10 MMA Fighters You Need to Watch – James Doolan's Picks

There are plenty of ways you can judge an MMA fighter.

Records. Rankings. Titles. Knockouts. Submissions.

But none of those things necessarily mean you'll make a point of sitting down to watch them fight.

When it comes to MMA fighters to watch, I'm usually drawn to the ones where you know something is going to happen.

Sometimes that's because they're technically brilliant. Sometimes they're aggressive. Sometimes they hit ridiculously hard. Sometimes you can actually see them figuring an opponent out as the fight develops.

And sometimes they're just completely mental.

I've been involved in MMA for most of my life, first as a fighter and now predominantly as a coach. I've seen the sport change massively during that time, but I've always enjoyed watching fighters who impose themselves rather than simply trying to win rounds.

So this isn't supposed to be a pound-for-pound ranking or a definitive list of the best MMA fighters in the world.

These are simply 10 MMA fighters I think are worth watching – and what I look for when I watch them.

Some are already legends. Some are champions. Others are still relatively early in their careers.

But I'd make time to watch all of them.

 

 

1. Justin Gaethje – The Definition of Must-Watch MMA

If we're talking about fighters you have to watch, Justin Gaethje is probably the first name that comes into my head.

He's never really been in a boring fight.

What's interesting is that I don't think that's because he's incapable of fighting differently.

Gaethje was a very good wrestler before MMA and he's shown over the years that he's capable of being disciplined, technical and tactical. He's far more skilled than people sometimes give him credit for.

He just chooses to fight the way he does.

And there's a big difference.

His attitude basically seems to be: if we're going to have a fight, we're going to have a proper fight.

That creates the kill-or-be-killed style he's become famous for.

There's obviously danger in fighting that way, but there's also a massive amount of skill involved in being able to operate inside those exchanges against the level of fighters Gaethje has faced.

His low kicks are brutal. His right hand is always dangerous. He can pressure, counter and create chaos.

And he's unbelievably tough.

But the thing I'd tell fighters to watch is how much more there is underneath the chaos.

Watch his positioning before the big exchanges.

Watch how he pressures.

Watch the way he uses his kicks.

Watch what happens when opponents start reacting to his power.

There's a technically very good fighter underneath all the violence.

He just happens to be willing to have a fight with absolutely anyone.

That's why he's probably the definition of a must-watch MMA fighter for me.

2. Joshua Van – Some of the Best Boxing in MMA

Joshua Van is only 24 and he's already the UFC Flyweight Champion.

That's mental when you think about it.

What I particularly like about Van is his Boxing.

I'd put his Boxing up there with the best you'll see being used effectively in MMA at the moment.

It's not just that he's got good hands.

He understands combinations, positioning, pressure and how to stay in range long enough to continue working without becoming reckless.

That's a massive difference.

A lot of MMA fighters can throw good punches. Far fewer can actually box through an exchange.

Van can.

And he's still improving everywhere else.

He's already had a ridiculous amount of experience for someone his age and has been involved in some brilliant fights in a very short UFC career.

The scary part is that we're probably nowhere near seeing the finished version yet.

If you're an MMA fighter working on your Boxing, watch what Van does after his first punch lands.

Don't just watch the shot.

Watch his feet.

Watch his position.

Watch how he keeps the combination going.

That's where a lot of his quality is.

3. Ilia Topuria – Technical Pressure Done Properly

Ilia Topuria is one of the best technical pressure fighters I've seen in MMA.

He's already been champion at Featherweight and Lightweight and has produced the type of knockouts that will be shown for years.

Alexander Volkanovski.

Max Holloway.

Charles Oliveira.

That's an unbelievable run of names to stop.

But concentrating purely on the knockouts misses what makes Topuria so good.

His pressure is extremely intelligent.

He's not just walking forward throwing punches.

He's constantly taking space away while staying in a position where he can punch properly.

That's very difficult to do.

A lot of fighters pressure by chasing. Topuria pressures by gradually reducing the opponent's options.

Then when he gets the position he wants, his Boxing is clinical.

Good balance. Good mechanics. Very little wasted movement. Massive confidence in his ability to hurt people.

He can also grapple at a very high level, which obviously changes the decisions opponents can make when they're trying to deal with his pressure.

If you're studying Topuria, don't just watch the knockout.

Go back 30 seconds.

Watch where the opponent was.

Watch where Topuria was.

Then watch how that space gradually disappeared.

The finish is usually the end result of work he's already done.

4. Salahdine Parnasse – Athletic, Dynamic and Always Dangerous

I've watched Salahdine Parnasse for years and he's always been one of those fighters where you know something can happen very quickly.

He had some unbelievable performances in KSW, won world titles in two weight divisions and even attempted to become champion in a third.

Now he's in the UFC.

And his debut couldn't really have gone much better.

He went straight into a UFC Paris main event against Dan Hooker and stopped him in the first round.

That's some way to introduce yourself.

Parnasse is extremely athletic and dynamic.

He's dangerous everywhere and there isn't much hesitation in his game.

What I like is that the athleticism isn't there instead of technique.

It enhances it.

He can change distance quickly, strike dynamically, grapple and create finishes from different phases of the fight.

That makes him difficult to prepare for.

When you watch Parnasse, look at how quickly he can change the nature of an exchange.

A position that looks relatively safe can suddenly become dangerous because of how quickly he moves, attacks or changes phase.

He's never far away from a dramatic finish.

I think he's going to be very interesting to watch in the UFC.

5. Ethyn Ewing – Watching Him Figure Fighters Out

Ethyn Ewing is one of the newer names on this list, but he's one I'm really interested in watching develop.

His UFC career started in fairly ridiculous circumstances.

He took his debut against highly regarded prospect Malcolm Wellmaker on extremely short notice and beat him.

Then he fought another highly rated unbeaten fighter in Rafael Estevam and stopped him.

What I like about Ewing is how composed his striking looks.

He doesn't seem desperate to force the finish immediately.

He watches.

He gathers information.

He starts working things out.

And then you can see him beginning to dismantle the opponent.

That's something I always enjoy watching because there's a big difference between a fighter who has dangerous techniques and a fighter who understands why those techniques are beginning to work.

Ewing also has a Wrestling background and is a brown belt under Erik Paulson, so there's more there than just striking.

But it's his ability to solve problems during a fight that interests me most.

Watch his first round and then compare it with what he's doing later in the fight.

What has changed?

What has he learned?

What reaction has he found?

That's the interesting bit.

He's still relatively early in his UFC career, but he's definitely one I'd keep an eye on.

6. Lewis McGrillen – Serious Power and Serious Toughness

Lewis McGrillen has ridiculous power in his left hand.

Everyone knows it's there.

And he still manages to land it.

That's usually the sign that somebody understands their weapon rather than simply possessing it.

He's a southpaw and uses that stance really well to create opportunities for the left hand.

He's aggressive, he's extremely tough and he's happy in the type of exchanges that plenty of fighters would rather avoid.

That combination makes him good to watch.

Power is obviously a huge part of his game, but I'd look beyond the knockout clips.

Watch how he gets opponents moving towards the left hand.

Where are his feet?

Where is their lead foot?

What has he shown them before he throws it?

If everyone knows what your biggest weapon is and you're still capable of hitting people with it, you're doing something right.

He's also just hard as nails.

You're not going to get many quiet Lewis McGrillen fights.

7. Max Holloway – Volume, Toughness and the Ability to Trade With Anyone

There's not much that needs said about Max Holloway at this point.

He's been involved in some of the best fights in UFC history and has fought elite opposition across Featherweight and Lightweight.

Everyone talks about his volume, and rightly so.

But volume alone doesn't explain Holloway.

You can't simply throw hundreds of punches against world-class fighters and expect that to work.

His distance management, rhythm, shot selection and ability to make adjustments are what allow him to produce that volume.

And he can hurt people.

He's not just touching opponents to score.

What has always made Holloway brilliant to watch is his willingness to test himself in the areas where opponents are supposed to be strongest.

He'll trade with you.

He'll pressure you.

He'll fight at range.

And if things start getting chaotic, he's generally quite happy there as well.

For fighters, I'd watch how Holloway builds volume rather than just counting the punches.

How does he get the first shot off?

What keeps the opponent there for number two, three and four?

How does he exit?

Then how quickly is he back in again?

That's the clever part.

8. Dakota Ditcheva – A Nightmare to Fight

For me, Dakota Ditcheva is the best female fighter in the sport right now.

She's vicious.

She's got excellent striking, she's physically strong, she's confident and she has a genuine killer instinct.

That's a horrible combination to deal with.

She's unbeaten in MMA and has already won both the PFL Europe and PFL World Championship at Flyweight.

Her striking background is obvious, but what stands out to me is how naturally she carries it into MMA.

Some very good strikers become conservative when they transition because they're constantly worried about the Takedown.

Dakota still looks like she wants to hurt you.

That's important.

Knees, kicks, punches – she doesn't just throw them because they're technically available.

She throws them with intent.

And when she senses someone is hurt, she goes after them.

Watch what happens when an opponent starts showing discomfort.

Some fighters notice it.

Dakota reacts to it.

That's killer instinct.

She looks an absolute nightmare to fight.

9. Alex Pereira – Elite Striking With Genuine Consequences

Alex Pereira was already an elite-level striker before he properly established himself in MMA.

What he's managed to do since coming into the UFC has been ridiculous.

He's responsible for some of the most memorable knockouts of the last few years and has carried genuine one-shot finishing power through multiple weight divisions.

Everybody knows about the left hook.

That's part of what makes it so impressive.

Knowing a weapon is coming and being able to stop it are two completely different things.

Pereira is very good at creating situations where opponents have to react to several threats at once.

The low kicks matter.

The pressure matters.

His positioning matters.

His ability to remain calm matters.

And because opponents know what his power can do, sometimes the threat of the left hook becomes nearly as useful as the left hook itself.

That's something fighters can learn from.

Don't just watch Pereira when he knocks somebody out.

Watch what the opponent starts doing because they're frightened of being knocked out.

That's where his striking becomes really interesting.

10. Tommy McMillen – Zero Regard for His Own Safety

Tommy McMillen is reckless.

And I mean that as a compliment in this context.

He's undefeated, he's aggressive and at times appears to have absolutely no regard for his own safety.

Obviously, as a coach, I'm not going to tell fighters that's always the smartest way to approach MMA.

But we're talking about people I want to watch.

McMillen qualifies.

He's got a strong Wrestling background, dangerous submissions and genuine finishing ability, so the chaos isn't coming from somebody without skill.

He's dangerous in different phases.

But there's an unpredictability about the way he fights that makes you pay attention.

You get the feeling that something could happen at any point.

The interesting thing to watch with McMillen as he progresses is how much of that chaos he keeps.

You don't want to coach the thing that makes someone special out of them.

But at the highest level, you've also got to learn when to go and when not to.

If he can keep that aggression and unpredictability while continuing to improve the control around it, he's going to be very interesting.

Honourable Mentions

I could obviously keep going.

Three more fighters I'd mention are Carlos Prates, Khalil Rountree Jr. and Lone'er Kavanagh.

Prates is another frightening striker. He's got that calmness dangerous fighters often have where nothing looks particularly rushed, but people keep getting knocked out. He's already stopped the likes of Geoff Neal, Leon Edwards and Jack Della Maddalena, and the power combined with his Muay Thai experience makes him very difficult to deal with.

Rountree is another fighter I've always enjoyed watching because of the violence in his striking. He's physically powerful, his Muay Thai has developed massively over his career and when he's confident and moving forward, he's capable of doing serious damage.

Then you've got Lone'er Kavanagh, who's part of this newer generation of British fighters coming through. He's already competing with the top end of the UFC Flyweight division and he's another fighter worth following as he develops.

There are loads more.

That's the good thing about MMA at the moment.

What Do I Actually Look For When I'm Watching MMA?

Looking through this list, there's obviously a theme.

I like fighters who are trying to make something happen.

That doesn't mean I think everyone should fight like Gaethje or McMillen and throw caution out the window.

Far from it.

As a coach, I'm looking for fighters to make good decisions.

But good decision-making doesn't have to mean passive fighting.

Topuria pressures intelligently.

Van builds combinations.

Ewing figures people out.

Pereira creates reactions.

Holloway builds volume.

Parnasse changes phases.

Ditcheva recognises when somebody is hurt.

McGrillen finds ways of delivering a weapon everyone knows he wants to use.

They're all different.

That's MMA.

There's no single correct way to fight.

The important thing is understanding what you're good at, building a game around it and then developing the tools that allow you to impose that game against somebody who's trying to stop you.

That's what I look for as a coach.

Don't watch a fighter and think:

"I need to copy that technique."

Ask:

Why did that work?

What happened before it?

What reaction did they create?

What problem were they solving?

And could the same idea work within your own game?

That's a much better way to study fighting.

Learn MMA with James Doolan

If you want to go deeper into the systems, drills and coaching methods I use to develop MMA fighters at Higher Level Martial Arts, I've filmed a series of full-length instructionals with Warrior Collective.

These aren't designed around collecting random techniques.

They're about understanding how the different phases of MMA connect together.

MMA Drills for Elite Level Fighters – Chaining Attacks

Learn how to connect proactive and reactive Wrestling, striking off Wrestling, phased attacks, Mat Returns, ground control and MMA flow drills.

The aim is to stop thinking about striking and Grappling as separate sports and start understanding how one phase creates the next.

MMA Striking Drills for Fighters – The Higher Level System

A deeper look at how we develop striking specifically for MMA.

Movement, kicking systems, feints, Teeps, open-stance attacks, defensive frameworks, Calf Kicks, striking against the fence and the different phases of an MMA striking exchange.

The Twisting Body Lock System – Higher Level MMA Training

A complete framework for using the Body Lock against the cage and transitioning from the initial connection through Takedowns, Mat Returns, Back Exposure, Leg Riding, ground control and submissions.

MMA Pressure Striking for Fighters – The Higher Level Counter System

My latest Warrior Collective instructional develops the striking side even further, looking at the tactical systems and decision-making that allow fighters to create, recognise and exploit opportunities during MMA striking exchanges.

The same idea runs through all of them:

Don't collect techniques. Build a game that connects.

That's how we approach MMA at Higher Level.

And that's what I think you should be looking for when you watch the best fighters in the world.

James Doolan
Warrior Collective Coach
Founder & Head Coach - Higher Level Martial Arts

 

More Fighters Worth Studying

This is part of our ongoing Warrior Collective series in which experienced fighters and coaches share the athletes they most enjoy watching, the qualities that make them stand out and the lessons other martial artists can take from studying them.

For more recommendations, explore Tai Terada's 10 Japanese Kickboxers to Watch and Damien Trainor's 10 Fighters Who Inspired My Muay Thai Journey.

Each offers a different perspective on what makes an exceptional fighter – from the technical evolution of Japanese Kickboxing to the Muay Thai legends who helped shape Damien's own career.