The world of MMA prospects is really opening up.
Hardcore fans know the usual suspects—those smaller shows that incubate up-and-comers for the big time. Deep-cable organizations like Legacy and Titan, overseas promotions like One Championship and M-1 Global, and South American stages like Jungle Fight all are reasonably familiar names.
But now, that roster is expanding. Great Britain's Cage Warriors promotion—early home of Conor McGregor, Michael Bisping and a slew of others—recently returned from an extended hiatus, even as local competitor BAMMA comes into its own with some of the sport's brightest young talents. Russia-centric promotions like ACB and Akhmat help showcase the fighting wealth of their own region.
Options abound, and we here at The Beaten Path are on top of them all. These are the five best prospects in action this month.
If you've been with us before, you know the drill: No UFC fighters are allowed on this list. Bellator and WSOF competitors are included only sparingly.
What follows are vital statistics, viewing coordinates and information capsules for each competitor. Let's get it on.