Edmen Shahbazyan
Most of the names on this list are established stars, most of whom already have major titles to their name. But [autotag]Edmen Shahbazyan[/autotag] is the one name here who hasn’t yet made it to the top but, based on what I’ve seen so far in his young career, has everything he needs to become not just a UFC star, but potentially one half of an era-defining rivalry.
Shahbazyan’s rapier-like striking, combined with an emerging wrestling game, has seen him fly up the middleweight rankings, and he sits just outside of striking range of the division’s elite contenders. By the end of 2020, he may well be right there in the thick of it.
And when he gets there, the prospect of a meeting with Adesanya would offer the UFC the opportunity to build a new rivalry between two of the most exciting, dynamic strikers on their roster. And while Adesanya may be eight years Shahbazyan’s senior, both men are fresh enough in the UFC to build a spectacular rivalry as the decade progresses.
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