Brazilian newcomers have made a huge impact in main MMA promotions throughout the globe in 2024, and there are lots extra ready for alternatives again dwelling.
MMA Preventing’s annual Prospects to Watch lists have included names that reached the highest of the world over the previous decade, from UFC champions (Alexandre Pantoja and Deiveson Figueiredo) to titleholders within the PFL (Larissa Pacheco), Bellator (Juliana Velasquez) and RIZIN (Roberto Satoshi).
Not solely that, a number of athletes at the moment ranked among the many finest within the UFC have been named prospects to observe since 2014, together with Caio Borralho, Renato Moicano, Amanda Lemos, Natalia Silva, Virna Jandiroba and Jailton Almeida.
From the 2024 class, Felipe Lima has already received twice within the UFC, and Alexia Thainara beat Rose Conceicao for a contract at Dana White’s Contender Collection. Others continued to shine with one other unbeaten yr competing for native promotions, similar to Marcos Degli, Tiago Pereira, Elora Dana and Michael Oliveira.
As at all times, this yr’s checklist options solely athletes beneath the age of 30 that haven’t competed for a significant promotion previously.
Beatriz Mesquita (3-0), higher referred to as Bia, made the transition to combined martial arts after a legendary profession in jiu-jitsu. And sure, name me a hypocrite, she’s the primary exception ever to my “beneath 30” rule. You mainly can’t win seven IBJJF World Championships and one ADCC gold medal as a black belt, transfer to MMA, and nonetheless be in your 20s. Mesquita joined American Prime Staff in Florida and the 33-year-old scored three rear-naked choke wins in 2024, together with one on the undercard of Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen boxing present.
Aieza Bertolso (5-0) has received 5 straight beneath the LFA banner since turning professional in Could of 2023, together with two submissions and one ground-and-pound end. Preventing out of KO Squad group in Rio de Janeiro, the 23-year-old strawweight was victorious in 16 of 17 novice MMA bouts between 2019 and 2023, claiming a number of IMMAF titles.
Vinicius Pires (10-1, 1 NC) has not misplaced since his second MMA bout in 2019, an unbeaten run of 10 bouts. The 28-year-old bantamweight is a black belt in jiu-jitsu and has defeated fellow Brazilian prospects Kaua Fernandes and Icaro Brito on the regional circuit. He has earned stoppages in three of his previous 4 MMA wins.
Ricardo Martins (9-1) enters 2025 on an eight-fight successful streak with seven finishes to his credit score, together with a trio of first-round stoppages. The welterweight expertise remains to be in his mid-20s and was featured twice on MMA Preventing’s Missed Fists collection in 2023 and 2024, due to nasty knockouts just like the one under.
Vitor Costa (8-1) is a two-division champion in Jungle Struggle, claiming titles with finishes at each middleweight and light-weight heavyweight in 2024. The 24-year-old athlete from Espirito Santo has solely misplaced as soon as within the sport, when he confronted GLORY striker and future UFC fighter Cesar Almeida in his MMA debut in 2021.
Rafael Nunes (5-0) undoubtedly deserves the nickname “The Violent”. The younger bantamweight remains to be a bit unproven on the bottom, the place he’s a purple belt in jiu-jitsu, however has nasty standup abilities, scoring knockouts in 4 of his MMA victories. In his most up-to-date look contained in the Jungle Struggle cage, Nunes knocked out his opponent’s tooth in violent trend.
Nicoly Pedrosa (6-0) remains to be undefeated as knowledgeable with 4 finishes and half a dozen victories. The bantamweight prospect, who turns 22 later this month, is 3-0 to this point beneath the LFA banner after closing 2024 with a first-round TKO in Sao Paulo.
Marcio Barbosa (16-2) has added three first-round knockouts to his MMA resume since dropping to future UFC fighter Gabriel Santos, all finishes coming towards younger abilities that have been on lengthy successful streaks. The Giants Staff featherweight is a black belt in jiu-jitsu and brown belt in luta livre.
Franciele Nascimento (5-2) began her profession in 2015 and received 5 of seven earlier than placing her profession on maintain in 2019 as a result of COVID-19 pandemic and to provide start to her first baby. Nascimento then targeted on jiu-jitsu competitors, incomes a black belt beneath Melqui Galvao and gathering titles on the mats. She has now booked her MMA return for a Shooto Brasil present in March.
Luis Aguiar (9-1) is a Pitbull Brothers flyweight who has claimed many belts round Brazil, together with the Jungle Struggle championship this previous November with a nasty 37-second end of Wagner Reis.