Australia has a long history in mixed martial arts, however, it has not always produced champions like the United States or Brazil. It is rare in the UFC to not have a Brazilian champion in at least one division, however, with the Australians, the opposite is true. It’s rare to have a hero. There are a lot of great Australian fighters, future champions and fighters who can make it big. We take a look at some of the top Australian MMA fighters, both male and female today.
The best Australian fighters
Casey O’Neal
One of the hottest flyweight prospects the UFC has seen in years, king Casey O’Neal He exploded onto the scene with three consecutive touchdowns, something not often seen at women’s flyweight. Then I clashed with Roxanne Modafferi, winning by split decision. An injury kept her out for longer than she would have wanted and when she returned, she suffered her first career loss Jennifer Maya.
Bangtao MMA is a great place! I love it here pic.twitter.com/Wx3S2ZIx96
– Casey O’Neal (@kingcaseymma) May 10, 2023
With that being said, she is currently holding a The UFC record for strikes landed per minute (across all weight classes) is 8.77. As the daughter of a professional boxer, this isn’t much of a surprise. However, she feels more comfortable on the ground, and is often looking to please her opponents.
At only twenty-five years old, she is far from her prime yet. Don’t be surprised if we see the first Australian female UFC champion in O’Neal.
Jessica – Rose Clark
Jessie JessAnd Jessica – Rose Clark She was recently cut from the UFC, however, that doesn’t mean she’s any less of a fighter than other MMA fighters. She went 4-5 in the UFC, with big wins over fellow Australian, Be Rawlingsvictory over Paige Van Zant And the brutal end of Sarah Albar. There was a distinct hole in her game when it came to the ground game, which she failed to address during her tenure in the UFC.
It is likely that the 35-year-old will move on to bare-knuckle boxing next. She’s an accomplished striker and wouldn’t have to deal with the ground game if the transfer were to happen, which of course would suit her.
One has to watch
As we know, the depth of Australian females coming into the major leagues simply does not exist. However, there are a few women who should keep moving forward.
Chelsea Hackett It has a high ceiling. I competed on Dana WhiteContender Series in 2020. Despite her loss, the kickboxing sensation was only 21 at the time. It was scheduled to compete in the PFL Rivalry Series, however, it had to withdraw from that series. She has a bright future, so keep an eye on Hackett. She will compete next August in the PFL.