With 3-0 UFC start, Mickey Gall 'on his way' to being a star

Although Mickey Gall is still young and largely unproven in the sport, UFC President Dana White likes what he sees out of the unbeaten welterweight prospect.

Gall (4-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) jumped on the UFC scene earlier this year when, at the right place and right time, he positioned himself as the debut opponent for WWE superstar turned MMA fighter Phil “CM Punk” Brooks. Before long, he became a fighter many people were familiar with.

Gall, 24, opened his year with a 45-second starching of Mike Jackson on the UFC Fight Pass-streamed preliminary card of UFC Fight Night 82 in February, securing his spot for a high-profile slot opposite the debuting Brooks.

In the fight, which was part of September’s UFC 203 pay-per-view lineup, Gall scored a dominant first-round submission victory to put himself on the map with not just hardcore fans, but casuals, as well.

Just moments after the win, Gall again called his shot by requesting a fight with Sage Northcutt. He got his wish in front of a network-television audience at UFC on FOX 22 earlier this month, and again took advantage of the opportunity by securing a second-round submission victory (check out his post-fight comments above).

Gall is far from beating top competition, but the way he’s put himself on the map in 2016 hasn’t gone unnoticed by UFC brass. In fact, White recently told ESPN’s “The Michael Kay Show” that Gall has the tools to be a solid draw for the company.

“I think he can be (a star),” White said. “We have a show on YouTube called ‘Dana White: Looking for a Fight,’ and we go out and look for this talent. That’s where we found both these kids (Gall and Northcutt), and they went out and fought each other the other night on FOX.

“Mickey Gall, that night I saw it in him. He came in, and he’s had three fights in the UFC, and all three of them are finishes. So he’s on his way.”

Gall has been near-flawless in his young UFC career. One possible misstep came after his UFC on FOX 22 win, though, when he chose to call out semi-retired former UFC title challenger Dan Hardy.

Hardy’s status as a fighter is largely unknown as the current UFC commentator and host attempts a comeback from medical issues, but “The Outlaw” told MMAFighting.com he’s largely uninterested in the matchup.

However, there are other options for Gall’s next fight, especially if he follows through on his announced plan to drop to lightweight. More than a hundred 155-pounder are on the UFC roster, and a number of them can help the prospect move up the ranks.

For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.