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Seven Swedish fighters we want to see debut during UFC Sweden 2023!
The UFC seems to be returning to Sweden and that means that fans more or less can expect the promotional debuts of several Swedish fighters! It was UFC president Dana White himself who admitted that the promotion are looking to return to Sweden for the first time since 2019.
As of now there are no certain dates or fighters confirmed however former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman has opened up to the possibility of facing Swedish powerhouse Khamzat Chimaev in Stockholm.
Here’s our list of eight Swedish fighters that we’d love to see make their first walk to the world famous octagon during UFC Sweden 2023!
Felipe Lima
Photo by Stefan Romare/Frontkick.online
Swedish-Brazilian phenom Felipe ”D’Ouro” Lima (11-1) lost his pro debut but has stayed in the win column since. He is the epitome of youthful vigor and excitement as he fights like someone who is gunning for a performance bonus. With an exciting, aggressive fighting style Lima would be a welcome addition to the already stacked UFC bantamweight division.
”D’Ouro” burst onto the Scandinavian MMA scene with an eye-opening win over Farbod Nezhad in the summer of 2020 and has since followed up with dominant wins over Fernando Flores and Evgeny Odnorog. He has also been booked for Road to the UFC but alas, his opponent pulled out.
Lima has a fight scheduled in Oktagon but could see himself inside the UFC’s octagon later this year.
Tobias Harila
Tobias Harila. Photo: Stefan Romare
Fiery featherweight Tobias ”Bad Intenion” Harila (11-3) has undoubtedly been on the UFC’s radar for the last few years. After his spectacular win over Adam Westlund (in what some see as the best Swedish MMA fight ever) Harila signed with Cage Warriors and while not every fight has gone the Swede’s way he has proven himself to be exactly what the UFC wants: a young, exciting fighter who isn’t picky and wants to fight often, who brings a bit of showmanship with him both outside and inside the cage.
Harila has been booked to face undefeated Irishman Ryan Shelley at Cage Warriors 153 later this month and a win there may very well seal the deal for ”Bad Intention”.
Harila stalks forward like Jason Voorhees from the Friday the 13th series and carves a bloody swathe through the competition (most of the time). His brutal finishes of Damon Wilson and Aiden Stephen in Cage Warriors as well as his bloody beating of Rafael Macedo, are more or less what fans can expect of Harila if he gets to the UFC.
Bartosz Wojcikiewicz
Foto: Stefan Romare/Frontkick.online
For quite some time Bartosz ”The Destroyer” Wojcikiewicz (9-1) was one of MMA Sweden’s best-kept secrets, but now he’s one of the rising stars. While his nickname may lead one to believe that he is simply a brute, Wojcikiewicz is an extremely well-rounded, intelligent and tactical fighter who knows when to turn up the intensity.
So far Wojcikiewicz’s lone loss came via decision at the hands of current PFL fighter Kenji Bortoluzzi, but that truly seems like one of the best learning experiences that ”The Destroyer” could have gotten. Since then he has bounced back with a dominant win over respected opposition in the form of Brazilian Carlos Abreu and another win at Superior Challenge 25 this may could secure a spot in the premiere MMA promotion in the world.
Josefine Knutsson
Photo by Fight Club Rush / Stev Bonhage
The fact that flyweight Josefine ”Thunder” Knutsson (5-0) isn’t already in the UFC is truly baffling. The consensus of pretty much everyone who has seen her fight is that she can already comfortably defeat at least one third of the UFC’s women’s flyweight roster. She’s a three time Swedish Muay Thai champion, a world Muay Thai Champ, K-1 champ – and that’s just to name a few credentials.
She’s already bulldozed former Ultimate Fighter contestant Lanchana Green and dominated Seo Ye Dam in Road to the UFC. It’s time to stop dillydallying, the weather forecast calls for ”Thunder” in the octagon.
Andreas Gustafsson
Photo by Stefan Romare/Frontkick
After a two year hiatus Andreas ”Bane” Gustafsson (8-1) returned and did so with the wrath of someone making up for lost time. He is currently booked for Fight Club Rush 16 on June third and the UFC’s supposed return to Sweden should follow not long after. If ”Bane” emerges unscathed then he would make a great addition to the UFC’s welterweight division.
With a solid background in wrestling Gustafsson is a true powerhouse, physically imposing and a real no-nonsense fighter who prefers to let his fists to the talking. So far he holds notable wins over former UFC fighter Amilcar Alves, Serbian standout Miro Jurkovic and Czech prospect David Hosek.
Currently sitting on a two fight win streak, a third victory (specially a finish) might be all Gustafsson needs to punch his ticket to the UFC.
Samuel Bark
Photo Stefan Romare – Frontkick
Since his pro debut in October of 2021 Samuel ”Sammon Decker” Bark (8-2) has been like a wildfire, moving rapidly and scorching most of the competition.
Debuting with a flying knee KO over Baysangur Makaev that was equal parts vicious and impressive Bark has continued to secure impressive wins and went 7-1 last year! Fighting like he knows of an asteroid that is set to collide with the earth in the coming months, Bark has made it clear that he wants to get to the UFC and he is perfect for the promotion. A multiple time Muay Thai champ with fantastic takedown defense and a definite killer instinct, he would be perfect for the UFC featherweight division.
Bark took a gamble in his most recent outing, losing to Losene Keita via TKO, but with wins over Tobias Harila, Manny Akpan, Orando Wilson Prins ”Sammon Decker” could easily get back in the win column and being a new win streak sooner rather than later.
Bernardo Sopai
Photo Stefan Romare
Last but certainly not least we have Fight Club Rush’s current bantamweight champion; Bernardo ”The Lion King” Sopai (10-2). Young, good-looking, charismatic, energetic and about as well-rounded as one could get, Sopai is destined for the UFC.
Turning heads with a one-sided pounding of previously undefeated Canadian kickboxer Tariq Ismail, Sopai now holds two straight knockout wins. First he finished Karlen Minasian to win the FCR title and made his first defense with a brutal one punch KO of Frenchman Julien Lopez in a sequence that went mot viral than a zombie infection.
There’s a good chance that Sopai makes another title defense in June, which could be all he needs to secure a spot in the UFC.