Democratic Republic of Congo
You wouldn’t think Congo would have some prospects to choose from but there were a handful. The obvious choice was the exciting Eliezer Kubanza (4-0). Footage of his professional fights was hard to come by but he was a highly regarded amateur. Kubanza was a two-time IMMAF Africa Championships gold medalist. There are some questions about his ground game but on the feet, his striking is the real deal.
Croatia
There never may be the stature of a fighter representing Croatia like Mirko Cro Cop but Đani Barbir (6-0) is the closest. Barbir is a quality fighter but has suffered from inactivity only fighting twice in three years. On the feet, he looks good. He has good footwork, good kickboxing, quick hand speed, and a fire one-two he throws. Babir is athletic and explosive, as he has shown so far in his career. He hasn’t really displayed too much on that wrestling side, but his grappling is good, especially in scrambles. Still very green but I have a hunch he’s going to be a good one.
Cuba
Ernesto Rodriguez (7-1) has big shoes to fill as Cuba has had fighters like Hector Lombard and Yoel Romero represented in the UFC. Cuba has a few powerhouses but Rodriguez stands out the most. Rodriguez is one-dimensional with his wrestling but can be because he’s so good in that area. He can wrestle at a constant pace for three rounds getting takedowns consistently. Rodriguez isn’t much of a threat with his submission base but does do good at controlling position. His only loss is to Richie Lewis and has won five in a row.
