Dear Dana White,

UCF is one of the fastest growing leagues in sports, and they have a vast majority of the top talent. There are still some great fighters currently fighting outside of the UFC, and here are the 20 I would be going after if I were in charge.


1. Fedor Emelianenko: I know this is a no brianer, but it has to be said. He is locked in at M1, but if there is any way to pry him away and into the UFC, it needs to be done. Fedor is the best fighter in the world, and it hurts everyone involved with MMA that he is not in the UFC. We want Fedor vs. Randy. Period.

2. Matt Lindland: Lindland has fought in the UFC before, but had a falling out with Dana White and the drama is still there today. Lindland has continued to thrive as a free agent is a top 5 fighter at 185 lbs. UFC is quickly running out of quality fighters to throw at Anderson Silva, and if he beats Dan Henderson, Lindland may be the last mega match for quite a while.

3. Takanori Gomi: The Fireball Kid is one of the great MMA stars overseas, where supposedly he wants to stay. That being said, he would be a huge get for the UFC. Gomi is widely considered the best 155 pounder in the world, and adding him would throw another elite fighter into an already solid weight class.

4. Paulo Filho: Filho is the other elite fighter at 185 lbs. who is not currently fighting in the UFC. He is currently still undefeated, and would make another big match for Anderson Silva. 185 lbs. is the weakest division in the UFC, adding Filho and Lindland could go a long way in fixing that.

5. Ben Rothwell: Rothwell ran through the IFL like a wrecking ball and is now a free agent. He would add to the depth at heavyweight and bring in a known fighter who fights exciting fights and ends fghts with his hands. What's not to like there?

6. Josh Barnett: The Babyfaced Assassin is currently the other great heavyweight outside the UFC (Fedor being the other). Barnett is unsigned right now, and bringing him to UFC makes a ton of sense. Barnett had a breif stint in the UFC, where he beat Randy Couture before blowing up in Pride. Adding him would mean adding another elite name to a growing list of great fighters in the heavyweight division.

7. Gilbert Melendez: Despite his first loss coming on New Years Eve, Melendez is still one of the young stars of the lightweight division. Melendez is very young, but has all the makings of becoming a champ at 155 lbs. one day. Melendez has been fighting in Strikeforce, but he is free to go fight anywhwere he chooses.

8. Jake Shields: Probably the biggest name in Elite XC, Shields would be a factor in the UFC at 170 or 185 lbs. Throwing this good young fighter into the UFC ranks would prove exciting at any weight class.

9. Chris Horodecki: Yes, I know he was embarassed last time out at the IFL Grand Prix, where got ended in a hurry. But, Horodecki is only 20 years old and has a future so bright he needs a blindfold. He should come back better for his first loss, and being trained at Xtreme Couture can only help. Along with Gilbert Melendez, he is the future at 155 lbs.

10. Ricardo Arona: Widely considered the best light heavyweight outside of the UFC, he has fought all the big names in Pride. While the 205 lb. division is one of the deepest classes in the UFC, having another elite fight could never hurt...especially the way Rampage is running through them.

11. Carlos Condit: The biggest star in the WEC outside of Urijah Faber, Condit has the attitude and skills to rise to the top of any companys 170 lb. division. That is saying something considering the class fighters the UFC have at 170. Condit has carried the WEC 170 lb. title as long as I can remember, and he doesn't look to be giving it back anytime soon. Condit is an exciting fighter who's skills and charisma makes him a guy to watch for the future.

12. Nick Diaz: The older brother of TUF winner Nate Diaz, Nick has been a journeyman since leaving UFC a handful of years back. Nick is an exciting fighter, who on any given day can beat anyone in the world. Just ask Takanori Gomi if you don't believe me.

13. Hayato Sakurai: The 155 lb. invasion continues. Sakurai is another of the elite lightweights outside of the UFC. He has fought in the UFC before, dropping a title shot to Matt Hughes. Sakurai is a huge star in Japan, adding him and Gomi would go a long way in bringing the asian market to the UFC.

14. Dennis Kang: Kang is a hot and cold fighter, who when he is hot can beat just about anyone. He would be another excellent fighter to bolster the 185 lb. division.

15. Jason “Mayhem” Miller: Mayhem is an exciting, charismatic fighter who would be hugely popular in the UFC. He probably wouldn't be elite at 170 lbs., but crowds would love him anyways.

16. KJ Noons: This boxer turned MMA fighter got everyones attention when he beat Nick Diaz to win the Elite XC lightweight title. Noons may be one of the best boxers in the sport, and would fit perfect in the UFC where most of their lightweights just want to wrestle.

17. Ricco Rodriguez: It was not so long ago that Ricco was the next big thing at heavyweight. He briefly won the UFC title but then was gone as quick as he came. Now the title holder in Elite XC, Ricco would jump right in to the top level in the division and could challenge for a title sooner than later if he came to the UFC.

18. Rob McCollough: Like Noons, Razor Rob would bring heavy hands to the lightweight division. He has been the WEC title holder for a long time now and ends fights in a devastating fashion. While he likely is not a top tier fighter in the UFC, his style would be a great addition and he would be hugely popular.

19. Roy Nelson: The IFL heavyweight champ is the only fighter to make a dent into Ben Rothwell in the IFL. He dropped a slipt decision to Rothwell and has not lost in the IFL since. Rothwell would likely not be a top tier guy, but he would add excitement to the division.

20. Doug Marshall: The light heavyweight champ in the WEC is a big time knockout artist. Marshall finishes fights in an electric fashion. His style is tailor made for the heavy hitting 205's in the UFC.