Athletes
Fighters on the Rise | UFC 299: O'Malley vs Vera 2
Turning A Spotlight On Two Newcomers And One Emerging Star Set To Compete Saturday Night In Miami
Of all the competitors slated to step into the Octagon this weekend at Kaseya Center in Miami, more than half of them have been profiled in this space at one point or another during the course of their UFC careers.
Removing the two newcomers, who are each highlighted below, along with an alumnus on the cusp of title contention, that means that over the years, the vast majority of the men and women competing on Saturday have been highlighted as emerging names fans and pundits should be watching closely.
Order UFC 299: O'Malley vs Vera 2
The only people that haven’t been mentioned are either the seriously tenured set — Dustin Poirier, Rafael Dos Anjos, Joanne Wood (nee Calderwood) — or the relative newcomers that have either struggled to build momentum or are still just getting started.
We’ve highlighted champions and contenders, all-action standouts, divisional stalwarts, and, let’s be honest, a bunch of people that struggled to find success at this level, but, for the most part, we’ve done our best to identify the names that have risen to the top and been fixtures in their respective divisions, and we’ve got three more that fit the bill for you to check out below.
Michael "Venom" Page
Michael "Venom" Page Sitdown Interview | UFC 299
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Michael "Venom" Page Sitdown Interview | UFC 299
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There are few competitors as flashy and consistently entertaining as “MVP” in the sport, and now the 36-year-old welterweight veteran brings his personal brand of flamboyant striking to the Octagon for the first time in a clash with Kevin Holland.
For anyone that wants to question Page’s credentials, opting instead to label him as anything but a legitimate talent, let’s get one thing clear: you don’t go 21-2 for your career with your only setbacks coming against Douglas Lima and Logan Storley (in a debated decision) if you’re not an excellent fighter.
Everyone slips up, and save for his first career loss back in May 2019, Page hasn’t really slipped up, and he even avenged that defeat a couple years back, as well.
RELATED: Michael "Venom" Page | Welcome To The UFC
The British veteran is a one-of-one in the cage, blending flair with keen finishing instincts, obvious power and precision on the feet, and a focus on putting on a show for those in attendance and the others watching at home. He has a surplus of style, but there is substance to his game, too, and that’s what makes his arrival in the UFC so intriguing.
Holland is the perfect opponent for his debut — someone with an established name and proven talent that is going to be willing to meet Page on his terms. The active Texan has never been afraid to get creative and loose in the Octagon, and should look to match the new arrival here, setting up an exciting immediate test for Page this weekend.
Maycee Barber
Barber landed in this space a couple times in the past as a prospect, but touches down here now on the brink of breaking into title contention.
Since suffering back-to-back losses to Roxanne Modafferi and current champion Alexa Grasso, the 25-year-old has posted five straight wins, leaning on her grit and tenacity to earn victories over Miranda Maverick, Montana De La Rosa, Jessica Eye, Andrea Lee, and Amanda Ribas to move to 13-2 for her career.
The win over Ribas was the most emblematic of the continuing evolution and improvements Barber has shown since setting up shop in Sacramento and working with her head coach Danny Castillo. Where she previously tried to be a distance striker and athlete, she had her best success in tight, utilizing her strength, physicality, and short-range attacks to bust up and ultimately finish the Brazilian.
Ribas started well, but the ability to inflict damage changed the dynamic of this fight, filling Barber with confidence. She deals with the punishment coming back her way exceptionally well, too, and when there is blood in the water, there is a ferociousness to Barber that is uncanny.
Maycee Barber Looks Back On Her UFC Debut | UFC Connected
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Maycee Barber Looks Back On Her UFC Debut | UFC Connected
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Saturday night in Miami, “The Future” faces off with Katlyn Cerminara (nee Chookagian) in a bout where a win would elevate her into the title conversation in the flyweight ranks.
Cerminara has been a fixture in the Top 5 basically since the inception of this weight class, with her only setbacks coming against fellow contenders and the former champ Valentina Shevchenko. She is a frustrating dance partner for almost everyone that shares the Octagon with her, as her long-range striking and movement often keeps opponents off rhythm and unable to land significant damage.
Barber was projected to be a title contender when she graduated to the UFC through Dana White’s Contender Series several years ago, and stands as another reminder that we have to afford these competitors time to settle in and develop at this level. She’s morphing into a legitimate threat in the 125-pound ranks, and if she gets through Cerminara on Saturday night, she’ll be a Top 5 fighter, as well.
Robelis Despaigne
How can you not be excited — or at the very least curious — about the arrival of an Olympic medalist that has garnered four first-round finishes in four career fights, where the last two wins came in a combined seven seconds.
Seven seconds. Combined.
Despaigne, who captured the bronze medal in taekwondo at the 2012 Summer Olympics, fought three times in 2023 after making his MMA debut in the summer of ’22, and his longest fight last year lasted 12 seconds.
Regardless of who he was facing, the fact that the 35-year-old heavyweight giant is sleeping people in no time flat on the regular has me intrigued to see how things translate when he takes to the Octagon for the first time this weekend against Josh Parisian.
The Dana White’s Contender Series alum has struggled to find success at this level, managing just two wins in six starts, but has a significant experience advantage and a more expansive collection of tools at his disposal when he steps in against Despaigne this weekend. We’ve seen plenty of highlight reel finishers stumble once they cross the threshold into the Octagon and face someone with a wealth of experience and know-how behind them, and if it were to happen here, no one should be surprised.
That being said, Despaigne is a fascinating new addition to the heavyweight ranks — a six-foot-seven monster of a man with an 87-inch reach, an outstanding striking pedigree, and a bundle of question marks surrounding him as he readies to make the walk for the first time.
I have no idea how things will play out on Saturday or into the future, but I cannot wait to see “The Big Boy” step into the cage at UFC 299 this weekend.
UFC 299: O'Malley vs Vera 2 took place live from Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida on March 9, 2024. See the final Prelims & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
