A member of the DWCS Class of ’21, Basharat earned a pair of victories in his rookie year in the UFC in 2022, and he looks to maintain his unbeaten record as he kicks off this year in a clash with Class of ’22 alum Mateus Mendonca.
The 27-year-old “Snow Leopard” struggled at times on the regional circuit to get fights because of his reputation as a top prospect, and showed why in his freshman year in the Octagon. After beating the aforementioned Trevin Jones in his debut, Basharat took a good step up in competition and defeated Tony Gravely in his second appearance of the year.
Basharat is well rounded and confident in every phase, happy to trade on the feet, battle in the clinch, or tangle on the ground. He’s at his best when he’s working in all three phases and keeping opponents guessing, and as he continues to garner more experience, a move towards the rankings is likely to follow.
Mendonca earned a contract with a statement win last fall on Dana White’s Contender Series, pushing his record to 10-0 with a 48-second finish of Ashiek Ajim. A member of the Chute Boxe Diego Lima camp, the 23-year-old should be well prepared to make the walk to the Octagon for the first time and, like Basharat, he carries the confidence of someone that has yet to taste defeat.
For Basharat, this is a quality test that will help ensure he’s the kind of high-upside fighter many forecast him to be. Mendonca isn’t someone to be taken lightly, and if Basharat can spoil his debut while handing him the first loss of his career, a further step-up should follow later in the year.
