On the Doorstep: 5 fighters who could make MMA big leagues with January wins

Every champion in MMA history started out somewhere.

For those who make it to the highest stage, the journey starts long before they strap on UFC or Bellator gloves. Modern-era fighters progress through the regional ranks with hopes of accomplishing the highest accolades. Many will try, but few will succeed.

This November, five fighters on the verge of achieving major-promotion notoriety return to the cage for what could be their stepping stone fights. There are dozens of fighters inches away from making the jump in the coming weeks, but these five are particularly exemplary.

This month:

• One of the top middleweights in Canada tries to catch the attention of major promotion matchmakers once again when he travels across the border to take on a fellow Dana White’s Contender Series alumnus.
• Deemed “The Future” by teammates and coaches, a highly-touted JacksonWink MMA product will take his biggest fight to date in his LFA return.
• Already on the UFC’s radar, a JacksonWink MMA bantamweight makes the shift up to 145 pounds after a failed weight cut on DWCS.
• A Canadian welterweight finisher takes on arguably his toughest test to date with the hope of punching his ticket to the big show.
• A 20-fight veteran who has cleared house on the regional scene hopes an LFA headline victory finally will earn him the call he’s long sought after.

Scroll through the following pages to see the five fighters who this month find themselves on the doorstep: