnson, but later popped for a positive drug test.
Felipe Lima struggled with inactivity, only competing once, dropping a decision to Talbott.
Islam Dulatov finally made his UFC debut and made it count, knocking out Adam Fugitt at UFC 318.
Now, here are five unranked fighters you absolutely need to watch in 2026.
Ateba Gautier (9-1)
Simply put: Ateba Gautier is terrifying—and Joe Rogan calling him “the future” isn’t hyperbole.
The 23-year-old had a flawless rookie year, starching all three of his opponents in the first round: Jose Medina at UFC Mexico City, Robert Valentin at UFC 318, and Tre’ston Vines at UFC 320.
We haven’t seen his ground game tested, nor has he faced elite competition yet—but none of that changes the obvious. Gautier is explosive, powerful, and looks like a serious problem for the Middleweight division.
He returns this month at UFC 324 against Andrey Pulyaev, which should tell us a lot.
Jacobe Smith (11-0)
Through two UFC appearances, Welterweight prospect Jacobe Smith still hasn’t fully unleashed his full potential: his elite wrestling—and that should scare the division. Plus, he hasn’t had a full training camp yet.
The former Oklahoma State standout has instead relied on heavy hands, stopping Preston Parsons in his debut (watch highlights) and battering Niko Price before submitting him in his sophomore outing.
The Welterweight division is finally seeing fresh blood overtake the old guard, and if Smith blends his wrestling with his power, he could fast-track himself into contention.
He faces his toughest test yet at UFC Houston against Seok Hyeon Ko.
Quillan Salkilld (10-1)
Boy oh boy, Australia’s Quillan Salkilld didn’t just have a good rookie year—it got better every time out.
He opened his UFC run by starching Anshul Jubli in just 19 seconds (watch highlights), then showed maturity by outpointing Yanal Ashmouz. But it was his latest performance that turned heads: a knockout-of-the-year contender head kick that flatlined Nasrat Haqparast at UFC 321 (watch highlights).
Salkilld has only been a professional since 2021, yet he’s already well-rounded, dangerous everywhere, and improving fast. A Top 15 opponent in 2026 feels inevitable.
Yadier del Valle (10-0)
Cuban submission ace Yadier del Valle quietly put together an impressive 2025.
He choked out Conor Matthews in under three minutes in his UFC debut, then became the first fighter to finish Isaac Dulgarian—during a bout that sparked weeks of controversy surrounding alleged fight-fixing.
Regardless of the noise, del Valle dominated from bell to bell. The 29-year-old is extremely well-rounded, ruthless when he takes the back, and was battle-tested long before arriving in the UFC—never facing an opponent with a losing record on the regional scene. For what it’s worth, he handed current UFC fighter Michael Aswell his first pro loss back in 2023.
Hopefully, the UFC moves him out of the Apex next time.
Mario Pinto (11-0)
I’ve spent most of the year criticizing the UFC Heavyweight division—and deservedly so. It’s thin, uninspiring, and desperate for new blood.
Mario Pinto is that blood.
The undefeated heavyweight smashed Austen Lane in his UFC debut, earning a Performance of the Night bonus (watch highlights), then followed it up by knocking out former kickboxing champion Jhonata Diniz at UFC Rio.
Pinto is athletic, powerful, and far more fluid than most heavyweights. In a division starving for legitimacy, he has the tools to climb fast.
That’s it, Maniacs! Do any of these fighters pique your interest? If so, let us know.
