5 best dark horse title contenders in the UFC right now
In a promotion full of superstars like the UFC, a number of fighters are always likely to fly under the radar. Often, these dark horses end up breaking through, with some even capturing gold.
Right now, the UFC has a number of real dark horse contenders in multiple divisions, but could any of them win titles in the future?
As always, nothing is for certain in MMA, and only time will tell. For now, though, they are looking for that big breakthrough win to push them to the top.
Here are the five best dark horse title contenders in the UFC right now.
#5. Carlos Ulberg - UFC light heavyweight contender
The UFC's light heavyweight division is in an interesting spot right now, largely because of the speed that champion Alex Pereira has run through his competition.
'Poatan' has only been in the division for just over a year, and yet he's already beaten Jan Blachowicz, Jamahal Hill, Khalil Rountree Jr. and Jiri Prochazka twice.
With that in mind, any of the lower-ranked fighters in the top 15 right now could be considered a dark horse, but one man stands out above the rest - No.10-ranked Carlos Ulberg.
'Black Jag' made his octagon debut to a lot of fanfare thanks to his friendship with former middleweight king Israel Adesanya, but gassed out in that fight and lost to Kennedy Nzechukwu.
That loss might have helped Ulberg, though. He's since flown under the radar and won six bouts in a row, five of which came via finish.
So what makes 'Black Jag' a major dark horse? Based on what we've seen, he's got the kind of powerful striking game to go up against anyone, Pereira included.
He's clearly improved on the ground, and assuming the cardio issues in his debut were down to 'octagon shock', he doesn't have any glaring weaknesses.
Add in the connection to Adesanya, and there's a ready-made story for him to go up against Pereira next year, if 'Poatan' keeps hold of the title.
All Ulberg has to do is get past tough gatekeeper Volkan Oezdemir this weekend - and if he can manage that, the sky could be the limit.
#4. Caio Borralho - UFC middleweight contender
Unlike many of the UFC's other weight classes, the middleweight division has a couple of clear-cut top contenders right now.
Essentially, champ Dricus du Plessis is almost certain to face either Sean Strickland or Khamzat Chimaev next, with whoever misses out initially likely next in line.
Outside of them, though, there are a number of potential contenders waiting in the wings. One fighter who could definitely be considered the division's dark horse, then, is Caio Borralho.
Unbeaten in the UFC at 7-0, 'The Natural' has climbed up to No. 6 in the division this year on the back of big wins over Paul Craig and former title challenger Jared Cannonier.
However, largely because Cannonier took the bout with the Brazilian on relatively late notice, Borralho is still flying under the radar somewhat.
In reality, though, 'The Natural' has all the tools to reach the very top. Nobody's been able to outgrapple him thus far, with his takedown success percentage standing at 60% and his takedown defense at 76%.
On the feet, meanwhile, Borralho has clearly improved greatly and packs a lot of power into his punches.
Basically, it'd be easy to justify him being able to beat at least four of the six fighters currently ranked above him at middleweight, and yet nobody is really talking about him. That makes him the very definition of a dark horse contender.
#3. Sean Brady - UFC welterweight contender
The UFC's welterweight division has always been a talent-packed one, but right now it's arguable that it's the promotion's most interesting weight class, too.
With older talents like Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington seemingly on their way down, a handful of new, fresh stars are climbing up the ladder. While there's been plenty of spotlight on fighters like Shavkat Rakhmonov and Ian Machado Garry, though, the dark horse of the division has to be Sean Brady.
A stifling grappler, Brady has beaten seven of his eight octagon opponents to climb into the No. 4 ranking. However, it's likely that his knockout loss to current champ Belal Muhammad has kept him under the radar.
Was that loss really that bad, though? Sure, Muhammad isn't known as a finisher, but he is the champ right now. There's no shame in losing to him.
More to the point, Brady has clearly improved his striking since then, as he proved in his win over Gilbert Burns earlier this year.
Based on what we've seen thus far, there's no reason why Brady couldn't defeat any fighter in the world at 170 pounds right now, making him the big dark horse going into 2025.
#2. Maycee Barber - UFC flyweight contender
In a similar vein to the UFC's middleweight division, the women's flyweight division appears to have a clear forward path right now.
Champ Valentina Shevchenko is likely to face Manon Fiorot next, with the winner of that bout likely to take on Erin Blanchfield, who beat Rose Namajunas earlier this year.
Those title fights could well take up the majority of 2025, and that isn't even mentioning former champ Alexa Grasso, who might be only one win away from another shot in her own right.
The dark horse of the division, though, is definitely Maycee Barber.
'The Future' is currently riding a six-fight win streak, and her most recent victories over Amanda Ribas and Katlyn Cerminara were remarkably impressive.
Barber has always had the raw physical tools to reach the top, but she seems to have improved her overall technical skills in the last couple of years, making her a real threat.
However, she's still flying under the radar, largely because some ongoing health problems have sidelined her since March.
If she can return to full health, though, there's no denying how dangerous she can be. In fact, it might not be a stretch to say she could beat any of the other contenders at 125 pounds.
Now 26 years old, Barber will never hit her initial goal of becoming the youngest champ in UFC history - but she may well end up reaching the top regardless.
#1. Deiveson Figueiredo - UFC bantamweight contender
The UFC's bantamweight division might be the promotion's most loaded right now, with star names like Sean O'Malley, Umar Nurmagomedov, Henry Cejudo and Petr Yan all hunting for a shot at champ Merab Dvalishvili.
However, the biggest dark horse at 135 pounds - and arguably the biggest threat of them all - might be former flyweight kingpin Deiveson Figueiredo.
'Deus da Guerra' looked like he was going to dominate at 125 pounds before being dethroned for the second time by Brandon Moreno in 2023. In that fight, it became painfully clear that the Brazilian was simply pushing himself too far to make the flyweight limit.
Since then, he's moved up to 135 pounds, and to say the move has worked would be an understatement. He's beaten Rob Font, Cody Garbrandt and Marlon Vera, and has impressed hugely in each fight.
On paper at least, Figueiredo has no weaknesses. We know all about his dangerous grappling from his flyweight days, and he clearly packs insane power into his strikes, becoming the first man to ever knock Vera down in their fight.
If the move up in weight has fixed some of the cardio problems that plagued him at 125 pounds, then, to label 'Deus da Guerra' dangerous would be an understatement.
Figueiredo may not be a dark horse for much longer. If he can get past Yan this weekend, a title shot could be in his future. For now, though, he's somehow being overlooked.