MMA Prospect Watch: The Most Impressive Fighters from November

By
Shawn Bitter
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Aviv Gozali vs. Zaka Fatullazade Credit: Bellator MMA

Lightweight, Aviv Gozali (4-0)

Israel native Aviv Gozali has had a big 2019 with three wins. This time out he beat an opponent who had much more experience with 22 fights. That didn’t matter to Gozali as he easily breezed past his foe in under a minute. From the bell, he swarmed with punches, kicks, and knees before catching a leg and getting the takedown. As his opponent worked back to his feet Gozal quickly locked in an anaconda choke. From there he rolled into mount and got the tap.
Grade: B

Flyweight, Carlos Mota (5-0)

Not a lot to go off on this fight, but Carlos Mota ran through George Martinez, who was also 4-0 at the time. The Brazilian made his US debut for LFA and found the finish in only 36 seconds. Both started off quick throwing heavy shots in the pocket. Mota would land a perfect body kick straight to the solar plexus. That immediately put Martinez down for the knockout win.
Grade: C+

Flyweight, Brandon Royval (10-4)

Factory X product Brandon Royval capitalized on his second attempt at LFA gold. Originally supposed to take on Jared Scoggins, a veteran of 47 fights, Nate Williams took this fight on short notice. Right from the bell, Royval dropped Williams with a perfectly placed lead knee. The momentum took Royval to his back. He really showed some amazing BJJ throwing up a triangle, to an omoplata, to the armbar on the opposite arm to finish. Legit grappling with a beautiful sequence.
Grade: A+

Heavyweight, Tafon Nchukwi (3-0)

Tafon Nchukwi made a huge impression stopping UFC development deal owner William Knight. Knight tried to get the takedown right away but Nchukwi showed perfect takedown defense. The fight mainly was in the clinch and Nchukwi landed a nasty spinning elbow then two short elbows or so, dropping Knight. Nchukwi landed a few more strikes and the ref stepped in. The stoppage was a bit early but I’ve seen way worse.
Grade: A

Flyweight, Denise Kielholtz (4-2)

Dutch kickboxer Denise Kieholtz improved her MMA record to .500 last month with her second submission win. Her opponent, Sabriye Sengül was making her MMA debt and is also a kickboxing specialist. Early at the bell, Kieholtz caught Sengul coming in with a right hand dropping the Turkish fighter. Kieholtz from there moved into the crucifix position and finished with the kimura.
Grade: B-

Welterweight, Troy Green (3-0)

Troy Green beat Lirim Rufati for the second straight time in November. The first time out he won a comfortable decision. This time he got the quick finish in round one. Rufati pushed the pace at the bell but Green clipped him with a right hand. Green followed up with a nasty uppercut for the Knockout win.
Grade: B-

Bantamweight, Leomana Martinez (6-1)

Leomana Martinez didn’t start off his fight too well, getting taken down early and held on his back for a bit. He did work back to his feet eventually and it was all Martinez from there.  Martinez dropped opponent David Rivera with a punch. With blood in the water he swarmed with looping shots to the head and body and even an uppercut dropping him for a second time. 51 seconds into round two, Martinez clipped Rivera and landed a left hook for the knockout win.
Grade: C+

Bantamweight, Yoo Soo Young (6-1)

South Korean Yoo Soo Young made his Pancrase debut and impressed with a 13-second finish. He pressured his opponent quickly against the cage. Young would land big straight power shots putting the man down, and on the way back up landed another heavy strike. Then it was all over.
Grade: C+

Featherweight, Mando Gutierrez (2-0)

My first time watching the Murcielago MMA product I was impressed with Mando Gutierrez. He started off the fight with a left head kick landing flush with shin to skull. His opponent would pull guard and as Gutierrez moved into mount he reversed and got on top. Gutierrez was able to just sit up and lock in a guillotine, re-gripped and his opponent tapped.
Grade: C+

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Lightweight, Milson Castro (12-3)

Milson Castro beat a top Russian prospect in Pavel Gordeev, who had a whole lot of momentum prior to this fight. This was a scrap too as both stayed standing the whole time and really let their hands fly for three straight rounds. It was back and forth but Castro was landing more, and the harder strikes. He seemed to hurt Pavel quite a few times. Castro was hit a lot too, but his chin held up.
Grade: B-

Flyweight, Santos Curatolo (4-0)

Santos Curatolo looked great here. Although his opponent was the bigger man, Curatolo rag-dolled him around bullying him at ease. He secured five takedowns in only 3:35 which is a nice feat. It’s when his opponent slipped to the mat when Curatolo jumped on the back and won with the RNC.
Grade: A

Lightweight, Nikolas Motta (11-3)

Nikolas Motta’s opponent Juan Gonzalez is a tough dude, frankly, because he took some big shots. In the first round, it was easily scored a 10-8 for Motta. He scored three takedowns all with his right hand. In round three, Motta dropped Gonzalez again but this time with a head kick. In the smaller moments, it was just Mota landing the single strikes and just out-landing Gonzalez.
Grade: C+

Bantamweight, Paul Capaldo (4-0)

Pauly C really won me over with this performance putting on a one-sided beating on his opponent. From the start of the fight to the finish, everything he threw was to put his opponent’s lights out. Leading with pure power, Capaldo was landing with some heavy leather behind his hands. A very perfectly set-up head kick dropped his opponent in round two. In round three though all the damage had built up and resulted in a big gash under the cheekbone of his foe, at which point the doctor stopped it. He looks to have a great future.
Grade: A+

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