While the UFC has the biggest show this weekend, KSW, LFA, ONE Championship and other promotions are in action. Which means our weekly MMA prospect report is back! Keep an eye on Denice Zamboanga, in ONE Championship, plus heavyweight Mohammed Usman, competing for Titan FC — and whose brother is UFC welterweight champ Kamaru Usman.
OFC 9 | Thursday | Ecuador
Featherweight, Aaron Cañarte (3-0)
Canarte is undefeated as a pro and went undefeated as an amateur going 5-0. Outside of MMA, Canarte has competed in kickboxing fighting for WGP. He has lights out power in his hands and some heavy kicks as well. Canarte has a 100% finish rate with his last two wins by submission. He’s well-versed on the feet throwing together kicks and punches together. I’m not fully sold on him due to his lack of competition but his technical ability is good enough to keep an eye on. He fights Jhonatan Gallardo (1-0).
ONE Championship | Friday | US
Strawweight: Denice Zamboanga (6-0)
On the feet, Denice Zamboanga is consistent with pressure and output. She has a good right hand and is very accurate with her straight strikes. The jiu-jitsu of Zamboanga is just as good. Her takedown defense has been getting better and off her back, she’s shown to be very hard to keep still. Zamboanga’s last win was a dominant one against Mei Yamaguchi which was very impressive. She fights Watsyapinya Kaewkhong (0-0).
Babilon MMA 15 | Friday | Poland
Welterweight, Daniel Skibiński (15-5)
Since a pair of losses in mid-2016, Skibinski has won his next nine fights. Outside of MMA, he was an ADCC Polish Championship in 2019 and won gold in No-Gi in Poland. Skibinski has strong wrestling with heavy top control. He’s a grinder with a good gas tank going the distance in ten of his wins. Lately, he’s been facing solid fighters with a combined record of 73-21-2 in his last five fights. He fights Kirill Medvedovski (12-7).
Light heavyweight, Łukasz Sudolsk (6-0)
There’s hardly any tape available on Sudolsk. Of what I have seen, he is worth a mention. Sudolsk right off the bat is aggressive. He has good leg kicks and hits hard. He seems to be a good wrestler too with some heavy ground and pound. I’m not sold on him as of yet due to the lack of footage. He fights Mario Žgela (4-1).
Featherweight, Dawid Śmiełowski (6-0)
Smielowski is contracted at featherweight but has competed mainly in catchweight bouts. Either way he’s a big fighter standing at 5’10” — especially at featherweight. Smielowski is a highlight-reel fighter. He has a 100% finish rate with 4 KO/TKO victories and two submissions. Among those wins, he has finished with a bulldog choke, a flying knee, and a head kick. Smielowski, being a tall, rangy fighter is a solid kickboxer. And while he can be technical, he’s a showman, throwing caution to the wind always looking for the kill shot. His takedown defense does need work but even off his back he’s shown to be at least promising. Smielowski does have improved grappling and at only 24 he has a high ceiling. He fights Hubert Sulewski (3-1).
MMA Festival | Friday | Russia
Lightweight, Alexander Shabliy (19-3)
Shabliy, although violent, is an efficient counter fighter, reacting well to his opponents’ advances. His takedowns generally happen when his opponents try a takedown themselves, but he overpowers and throws them to the mat. On the feet, he is calm but he brings the heat when needed, and if he catches his competition then he will try his best to end the fight, whether that be with his strikes or knees. Shabliy is an intelligent fighter that makes very few mistakes. He’s one of the best prospects out of Russia.
Light-heavyweight, Artur Aliskerov (8-0)
I’m not fully sold on Aliskerov as he has a lot of glaring holes. His cardio needs a lot of work as the longer the fight goes he gets even sloppier than he already is. On the feet, he is wild but does have heavy leg kicks. He has decent wrestling and on top is where he wants to be, as he has solid ground and pound. He fights Armen Petrosyan (2-0).
Titan FC 63 | Friday | US
Heavyweight, Mohammed Usman (6-1)
Usman certainly has hype behind him as he is a natural athlete, playing football growing up parallel to being a top wrestler in his high school. Mohammed is the younger brother of UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman so athleticism and the talent run in the family. With each fight, he’s getting better and better. Usman is a guy who you don’t want on top of you. While his wrestling struggled in the past he’s gotten better. He’s still raw but has potential. He fights Terrance Hodges (2-6).
LFA 89 | Friday | US
Lightweight, Brant Moore (7-1)
Moore first jumped out to me when he beat a good prospect in Nation Gibrick last November. He has experience in grappling and as a pro boxer. His last two fights have been good showings for LFA. Moore is good on the feet but his grappling is game-changing. He fights former TUF fighter and UFC fighter, Joe Giannetti (9-2-1).
Welterweight, Adrian Hadribeaj (10-1)
Hadribeaj fights at a Karate stance which helps keep distance and uses an array of striking attacks. Not surprising as he is a National Karate Champion. He is fast with his hands and is reminiscent of Sage Northcutt with his stand-up. He can drop you with anything and while his leg kicks are more dangerous, he usually finishes with his hands. Going five rounds five times says a lot and is a big plus. Hadribeaj has a win against current UFC fighter Kyle Nelson. He fights a very tough Demarques Jackson (10-4).
Welterweight, Tyler Ray (6-1)
Ray is a wrestler who has excellent control and cardio going the distance if need be. On the feet, he’s still a bit green but is improving. Ray does have good head movement and a good one-two. He’s far more comfortable just taking the fight down to land ground and pound or taking the neck for the submission. He fights Steve Jones (6-1).
KSW 54 | Saturday | Poland
Lightweight, Mateusz Gamrot (16-0)
Outside of MMA, Gamrot has won the ADCC European Championships and won a gold medal at the Polish Championships in BJJ twice. Gamrot has beaten former UFC fighters Norman Parke (twice) and Andre Winner but has some good wins over stiff competition in general. He’s more of a smart striker than he is a dynamic striker. He is very good at throwing feints, he switches stances a lot which is difficult for an opponent, and he covers distance very well. He has good qualities on the feet but his wrestling is much better— even more so his ground and pound. He fights Marian Ziółkowski (21-7-1).
