On paper, UFC Denver is one of the weaker events of the year. Several of 2024's Apex cards have featured better, more exciting talent than the UFC's return to the Mile High City. In place of established talent, there are a number of excellent prospects who will have a rare chance to step into the limelight. All of the following fighters have a good chance at reaching a ranking or a booking against a ranked fighter with a win on Saturday.
Montel Jackson
You'd think that Jackson would be a much bigger name given the success that he's had in the UFC. The bantamweight is 7-2, with one of those losses coming in his promotional debut against Ricky Simon. Jackson employs a wrestling-heavy approach combined with excellent jiu-jitsu, earning himself over a round of control time in four of his victories. On the feet, his 5'10" frame is huge for bantamweight, a size advantage that translates into cracking power in both of his hands. The UFC has been trying to get him a top-20 divisional opponent since early 2023, but a slew of fight cancellations have left him matched up with Da'Mon Blackshear. A win against Blackshear would line Jackson up for an opponent like Pedro Munhoz, ideally on a big card. Jackson has earned his shot, and the UFC should reward him with a big spotlight.
2. Joshua Van
There are quite a few active hype trains in the UFC, and Van is one of the biggest. A perfect 3-0 start with some beautiful striking to boot is typically how hype trains start, after all. He's 22 years old, but his boxing seems to belong to a ten-year MMA veteran. Van is excellent at countering, mixing his strikes up, and timing his opponents as they enter the pocket with him. It's already fair to say that he's one of the best strikers in the flyweight division, with plenty of potential to get better and diversify his arsenal. There isn't much to mention in regards to his grappling, but Van's above-average takedown defense (he's defended 11 out of 14 takedown attempts thus far) allows him to stay comfortable and standing. A full breakdown of his matchup against Charles Johnson was published on FiteHaus earlier this week.
3. Christian Rodriguez
Out of all of the prospects on this list, Rodriguez is by far the most confusing. His only loss in the UFC was in his debut against Jonathan Pearce, a top-20 featherweight. Since then, CeeRod has won four straight, with the unfortunate asterisk of a weight miss next to two of those victories. Those weight misses against Raul Rosas Jr. and Cameron Saaiman forced a move from bantamweight to featherweight, where Rodriguez promptly defeated Isaac Dulgarian, an excellent formerly undefeated up-and-comer. Making Rodriguez all the more confusing is the fact that he doesn't seem to excel in any area of mixed martial arts. His wrestling is likely his best attribute, but it only stands out when used defensively. His jiu-jitsu has minor flaws but is overall fairly good, and his striking is fundamentally sound but unspectacular. Rodriguez is as well-rounded as can be, but it's strange to see someone without a clear fighting style do so well in the UFC. If he can secure a win against Julian Erosa, something extremely achievable for anyone who doesn't have complete pillow hands, Rodriguez will be in line for a matchup just outside the featherweight rankings.
4. Gabriel Bonfim
Brazil has some excellent prospects in the UFC right now, but Gabriel Bonfim might be the best of them. Of course, his detractors will point to his last fight, a knockout defeat at the hands of Nicolas Dalby. That loss, while obviously not great, wasn't all that bad either. Bonfim, who came into the fight with a 15-0 record without ever seeing the judges' scorecards, ran into a gritty veteran who forced him into a dogfight that ended up going the other way. It's the exact type of test that helps prospects grow, not one that destroys them. It helps that Bonfim has the perfect skill set to rebound in a big way at UFC Denver. His primary weapon is his jiu-jitsu, a tool so dangerous it's earned him 12 submission victories, including his first two fights in the UFC. Bonfim's standup shows off his explosiveness and power, despite being containing technical holes, especially defensively. This matchup with Ange Loosa is an excellent opportunity for Bonfim to show the UFC brass that he's cleaned up his striking a bit and recovered from the brutal knockout he suffered in November. Once he does both of those things, expect a welterweight matchup just outside the rankings like Elizeu Zaleski Dos Santos or Gunnar Nelson.
5. Jean Silva
Last but not least, another one of those aforementioned Brazilian prospects. A 2023 Contender Series alum, Silva is already 2-0 in the UFC including a marquee win at UFC 303 over Charles Jourdain. In that win, he showed off all of his best qualities: next-level power for a featherweight, explosiveness, and an ability to have success wherever the fight goes. Silva is most comfortable on the feet, utilizing an unorthodox striking style that creates unexpected angles for his opponents. Grappling-wise, Silva is fantastic at using his athleticism to create opportunities on the ground, whether that means passing guard or cranking on submissions. His fight against Drew Dober will take place at lightweight because of its short-notice nature, and it has a good chance of winning Fight of the Night. Check out our full breakdown.
UFC Denver takes place on Saturday, July 13th, 2024 from the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. The prelims kick off at 6 pm EST, and the main card starts at 8 pm EST on ESPN+.
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