Two years ago, we took a look at the top five prospects in MMA, nation by nation. This year, we’re back with another look at some of the best up-and-coming talents in the business.
For this instalment, we head to the Great White North. Canada has produced a number of MMA champions over the years: Carlos Newton (UFC), Georges St-Pierre (UFC), Rory MacDonald (Bellator), Julia Budd (Bellator), Sarah Kaufman (Strikeforce/Invicta FC) and more.
Our original Scouting the Globe series singled out five Canadian talents:
- TJ Laramie who was signed to the UFC but went 0-2 and is now a free agent.
- Christien Savoie lost and hasn’t fought since November 2020.
- Malcolm Gordon who is signed with the UFC and is 2-2 for them.
- Jamie Siraj who has been sidelined due to major health issues.
- Jasmine Jasudavicius who is signed with the UFC and 2-1 for the promotion.
Let’s take a look at who has been shining on the Canadian scene since then.
Lightweight, Anthony Romero (11-1)
Romero has had an interesting career over the last two years. He fought on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2020, and although he was dominant, he wasn’t awarded a contract in the end.
He had a setback last year, but has since won his last two. He’s 11-1 as a pro and went 9-1 as an amateur. So he’s 20-2 combined with multiple regional titles. Romero is a Taekwondo black belt and a world IBJJF bronze medallist. Romero is extremely well-rounded. He has excellent wrestling, a good ground game, is very technical on the feet, and has a great gas tank. In his last outing, he won with a highlight-reel flying knee knockout. He deserves a big-time break for a big promotion.
