8. Ryan LaFlare
Ryan LaFlare came into the UFC with a lot of hype, finishing all 7 of his opponents under the Ring of Combat organisation. He was set to make his debut for Ray Sefo's WSOF organisation but instead ended up at the UFC and won his debut fight in a lopsided decision over TUF veteran Ben Alloway. LaFlare has a solid wrestling base and Brazillian jiu-jitsu to boot, making him a dangerous fighter should the fight hit the ground. His boxing is hardly sub-par either, as demonstrated in his four (T)KO victories. Though the American was unable to finish his opponent for the first time in his young career, he still showed overwhelming dominance and was close to finishing Alloway on a couple of occasions. RLF's versatility is something that makes him very dangerous, as he accurately states himself,
You never really know what youre going to get. Stand-up wise, Im very aggressive and pretty technical. When it comes to the ground, I have strengths on the ground.
As the Octagon jitters have been shaken off by the 29-year-old, a couple more impressive victories could see him face a top 170-lber in the imminent future. In the meantime, I'd like to see the UFC build him up without putting him in there with proven fighters just yet a lá Stephen Thompson.
Preferred next fight: Neil Magny