Yahoo Sports Fresh Ink: Meet the 5 fighters the UFC signed in May 2023
The UFC roster is bigger than ever – and it continues to expand.
Fresh faces appear on nearly every card, whether onboarded as short-notice opening fillers, Dana White’s Contender Series signees, or the increasingly rare straight-up additions. Sometimes, it’s hard to keep track of the hustle and bustle of the mixed martial arts news beat, but here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got you covered.
“Fresh Ink” is your list of fighters added to the UFC roster the previous month and provides background on who they are and where they came from.
Check out the May 2023 list below.
Felipe Bunes
Muin Gafurov
Record when signed: 18-4
Signing type: Short notice
Weight class: Bantamweight
Age: 27
Debut: Saturday vs. John Castaneda (19-6 MMA, 2-2 UFC) at UFC on ESPN 45 in Las Vegas
A veteran of ONE Championship, ACA, and Dana White’s Contender Series, Muin Gafurov makes his UFC debut in his 23rd professional fight. One of two Tajikistani fighters to join the roster in May 2023, Gafurov enters his debut with three wins in his most recent four outings. The lone loss in the stretch was a split decision defeat to Chad Anheliger on DWCS.
Diego Lopes
Record when signed: 21-6
Signing type: Short notice
Weight class: Featherweight
Age: 28
Debut: May 6 loss to Movsar Evloev (17-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) at UFC 288 in Newark, N.J.
For years, Diego Lopes has awaited the UFC call. When it finally came, the terms were difficult: a UFC 288 bout vs. ranked Movsar Evloev on four days’ notice. The jiu-jitsu coach of UFC champion Alexa Grasso, Lopes stepped up to the test. Despite a unanimous decision loss, Lopes impressed observers with not only his toughness but his ability to put Evloev in some bad spots. The loss snapped a two-fight winning streak for Lopes, but gained him a lot of respect from fans as well as UFC president Dana White, who gave him his win money and a $50,000 Fight of the Night bonus.
Muhammadjon Naimov
Record when signed: 8-2
Signing type: Short notice
Weight class: Flyweight
Age: 28
Debut: Saturday vs. Jamie Mullarkey (16-5 MMA, 4-3 UFC) at UFC on ESPN 45 in Las Vegas
The second Tajikistani fighter to sign with the UFC in May 2023, Muhammadjon Naimov called his shot even before he entered the UFC conversation in 2020. Although he lost a “Dana White’s Contender Series” bout vs. Collin Anglin in 2020, Naimov returned to the drawing board and went 3-1 thereafter including three straight victories prior to his UFC signing. A brutal 34-second head kick of Dylan Schulte at Tuff-N-Uff 131 in March officially pushed him through the threshold and into the UFC for his short notice debut Saturday in Las Vegas.
Ketlen Souza
Record when signed: 13-3
Signing type: Straight up
Weight class: Flyweight
Age: 27
Debut: Saturday vs. Karine Silva (15-4 MMA, 1-0 UFC) at UFC on ESPN 45 in Las Vegas
It’s been a big year for Brazil’s Ketlen Souza. In January, she won the Invicta FC flyweight title with a victory over Bellator alum Kristina Williams. In May, Souza signed a UFC deal. She enters the promotion on a five-fight winning streak. Nine of her 13 professional wins have come inside the distance.
