Sherdog’s Top 10: Rising Stars, 2015 First Edition

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7. Elias Theodorou
Division: Middleweight
Record: 11-0 (3-0 UFC)
Age: 27

The winner of “The Ultimate Fighter Nations,” Theodorou has all the makings of Canada’s next breakthrough fighter. The Great White North has been one of MMA’s hottest markets for the better part of the last decade, largely on the strength of Georges St. Pierre’s transcendent run as king of the UFC welterweight division, and since his departure, the country has been hungry for a replacement. Theodorou could be that man, with his mixture of skills, attitude and a savvy understanding of what makes an entertainer marketable in this day and age.

A former male model and actor, Theodorou’s good looks, skill on the mic and presence could take him a long way. Add to that a degree in creative advertising, and it is clear that the Canadian knows how to market and brand himself. None of that would truly matter, however, if he were not a tough and aggressive fighter. Theodorou is quick, athletic and mean, with the kind of pace and cardio that wear down his opponents over the course of the fight and lead to devastating finishes as they tire.

The middleweight division is aging rapidly. A self-aware and sharp fighter with legitimate skills both in and out of the cage will be well-suited to take advantage of that, and Theodorou will get his shot at the elite sooner rather than later.

Number 6 » The skills are real -- he boasts an outstanding pressure game and slick transitional acumen -- and so is the athleticism, but welterweight is the right division for him. Unless he gets his weight under control, he will be hamstrung at middleweight by a lack of size.