With some of the old guard of the MMA world riding off into the sunset, the new guard is making a definite impact as they try to fill the shoes of the former champions and legends.
As the new fighters start to make waves in promotions across the world, they are quickly making a name for themselves within the MMA community—like Jon Jones, who will challenge Mauricio Rua for the Light Heavyweight Championship this Saturday at UFC 128.
Also after the absorption of the WEC into the UFC, popular newcomers Jose Aldo and Dominick Cruz will both enter the UFC as the first time champions of their respective weight classes as the promotion expands the current roster.
With that said, let's take a look at the aforementioned fighters along with the rest of the list of best young MMA fighters that are putting the respective divisions on notice.
Vote for your favourite 2 in the POLL HERECheck out this list of MMA young guns who are 25 years or younger.Jon JonesDebut: April 12, 2008
Promotion: UFC
Overall Record: 12-1
With a disqualification loss to Matt Hamill in December 2009, Jones suffered his first and only loss to date in his very young UFC career. He has jumped up the fighter rankings by leaps and bounds with his great knockout power that has led to seven victories alone.[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ItfImycSz4][/youtube]
Jose AldoDebut: August 10, 2004
Promotion: UFC
Overall Record: 18-1
As another former WEC champion promoted to UFC champion, Jose Aldo has shown some real power in his 19 career bouts with 12 knockout victories along with scoring two submission victories while only tasting defeat against Luciano Azevedo in November of 2005.[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpKfUviYSjU][/youtube][youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TKPgJJM0bo][/youtube]
Dominick CruzDebut: January 29, 2005
Promotion: UFC
Overall Record: 17-1
For the current UFC Bantamweight Champion, Cruz has won the majority of his career fights with the help of the judge's with 10 decision wins in addition to six victories coming via knockout in his 18 career bouts.[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4JYD3oxlUg][/youtube]
Jeremy StephensDebut: January 12, 2005
Promotion: UFC
Overall Record: 19-6
Known as the "Lil' Heathen," Stephens has definitely left a mark on his opponents during his career to this moment with 14 of his 19 victories coming by knockout as the other five coming by three submissions and two judge's decisions.[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V70pe6tYmVM][/youtube]
Stefan StruveDebut: March 19, 2005
Promotion: UFC
Overall Record: 21–4
In Struve's UFC debut in February 2009, the fighter was sent back home with a KO loss against Junior Dos Santos in just 54 seconds. However, he has gone 5-1 since the unimpressive loss at UFC 95.[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXVX7lPRVS0][/youtube]
Steve CantwellDebut: April 23, 2005
Promotion: UFC
Overall Record: 7-4
During his days with the former WEC promotion, Cantwell was able to defeat then champion Brian Stann for the Light Heavyweight title at WEC 35 in August of 2008. He won via TKO at the 4:01 mark of the second round.[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6GXfSdXIgc&playnext=1&list=PL0272126BE08532B6][/youtube]
Charles OliveiraDebut: March 15, 2008
Promotion: UFC
Overall Record: 14-1
Before suffering his first career loss last December, the Brazilian Oliveira has shown a balanced attack with six knockouts and seven submissions in his 15 total bouts during his early career fighting in Brazil until joining the UFC last Summer.[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RvcxwlbPzc][/youtube]
Cristiane "Cyborg" SantosDebut: 5/17/2005
Promotion: Strikeforce
Overall Record: 10-1
After the defeat of Gina Carano for the first Strikeforce Middleweight title, Santos has taken the mantle of the top Female MMA fighter in the world as she hasn't lost since her very first fight, a kneebar submission only 1:46 into the first round against Erica Paes in 2005.[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNPDY0lf1d8][/youtube]
Nate DiazDebut: October 21, 2004
Promotion: UFC
Overall Record: 13-6
Since his debut in late 2004, Diaz has shown a tendency to the art of submissions as he has won nine of his 13 victories by different versions of the Guillotine Choke. He has only suffered one loss by submission to Hermes Franca at WEC 24 in 2006.[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1XbUyR5Crw][/youtube]
John HathawayDebut: June 25, 2006
Promotion: UFC
Overall Record: 14-1
Of the 25 fighters listed in this article, Hathaway has had the best beginning to a career as he went 14-0 during the early portion of his career in different smaller promotions. This success carried over into his UFC career until his first loss to Mike Pyle by Unanimous Decision last October.[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bYUnnjtWcg][/youtube]
Josh GrispiDebut: September 26, 2006
Promotion: UFC
Overall Record: 14-2
After suffering a jaw injury in his fight with Dustin Poirier at UFC 125, Grispi definitely had better days than the night of the Poirier fight as he won 14 of his first 15 contests bouncing around different smaller promotions until reaching WEC and now the UFC.[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQEV2ECFHXg][/youtube]
Pat CurranDebut: 2/23/2008
Promotion: Bellator
Overall Record: 12-3
Last Summer, Curran defeated Toby Imada in the Bellator Lightweight Title Tournament finale at Bellator 21, insuring him a title bout against current champion Eddie Alvarez on April 2nd at Bellator 39 in Uncasville, Connecticut.[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMxRoxKlm1U][/youtube]
Bobby GreenDebut: January 19, 2008
Promotion: King of the Cage
Overall Record: 14-4
In his first title bout in his career, Green finished off then champion Rick Legere at "King of the Cage: Arrival" with a knockout victory at 4:27 of the the first round to win the Junior Welterweight Title. He later lost it to Tim Means last October.Bryan BakerDebut: January 27, 2007
Promotion: Bellator
Overall Record: 14-2
For the Bellator Middleweight, Baker has only lost twice. Only one loss, however, came by the hands of his opponent, a TKO by Alexander Shlemenko, during his short but very extensive fight career since 2007.Michael McdonaldDebut: November 11, 2007
Promotion: UFC
Overall Record: 11-1
Michael McDonald, nicknamed Mayday, had to make the mayday call himself during his only career loss to Cole Escovedo in May of 2009. In his other 10 fights, nine of those never left the first round of action.Todd DuffeeDebut: February 9, 2007
Promotion: Dream
Overall Record: 6-2
After going 6-0 to start his career, Duffee has tasted the agony of defeat in back to back bouts against Mike Russow at UFC 114 along with Alistair Overeem for interim DREAM heavyweight title on New Year's Eve 2010.Terry EtimDebut: May 12, 2005
Promotion: UFC
Overall Record: 14-3
During the Brit's young career, Etim has been a dangerous submission fighter as he has scored a win by that result 11 times in his 17 fight career. In his most recent fight, however, Rafael dos Anjos stole a page from his book with an armbar submission victory of his own.There are probably a few more that I have missed but the post was becoming of epic lengths