UAE Warriors has quickly gained a reputation for growing some of the hottest young talent in global mixed martial arts. Here’s our Big 5 picks to keep an eye on in 2025.
First up, Khaled Laallam. This Swedish-based Algerian has been undefeated since turning pro in 2021 after becoming the IMMAF Middleweight champion of the world. Entering the Warriors Octagon in just his second professional bout he took the tap from Karar Rahim Ali in the first round before beating Laurence Mukibi the next year with another first round sub. He took both the fight as well as the decision in a thrilling way against Diego Bandu and returned at the beginning of this year with a TKO of Mamurjon Khamidov. Surely a battle for the belt is on this young mans horizon.
Up next is Tashkent’s Dubai-based entertainer Akbarjon Islomboev who always keeps the fans on the edges of their seats, debuting at UAE Warriors 55 with a second-round finish of Ben Royle before putting on the performance of a lifetime against Daan Duijs with a series of devastating and flashy moves. Now riding an incredible 8-fight winning streak, ‘Uzbek’ is already asking Dana White for a UFC contract.
Then we have another former amateur world champion, the scintillating Azerbaijani Sambo fighter, Asaf Chopurov. He made his debut at UAE Warriors 51 by handing Su Sung Cho Gotoh his first ever loss by choking him out in the third and then did the same against the 25-fight Brazilian veteran Wanderley Junior just a few months ago to remain the most dangerous bantamweight on the roster.
Coming from the Amazon, Brazilia’s ferocious Carol Foro had been training in MMA for less than a year when she took on the far more experienced Marina Nica in Abu Dhabi and shut it all down with a first-round spinning back kick to announce her arrival to the big show. She followed that up this January by putting on a striking clinic against Zulfiya Kurbashova, rolling the end credits in the second. Now on a five-fight winning streak, all in less than a year, Foro has put the entire women’s strawweight division on notice.
Last but not least is Ireland’s Dominykus Norkus who trains alongside another massive prospect deserving of mention, Omar Tugarev, at Team KF in Dublin. This undefeated Lithuanian all-rounder stepped-in against the imposing Max Flynn last September and showed great scrambles and a preference for the bodywork to take the second round TKO. He then returned on short notice to Al Ain, where he took a first-round tap from Khaled Taraf in February to show he deserves top billing in 2025.
So they’re our 5 hot Warriors prospects to look out for this year. Who would you add to the list? Pop in your suggestions to the comments below and who knows, we might just add them to another list of talent that step next time into the Octagon!
