On the Doorstep: 5 fighters who could make UFC or Bellator with February 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, few will succeed.

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

This month:

• A Brazilian finisher who is flying grossly under the radar looks to punch his ticket to the big show with another win.
• A Tajikistani lightweight who impressed Dana White this past summer hopes a Titan FC title will be enough to get the wheels turning on a UFC career.
• A confident bantamweight who cut one of the most memorable promos in Dana White’s Contender Series history looks to back up his talk once again.
• One of Brazil’s best kept secrets, a high-energy flyweight thinks it’s inevitable he’ll get to the UFC – and LFA title gold is going to help him get there.
• A dark horse flyweight prospect hopes a 90 percent winning accuracy coupled with an LFA championship catches a major promotion’s eye.