Top Finnish MMA Fighters in 2026: The Tier List (and Who’s Rising Fast)

If you cover combat sports for Fightful, Finland is one of those scenes that quietly reloads every few years. The household names don’t always stick around at the very top, but the next wave tends to arrive with sharper coaching, better international matchmaking, and, crucially, more places to prove it at home before taking the big leap.

Two recent developments make 2026 feel like a “show me” year for Finnish MMA:

• The continued rise of domestic spotlight events like Ice Cage Fighting in Espoo, which have started pairing Finnish prospects with recognizable international veterans (the kind of test that actually means something).
• The launch of Immun Fight Club in Helsinki, which is literally billing MMA and boxing on the same card perfect for a modern fight fan audience that flips between gloves and cages without blinking. 

What follows is a 2026 tier list built for right now: recent performance, level of competition, momentum, and realistic “next step” potential.

How this tier list works

A tier list can’t be just “who’s famous.” For 2026, the grading here is based on:

• Level proven: UFC/Cage Warriors/UAE Warriors-level results carry more weight than squashy regional streaks.
• Current momentum: last 18–24 months matters most.
• Skill set that travels: wrestling depth, defensive layers, cardio, and finishing ability against resistance.
• Path clarity: does the next move look realistic (Contender Series, bigger European shows, major signings)?

S Tier: “International-ready right now”

Abdul Hussein

If you want one Finnish fighter who looks built for a fast promotion jump, it’s Hussein. The clearest signal wasn’t hype, it was the type of opponent and the way he handled it: he stopped former UFC veteran Tyson Nam via first-round KO/TKO at ICF 6 in late 2025. That’s the kind of clean, violent punctuation that changes how matchmakers talk about you.

Why he’s S-tier in 2026:

• He’s getting credible tests and passing them decisively.
• His finish rate and composure read like a fighter who can handle step-ups without needing a “perfect matchup.”

What to watch next: international placement. If he lands in a high-visibility pipeline (regional-to-major), Finland suddenly has a legitimate “next UFC” storyline again.

Olli Santalahti

Santalahti’s case is simple: he’s been living in tough matchmaking and showing he belongs there. His odds history tells the story of a fighter who’s been both trusted and doubted against strong opposition, and kept taking those fights anyway.

Why he’s S-tier in 2026:

• Proven willingness to fight “real” opponents on big regional stages.
• The kind of experience that makes a fighter dangerous when a major opportunity appears late-notice.

What to watch next: a 2026 run that strings results together, because that’s what turns “respected” into “signed.”

A Tier: “High ceiling, but one big proof point away”

Omran Chaaban

Chaaban has the profile of a fighter who can jump tiers quickly, especially if 2026 gives him a high-visibility win. He’s also connected to the new domestic spotlight: the Immun Fight Club site lists him scheduled for a pro MMA bout on the March 2026 card, which matters because it keeps him in front of an audience while the scene expands.

He’s also had a mixed odds history, sometimes a confident favorite, sometimes the price swings hard, which is usually what happens when the market sees real variance in style matchups.

What moves him to S-tier: a clean win in a “step-up” fight where there’s no easy narrative excuse.

Makwan Amirkhani

Amirkhani is still the reference point for many casual fans because of his UFC tenure and the fact that Finnish MMA didn’t have many global staples at that level. In a 2026 list, he’s less about “who’s next” and more about “who still draws attention and sets a bar.”

Why he’s A-tier:

• Top-level experience is a rare commodity in the Finnish pool
• Even when he isn’t in a title picture, his name shapes how international fans frame Finnish MMA.

What to watch next: whether he becomes a springboard opponent for the new wave (or finds a late-career surge in a different organization).

Henri Lintula

Lintula sits in the sweet spot for a “quiet riser”: credible regional experience, a skill set that can translate, and the kind of fight-to-fight growth that turns into a breakout with the right 2026 matchup.

Why he’s A-tier:

• He’s close enough to the edge of international relevance that one strong run changes everything.

What to watch next: a fight that answers the question: can he consistently impose his best path against a higher-caliber opponent?

B Tier: “Risers, specialists, and names to bookmark”

Sani Brännfors

Brännfors is a strong “watch list” name because women’s MMA pipelines reward momentum quickly—one or two standout performances can accelerate opportunity. She also appears on the ICF 6 results card, which keeps her in the domestic spotlight and on the record.

Eemil Kurhela

Kurhela is exactly the kind of fighter you want to track early: active, accumulating rounds, and building the kind of record that can turn into a 2026–2027 breakout if the matchmaking steps up at the right time.

Minna Grusander

Grusander belongs in the “recognizable, proven, but dependent on activity” bucket. If she stays active and gets the right platform, she can jump tiers; if not, she remains an important name for context and legacy.

Mikael Silander

Silander is more “scene significance” than “2026 momentum,” but a tier list without him loses historical truth. Fighters like him shaped the Finnish ladder that today’s prospects climb.

The odds lens, who the market has trusted most

Odds aren’t a pure “who’s best” ranking. They’re a snapshot of matchup expectations based on public information, opponent quality, and how confident bookmakers feel setting a line. Still, the pattern is useful: if a Finnish fighter keeps closing as a big favorite, the market is essentially saying, “this athlete should win, by a lot.”

Here’s what jumps out when you look at recent, widely posted lines:

• Abdul Hussein has repeatedly appeared as a heavy favorite in UAE Warriors matchups (for example, closing in extremely lopsided territory like -2000 and even -3333 in different fights). That kind of number usually signals a perceived gap in class, not just popularity.
• Omar Tugarev shows a similar pattern, including a UAE Warriors line that reached -3333, plus competitive pricing in Cage Warriors – evidence he’s being matched in both “expected to win” and “prove it” contexts.
• Olli Santalahti is priced more like a seasoned pro in tough fights: sometimes favored (e.g., -333 to -410 ranges), sometimes an underdog – exactly what you expect when matchmaking is legitimately difficult.
• Omran Chaaban has been both a notable favorite (e.g., -550) and on the other side of sharper swings—suggesting the market sees real volatility based on opponent style.

Now for the Finland-specific “how fans actually fund fight night” angle.

A lot of Finnish-facing gambling content emphasizes the comfort of familiar bank rails – plain online banking transfers, because they feel straightforward and trustworthy. That’s the same psychological lane as backing a “safe” favorite: people like clarity. The “bank transfer” logic is spelled out clearly in Finnish casino guides that stress verkkopankki as the long-running default because it’s widely accessible and trusted.

Finnish fight fans often prefer payment methods that feel as predictable as a well-priced favorite, and that’s where bank transfers still stand out. Liisa Heikkilä, a betting and iGaming researcher and writer, notes that for many sports bettors the simplest way to keep deposits and withdrawals organized is to stick with a verkkopankki casino, especially when you’re moving between MMA and boxing markets on the same platform and want a clear trail in your online banking. Liisa Heikkilä works on CasinoHEX’s Finnish localisation at NettiCasinoHEX.

Important note: Odds move, and they’re not a promise. They reflect perception, information, and liquidity at a moment in time – not destiny.

The 2026 calendar storyline: Finland is building its own spotlight

The most interesting meta-story isn’t just individual talent – it’s infrastructure.

• Immun Fight Club is staging a March 2026 event in Helsinki that mixes pro boxing and pro MMA on one bill, and lists a Chaaban fight on the card. That’s a modern, social-friendly format that can amplify domestic names faster than old-school regional shows.
• Meanwhile, Cage MMA Finland remains a pillar of local matchmaking volume – important because consistent domestic competition is how prospects get rounds without stalling.

Wrap-up: Finland’s 2026 tier list in one breath

• S-tier: Abdul Hussein, Olli Santalahti
• A-tier: Omran Chaaban, Makwan Amirkhani, Henri Lintula
• B-tier / Watch list: Sani Brännfors, Eemil Kurhela, Minna Grusander, Mikael Silander.