There’s a whole lot of MMA all over the map this week, with Mexico, South Africa, Brazil, the U.S. Kazakhstan, and more hosting shows. All of which have some worthy prospects to check out. Our picks for the week are below!
Budo Sento Championship | Mexico | Thursday
Heavyweight, Jesus Navarrete (7-0)
Located in Maneadero, Baja California, Mexico, Navarrete is an underrated heavyweight prospect. Navarrete is a chubbier heavyweight but is talented enough to watch out for. The big man is a technical striker with a good jab and a lot of output. Navarrete will march forward throwing his hands and kicks. He’s got that Mexican toughness marching forward taking shots to give some. Not someone that’s going to knock the doors down right away, but he will put on some entertaining fights on the rise up. He fights Alejandro Solorzano (9-3).
Titan FC 74 | US | Friday
Bantamweight, Ryan Kuse (5-0)
Kuse is a young fighter with a lot of promise. On the feet, Kuse fights at distance with kicks and long punches. He’s just as good of a wrestler as he is a striker. Kuse has been dominant in top position and is smooth in transitions. His ground and pound is arguably his best weapon. He’s well-rounded but needs a step up in competition. Kuse fights Asa Ten Pow (1-0).
Flyweight, Victor Dias (10-2)
Brazil’s Victor Dias is the reigning Titan FC champion. It took a while before Dias hit his stride, winning by thin margins and losing close decision losses. It’s easy to tell that since training with American Top Team, he’s a more fearsome fighter. Dias is a black belt in BJJ and a national champion as well. A prospect with a high-level ground game is how you can sum up Dias. He fights Gaston Manzur (11-7).
Lightweight, Landon Quiñones (5-1-1)
Quinones fights for the first time after a year and a half layoff. He’s a good striker with a lot of good techniques. Quinones throws a good straight left. He mixes it up well using kicks going to the body and legs well. He’s shown solid TDD, which allows him to be more comfortable on the feet. He fights Myktybek Orolbay Uulu (6-1).
CES 66 | US | Friday
Welterweight, Billy Goff (5-2)
Despite a not-so-great-looking record, Goff is a bright prospect. Two years ago he lost two consecutively and now has won his last three. Goff can stand and bang, wrestle, grapple, and tough it out going three rounds. His toughness and grit is what’s usually unmatched. He hits hard and throws good output. Goff throws with a lot of weapons and can mix up his attacks. He could just be an action fighter but he does have some real skill. Goff fights Gary Balletto (7-2).
Featherweight, Connor Matthews (4-0)
Matthews trains out of Lauzon MMA with a ton of talented fighters. His first three pro fights he finished in under a minute. The longest he’s fought has been a little over two minutes. Matthews doesn’t waste time taking the fight to his opponent. Sometimes it’s even his foes coming forward and walking into a punch or knee from him. When Matthews gets it to the mat his ground and pound is really good and he has three submissions. Just still really green right now. He fights Christopher Piriz (7-7).
Cage Warriors 133 | US | Friday
Lightweight, Kyle Driscoll (12-3)
Driscoll fought and won on the Contender Series two seasons ago. He didn’t leave with a contract and this is his first fight since. I do worry that Driscoll is one-dimensional but his wrestling is really good. He can telegraph his shots but has the ability to chain wrestle which helps a lot. He has good ground and pound and an overall smothering ground game. I’m not sold on him but he’s on a roll for a reason. He fights Joshua Jones (11-5).
Featherweight, Damon Wilson (4-0)
Wilson is only 3-0 but his last two fights he’s impressed me a lot. Wilson is a good striker that throws a lot of output from a lot of looks. He throws a lot of combinations from different angles. Not just output because if he catches you slipping Wilson will shut the lights off. Wilson is still green but his striking to me has been so impressive. He fights Ryan Fillingame (6-4).
Naiza FC 37 | Kazakhstan | Saturday
Welterwight, Serik Razgaliev (7-1)
Since taking his sole loss in 2019, Razgaliev hasn’t lost since winning five in a row. Razgaliev is a better grappler than anything. To complement his ground game, he wrestles very well. Once he gets it to the mat, he’s a proven finisher. Usually, it’s his ground and pound that open up the submission spots. He fights Dhouglas Ribeiro (10-5).
EFC 92 | South Africa | Saturday
Bantamweight, Cameron Saaiman (3-0)
Saaiman is a young bright prospect who is a protege of UFC fighter Dricus Du Plessis. Saaiman is so comfortable on the feet with his creative striking and diverse kickboxing while having really light movement. He will make it seem like he’s only a kickboxer before changing levels for a takedown. Saaiman is a really talented grappler who constantly hunts to end the fight. His ground and pound and RNC is Jean Matsumotohis best weapon on the mat. Hew fights Roevan De Beer (4-4).
FPC 1 | Brazil | Saturday
Bantamweight, Jean Matsumoto (9-0)
Matsumoto is a well-rounded Brazilian who has looked great at the age of just 22. On the feet, his output/volume is a highlight. Jean is always throwing in volume usually throwing a one-two followed by a leg kick. Not just a one-two though — Matsumoto will fire hook after hook while ripping the body. Putting together punches, leg kicks, and body shots is something he does very well. With how good he is on the feet, he’s looked even better on the mat. Matsumoto only has three submissions but is a big threat always looking for them. Especially the anaconda choke, which is one of his go-to’s. He throws very good active ground and pound and that mixed in with solid jiu-jitsu makes him a huge threat. He fights Luan Matheus (13-6-1).
ACA 137 | Russia | Sunday
Light-heavyweight, Grigor Matevosyan (9-2)
Matevosyan is an underrated 205’er born in Armenia. He dropped his first two pro MMA fights and since then has won his next nine fights. Matevosyan will march forward with heavy attacks. He has good kickboxing with chopping leg kicks and will go high as well. He’s really good in the clinch and very good when breaking from the clinch. Matevosyan does need work with takedown defense but at least he’s always been able to fight his way back. He has a good gas tank which has made a big difference in his career. He fights Muslim Magomedov (10-0).
Light-heavyweight, Muslim Magomedov (10-0)
Despite not offering much on the feet, Magomed is an excellent wrestler. His timing on his shots is fine and the way he shoots so low makes his execution near-perfect. The work he does on top is his best aspect. He has a good top position and his ground and pound is strong, active, and lands hard. He fights Grigor Matevosyan (9-2).
Featherweight, Mehdi Baidulaev (12-2)
Baidulaev is a volume striker on the feet but is a much better wrestler and grappler. His wrestling is really good. Being able to shoot in and cut the corner and get the body lock and throw guys around. Baidulaev has five submission wins – attacking the neck is what he does very well. If it’s in a guillotine, d’arce, and taking the back for the RNC he goes for the neck. He fights Walter Pereira Jr. (17-6).
