Heavyweight, Batradz Gazzaev (3-0)
Pros
- Excellent wrestling
- Active smashing ground and pound
- Heavy top position
- Relentless
Cons
- Stands squared
Gazzaev started his MMA journey just last July and is a bit older. With that said, this is heavyweight and it’s okay to start later in life. He still had a lot of experience as a wrestler. He was a junior champion and a Russian national champion in 2013. A really good background in freestyle wrestling and had some really good success.
In his three MMA fights, Gazzaev has dominated bell to bell. Getting early takedowns, dominating top position, and landing constant ground and pound until the ref steps in. To get the fight down as soon as possible has been the story. So far, his striking hasn’t been tested to see how he fares if he can’t get the takedown. He’ll throw looping strikes to close the distance to work the takedown. Gazzaev isn’t a guy you want closing the distance on you. He’s extremely physical just bullying grown men on their back.
Gazzaev is one-dimensional but with that background, it’s expected. What’s more overpowering than his wrestling is his top work landing big grounded punches. Gazzaev still has a lot of uncertainties. He’s a big guy that carries a lot of muscle and the longest he’s fought has been almost seven minutes. There is a good chance his cardio may not hold up as the fight goes. Also the obvious; how will he look when he can’t get the takedown. It will happen too because his footwork isn’t the best.
To me, wrestling is the best background to bring into MMA. With that said, you have to round out your craft and Gazzaev is still raw. Some promise but lets see how he looks in three more fights from now.
