5 UFC fighters who could break out as stars in 2024
With the first UFC event of 2024 set to take place this weekend and new fights being announced every day, it’s worth asking who could be this year’s breakout stars in the promotion.
Last year, the likes of Dricus du Plessis and Sean O’Malley skyrocketed to the top of the UFC, so who could join them in 2024?
As always, it’s hard to predict, and there’s every chance these fighters could fail in their attempts to climb the mountain.
Here, then, are five UFC fighters who could become breakout stars in 2024.
#5. Muhammad Mokaev – UFC flyweight contender
It’s arguable that Muhammad Mokaev could’ve been considered one of the breakout stars of 2023 after a stellar year that saw him extend his record to an overall 11-0.
However, largely due to the UFC’s tendency to let the men’s flyweight division go under the radar somewhat, neither of the Dagestani-born, UK-based fighter’s wins came in main card bouts.
With any luck, that will change for ‘The Punisher’ in 2024. Put simply, he’s too good to go largely unnoticed for much longer.
Like most of the Dagestani fighters on the UFC’s roster, Mokaev’s bread and butter is his powerful wrestling, but he’s also displayed extreme aggression during his time in the octagon.
Sure, that’s gotten him into trouble at times, most notably in his win over Jafal Filho last year, but it also makes him a hugely fun fighter to watch.
Flyweight champ Alexandre Pantoja doesn’t exactly have a shortage of possible challengers right now, but Mokaev is already ranked at No.8.
A win over former title challenger Alex Perez in March would definitely put him in the mix, and if he’s given the time to shine, he could become a star.
#4. Maycee Barber – UFC flyweight contender
When Alexa Grasso upset longtime UFC flyweight contender Valentina Shevchenko and became the division’s new titleholder, she also blew open the whole landscape of the 125-pound division.
In 2024, then, climbing to the top of the division doesn’t seem as impossible as it once did, and a number of prospects will be hoping to clamber to stardom this year.
While both Erin Blanchfield and Manon Fiorot are closer to a title shot, the female flyweight who feels most likely to become a star in 2024 is Maycee Barber.
‘The Future’ has long been pegged as a hot prospect dating back to her octagon debut as a 20-year-old back in 2018. After suffering back-to-back losses to Roxanne Modafferi and Grasso – as well as a serious knee injury – though, she seemed to lose her way.
It’s safe to say that she’s back on track now, though. Barber is currently riding a five-fight win streak, and her last bout saw her pick up her best victory yet, a violent stoppage of Amanda Ribas.
Barber was once a fighter fuelled by nothing but aggression with little more than instinct and athleticism to back it up. Now, though, she shows far more poise and improved technique, making her a threat to any flyweight.
Assuming she can keep winning in 2024, her natural charisma, as well as her exciting fighting style, should turn her not only into a title contender, but a star too.
#3. Carlos Ulberg – UFC light-heavyweight contender
While there has been an influx of new blood into the upper echelon of the light-heavyweight division in recent years, it’s safe to say that it remains one of the UFC’s thinner weight classes.
With the likes of Jan Blachowicz and Nikita Krylov probably on their way down the ladder, it’s worth looking a little lower to find the next potential star at 205 pounds.
Given that, one fighter who could definitely break out into the forefront in 2024 is Carlos Ulberg.
A training partner of former UFC middleweight kingpin Israel Adesanya, ‘Black Jag’ entered the octagon for the first time in 2021. Thanks to his friendship with ‘The Last Stylebender’ and his former career as a model, he had some hype around him.
A debut loss via knockout to Kennedy Nzechukwu derailed that hype, but Ulberg has since won five bouts in a row, finishing four of them.
Along the way, he’s also shown dramatic improvements in his overall game, even winning his last bout via tapout, and looks far closer to the finished article than he once did.
A win over former title challenger Dominick Reyes in March in what should be a televised bout should hopefully introduce him to more casual fans, and based on his recent showings, from there, the sky should be the limit.
#2. Ikram Aliskerov – UFC middleweight contender
It’s arguable that of all the fighters who made their UFC debuts in 2023, the most impressive overall was Ikram Aliskerov.
When he initially inked a deal with the promotion, he was most widely known for being one of Khamzat Chimaev’s earliest victims.
However, he quickly turned that reputation on its head with a stellar knockout of Phil Hawes. Then he dispatched Warlley Alves in devastating fashion in October to really get his hype train running.
Sure, Aliskerov’s first two opponents weren’t exactly amongst the best fighters on the roster, but to see them put away with such violence was still pretty shocking.
Perhaps most interestingly, it’s clear that the promotion itself sees him as a blue-chip prospect. The Dagestani is next set to fight No.14 ranked Anthony Hernandez, and if he can finish ‘Fluffy,’ it’ll be hard not to see him as a contender.
More importantly, though, as he boasts the same intimidating aura as the likes of Chimaev and Islam Makhachev, it’s easy to imagine him becoming one of 2024’s true breakout stars, too.
#1. Benoit Saint-Denis – UFC lightweight contender
In the world of the UFC, the best way for a fighter to reach stardom is usually to make the most of any big opportunity that might come their way.
In that sense, very few fighters are being afforded the kind of opportunity that is being given to lightweight prospect Benoit Saint-Denis in March.
‘The God of War’, who broke into the top fifteen at 155 pounds in 2023 after extending his octagon record to 5-1 with another three wins, has been matched with one of the UFC’s biggest names in the form of Dustin Poirier.
Not only is ‘The Diamond’ a former interim lightweight champion but he’s also headlined numerous big shows against the likes of Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov.
It’s safe to say that Saint-Denis has never fought anyone close to his level before. Despite this, given Poirier’s age, as well as Saint-Denis’ own considerable skills and aggression, it’s impossible to overlook the Frenchman.
If ‘The God of War’ can dispatch Poirier, then, not only would he shoot into title contention, it’s likely that he’ll break out as a major star in his own right, too. If he can capitalize on this opportunity, then the sky is the limit for him.