MMA
Who is the Best Young Fighter in the UFC?
The MMA/UFC has continued to evolve through the years significantly and is now positioned as one of the best fighting promotions in the world. It has expanded its global footprint by showcasing unique talent to a wide-reaching audience, as well as highlighting the innovative strategies that are proving important to its business and media growth. All these factors have enabled the talent pool to grow as new fighters are taking up the sport from an early age and developing their skill level to mirror other sporting careers. Young fighters go mainstream early on in their careers, a case that was practically impossible a couple of decades ago.
Raul Rosas Jr. poses for a portrait after his victory during the UFC 306//Getty Images
Some of the youngest UFC fighters have a high ceiling, and it’s entertaining to watch them scale through the divisions within the promotion. SportsBoom offers a statistical analysis of these young fighters, such as Raul Rosas Jr., Rei Tsuruya, Iasmin Lucindo, Joshua Van, Francisco Prado, and Tereza Bleda, all of whom are the best young fighters in the UFC.
SB Market Index: How We Evaluate the UFC’s Youngest Talents
An SB Market Index mirrors an evaluation-based ranking that considers both the early career records and UFC debut age, as expressed by expert and media sources.
Industry Insights
Industry insights assess the standing of young UFC fighters as depicted by the top 10 MMA and Sports media sources, whereby they are featured in “rising stars,” “top prospects,” or “fighters to watch” lists.
Industry Insights
| Source Name | Raul Rosas Jr. | Rei Tsuruya | Francisco Prado | Iasmin Lucindo | Tereza Bleda | Joshua Van |
UFC Official Site – “Prospects to Watch” feature | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
ESPN – “Ranking the Top 25 Fighters Under 25” | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Sherdog – “UFC&’s Youth Movement” analysis | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
MMA Junkie – “Breakout Stars of the Year” | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Bleacher Report – “Future Champions: Ranking the Prospects” | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Cageside Press – “On the Rise” fighter profiles | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
talkSPORT MMA – “Names to Know for the Future” | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| CBS Sports – “UFC’s Next Generation” | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Reddit r/MMA – “Best Prospect” Fan Polls | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
MMA Fighting – “Contender Series Graduates to Watch” | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Mentions | 10 | 9 | 5 | 9 | 2 | 8 |
SB Score
| Fighter | Age | Record (W-L) | Win % | Octagon Debut (Age) | SB Score |
| Rei Tsuruya | 21 | 9-0 | 100 % | 21 (approx) | 0.908 |
| Joshua Van | 22 | 10-1 | 90.9 % | 21 (approx) | 0.864 |
| Raul Rosas Jr. | 19 | 8-1 | 88.9 % | 18 | 0.913 |
| Iasmin Lucindo | 22 | 16-5 | 76.2 % | 20 | 0.854 |
| Tereza Bleda | 22 | 7-1 | 87.5 % | 20 | 0.781 |
| Francisco Prado | 21 | 12-2 | 85.7 % | 20 | 0.830 |
This score is calculated based on three key early-career metrics: Win Percentage (40% weightage), Total Wins (30% weightage), and Age at Octagon Debut (30% weightage, inverted score).
SB Market Index
| Rank | Fighter | SB Score | Industry Insights | SB Market Index |
| 1 | Raul Rosas Jr. | 0.913 | 10 | 8.183 |
| 2 | Rei Tsuruya | 0.908 | 9 | 6.582 |
| 3 | Iasmin Lucindo | 0.854 | 9 | 6.571 |
| 4 | Joshua Van | 0.864 | 8 | 5.773 |
| 5 | Francisco Prado | 0.830 | 5 | 4.166 |
| 6 | Tereza Bleda | 0.781 | 2 | 1.756 |
Raul Rosas Jr.: The Phenom Leading the Pack
Raul Rosas Jr., also known as “El Niño Problema,” tops the SB Market Index rank with 8.183, driven by his perfect “Industry Insight” score of ten and a very strong statistical SB Score of 0.913.
Raul Rosas Jr. took the UFC by storm, debuting at 18 years, which was a record-breaker for the promotion amid immense hype and expectations. He is the youngest fighter to earn a UFC contract, a feat he achieved at 17 years old.
Raul Rosas Jr is one of the best fighters within the Bantamweight division, with his star power a thing to behold. Raul Rosas Jr.'s MMA record is 11 wins and 1 loss (11-1-0). Of his 11 wins, he has two by KO/TKO and 6 by submission, while his single loss was by unanimous decision. The future of Rosas Jr. is certainly bright, with future championship glory almost a guarantee as he looks set to fulfil the massive potential placed on his shoulders.
The Undefeated and the Powerful: Tsuruya and Lucindo
Rei Tsuruya is second on the SB Market Index rank with a score of 6.582. Rei also tallies an “Industry Insight” score of nine and a statistical SB Score of 0.908, which are both good enough for second place.
The 23-year-old Japanese professional mixed martial artist is a talented grappler who dominates in the flyweight division. He is still a rising star, something that can be attested by his impressive record of ten wins and one loss (10-1-0). His wins include two decision wins and two finishes, with a mix of four knockouts/technical knockouts and four submissions.
Iasmin Lucindo is third on the SB Market Index rank with a score of 6.571. He ranked second on the “Industry Insight” with a score of nine and fourth on the statistical SB Score with a score of 0.854. Lucindo competes in the strawweight division, and he has compiled a record of 18 wins and six losses (18-6-0), with eight KO/TKO, three submissions, and seven decision wins.
The Flyweight Force: Joshua Van
Joshua Van, nicknamed the “Fearless,” is fourth on the SB Market Index rank with a score of 5. 773. The 23-year-old is also fourth on the “Industry Insight” rank with a score of eight and third in the statistical SB Score with 0.864.
Joshua Van competes in the flyweight division of the UFC and is currently the #1 in the UFC flyweight rankings. The Burmese and American is a fearless and dangerous striker, and he has amassed an impressive record of 15 wins and two losses (15-2-0), with seven KO/TKO, two submissions, and six decision wins.
Conclusion on the UFC’s Next Generation
The SportsBoom model, which combines statistical analysis, expert and media perception, and hype, comprehensively crowns Raul Rosas Jr. as the top young prospect in the UFC.
These incredible young, skilled athletes are part of a broader crop of younger fighters who are on the rise in the UFC. With the promotion’s strategic expansion into new global markets such as Africa and the significant increase in price money that is as a result of noteworthy media rights deals like the new Paramount+ streaming deal, fighters are taking up the sport from an early age as it promises economic reward, celebrity status and star power as well as high-stake fights that promise and deliver action and drama hence providing unique awe-inspiring experiences for fans from all over the globe.
Ian Mugo Wanyeki is based in Nairobi, Kenya. He is a sports enthusiast with vast knowledge of different sport disciplines. Ian is a graduate with a Bachelor’s of Science degree from Kenyatta University. He is a Kenyan journalist who’s worked as a sports analyst at Covenant Television Network, as a sports reporter at NTV and as a Sports Correspondent/contributor at Quartz Africa.