5 English UFC fighters with the highest ceiling
![L-R: Paddy Pimblett, Muhammad Mokaev and Arnold Allen [Images via @theufcbaddy @muhammad_mokaev & @arnoldbfa on Instagram]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2022/08/de242-16611638901014-1920.jpg?w=500)
English MMA is at an all-time high at the moment. At UFC 278, Leon Edwards became the country's second-ever champion with his spectacular knockout victory over Kamaru Usman.
Michael Bisping became the first English UFC titleholder in 2017 under somewhat similar circumstances, facing a massive betting favorite and being largely counted out by the masses. Now, having already produced two world champions, expect the nation to win more titles in the coming years.
And then there were 2! โ๏ธ
@bisping ๐
@Leon_edwardsmma ๐
๐ฌ๐ง ๐ฌ๐ง ๐ฌ๐ง
#UFC278 https://t.co/iiKBjxbIFU
Out of all the English fighters in the UFC, only a handful stand out as potential future champions. While the likes of Molly McCann, Jai Herbert, Marc Diakese, Davey Grant and Nathaniel Wood are fun to watch, they don't seem to be championship-caliber fighters.
Paddy Pimblett's star power could see him get opportunities that other fighters might not, but purely based on his skillset and the division he competes in, he doesn't quite cut it.
With that in mind, here are five English fighters with the highest ceiling in the UFC.
#5. Lerone Murphy (11-0-1 MMA, 3-0-1 UFC)
Lerone Murphy has been on the UFC roster for three years, but doesn't quite get the same recognition his performances have warranted. The unbeaten featherweight prospect already has three wins inside the octagon and is likely on the cusp of fighting for a ranking in the 145-pound division.
In his last appearance in the cage, Murphy emphatically knocked out Makwan Amirkhani to further extend his unblemished professional record.
LERONE MURPHY LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!
๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ @LeroneMurphy with a miraculous knee to close the show! #UFC267
@VisitAbuDhabi | @InAbuDhabi | #InAbuDhabi https://t.co/fPHDSNYSK7
Murphy has been through a ton of hardships in his life, from being shot multiple times to getting involved in a road accident. Appropriately nicknamed 'The Miracle', he is among the most intriguing prospects in the featherweight division. The Brit's striking, in particular, is his biggest weapon and could see him enjoy a fruitful run at 145 pounds, a weight class notorious for its lack of high-level wrestlers.
At 31, the Manchester native is entering the prime of his athletic career and will be itching to ascend the rankings. Murphy has been training with former two-time bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz over the last few years and will have gained a wealth of knowledge from the surefire future Hall of Famer.
The future is certainly bright for Murphy and it remains to be seen whether he can capitalize on his undeniable championship potential.
#4. Darren Till (18-4-1 MMA, 6-4-1 UFC)
We may have already seen Darren Till reach his potential in the UFC when he fought for the welterweight championship back in 2018. However, there are a ton of factors to consider while looking at Till's welterweight run and subsequent struggles since moving up to 185 pounds.
Till's weight cut down to 170 pounds was infamously difficult and he has missed weight on occasion. Since bumping up to middleweight, the Liverpudlian has been dealt numerous unfortunate injuries and, as such, hasn't been as active as he would've liked.
Injuries have been a major issue for Darren Till in the past few years. https://t.co/WTnb7Jq8rq
Darren Till currently occupies the No.9 spot in the middleweight ranks, but interestingly, isnโt too far away from another shot at gold. Till and divisional kingpin Israel Adesanya have been teasing a fight against one another for quite some time now, and with the champion's ongoing dominance, Till is likely just one or two wins away from a title shot.
Still just 29, Till has a long way to go and has enough time to work his way into title contention the right way. If he opts to rush his recovery and risk another major injury, we may have already seen the best 'The Gorilla' has to offer.
However, if all goes well for the Englishman going forward, another championship opportunity could be on the horizon.
Izzy ๐ Darren ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ
๐ณ๐ฌ Izzy ๐ Darren ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ
Israel Adesanya wants to fight Darren Till in the UK!
Big interview with @stylebender dropping soon ๐ฅ https://t.co/yNzx7k4w0E
#3. Arnold Allen (18-1 MMA, 9-0 UFC)
Despite riding a perfect nine-fight win streak in the UFC, top-ranked featherweight Arnold Allen is perpetually overlooked in the featherweight division. Allen's lone career loss came via decision on the British regional MMA scene over eight years ago and he is now tantalizingly close to a title shot.
Allen's latest win was inarguably the biggest of his career so far as he finished perennial lightweight contender Dan Hooker in the very first round of their UFC London co-headlining bout earlier this year.
ARNOLD ALLEN WITH THE STATEMENT WIN! ๐ค
DOMINATION FROM TRIPLE A! #UFCLondon https://t.co/6503nRq3ot
Firmly established in the top tier of the featherweight division, Arnold Allen is in need of a couple of high-profile wins. His softspoken and polite demeanor doesn't really draw the attention of the masses, and in a sport like MMA where popularity and marketability are key, his performances will have to do the talking.
Allen needs the right dance partner for his next bout if he is to truly stake his claim to a title shot. A win over a former champion or fan favorite would certainly elevate his stock and do wonders for his chances of bagging a title shot.
'Almighty' has competed just thrice in the last three years and his inactivity, coupled with his quiet nature, has seemingly hurt his momentum. If he can continue his winning run and stay active, Allen will be England's frontrunner for UFC gold at 145 pounds.
#2. Muhammad Mokaev (8-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC)
Muhammad Mokaev, the most credentialled prospect in all of MMA, has made quite the impression since joining the UFC late last year. The former two-time IMMAF champion compiled a 23-0 amateur record before turning pro, and he has since racked up eight wins, two of which have come inside the famed octagon.
Mokaev made his promotional debut in March, coming away with a scorching first-round submission win. In his sophomore appearance, he earned a dominant unanimous decision victory and called for a ranked opponent next.
The Dagestan-born English flyweight has set a lofty target for himself โ to become the youngest-ever UFC champion. Jon Jones currently holds the distinguished honor, having won the light heavyweight title when he was just 23. Mokaev needs to win the belt by the end of next year if he is to come good on his goal.
Unfortunately for 'The Punisher', he has been matched up with another unranked flyweight for his next outing. He will take on Malcolm Gordon at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi, and a win should earn him a ranked contender. If Mokaev continues on his current trajectory, he has a real chance of breaking Jones' long-standing record.
21-year-old @muhammadmokaev is aiming to take Jon Jones' record ๐
โ๏ธ via @arielhelwani's MMA Hour https://t.co/9OAFObIooe
#1. Tom Aspinall (12-3 MMA, 5-1 UFC)
Tom Aspinall's atronomic rise up the heavyweight ranks came to an abrupt halt last month as the Englishman suffered a disappointing knee injury just 15 seconds into his headlining bout against Curtis Blaydes in London.
Aspinall was riding a five-fight win streak going into the fight against Blaydes and has since admitted that he got "greedy" with his momentum, which aggravated an old injury.
'I am not even lie about it, I got greedy' ๐ฌ
@AspinallMMA tells @arielhelwani he got overzealous in his UFC run.
Heal up soon Tom ๐ https://t.co/Vk0CiPmShI
The English heavyweight is now set for a stint on the sidelines as he recovers from surgery. Thankfully, Aspinall isn't even in his thirties yet and has plenty of time to fulfill his potential.
In terms of pure skill, he is possibly the most gifted and well-rounded heavyweight on the planet. Aspinall has been grappling all his life, and in his teens, developed an aptitude for boxing while training with the Fury family. In the striking department, not many heavyweights can keep up with him, and on the mat, his technique is impeccable.
The heavyweight division is currently undergoing a period of transition and a number of promising contenders are making their way up the ladder. Aspinall could turn out to be the best of the bunch and as such, England could have a UFC heavyweight champion very soon.
![Tom Aspinall is a championship-caliber prospect [Image via @tomaspinallofficial on Instagram]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2022/08/a81ce-16611693376973-1920.jpg)