Khabib Nurmagomedov is the sole representative from Europe among the UFC’s championship elite at the beginning of 2019. Similarly, Gegard Mousasi is the only fighter from the continent that currently holds a Bellator title. However, there are plenty of up-and-comers hailing from the region that are determined to make their mark on the world stage over the next 12 months.
Last year, marked MMA Fighting’s inaugural list of European prospects that appeared to be on the radar of the major promotions. Four featured fighters — Nathaniel Wood, Fabian Edwards, Karl Moore, Richie Smullen — went on to sign on the dotted line with either Bellator or the UFC.