Gurule was in search of his first UFC win after dropping a pair of fights,while fellow LFA alum Coria had won his own debut.

Coria worked from the outside in round one, with Gurule holding center and looking to crash forward. When he did, he’d cover up, with a fair amount of feeling out in the first half of the frame. In the back half, Gurule came forward with a two-punch combination, closed the distance, and clinched up. Coria would reverse, getting Gurule’s back to the fence. They came off the cage and separated, with Coria firing a knee to the body. A quick scramble didn’t see the pair on the ground long enough in the final minute to really count. A lot of data mined in the first five minutes, with the fight very much up in the air.

Round two got a little more scrappy closing in on the midway mark. Punches exchanged. A kick to the body. Coria went high with a kick that was blocked. Gurule fired lefts and rights. Coria connected with a nicely placed uppercut. A takedown attempt by Gurule in the final minute saw Coria instead come out on top. He briefly flashed a guillotine, and finished the round in side control.

Coria looked to be feeling himself early in rough three, pumping his jab and landing a takedown with ease. That would set the standard for the round. Coria had a lot of good moments, got his uppercut going again, and slowly put surely pulled ahead in the round, in a fight he was almost certainly on his way to winning.

Official Result: Alden Coria def. Luis Gurule by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

The post Alden Coria Improves to 2-0 in UFC With Win Over Luis Gurule appeared first on Cageside Press.

An LFA veteran, Coria was replacing Edgar Chairez in the bout, after Chairez broke his leg ahead of the fight.

The fight opened with both men trading heavy outside leg kicks. Coria quickly established superior footwork, switching stances and using feints effectively. He landed a sharp one-two on Costa and slipped away as Costa countered, showcasing his composure. Costa connected with a big overhand, but Coria stayed calm, keeping his jab active and moving out of range. Early on, Coria’s technical edge was clear—while Costa was loading up on big shots, Coria was reading everything and responding efficiently. A crisp jab throughout the round kept Costa’s attacks in check and targeted the leg kicks, making it a very clean round for the newcomer.

In round two, Coria returned to the jab before catching Costa as he stepped in, securing an easy bodylock takedown. On the ground, Coria stayed comfortable, mixing body and head strikes while Costa scrambled with his legs and hip positioning to regain footing. During a clinch, Costa executed a kimura sweep to roll Coria and take the back, threatening with a rear-naked choke. Yet Coria remained calm, turning toward Costa to regain top position and finish the round with damaging ground-and-pound.

Round three saw Costa likely needing a finish, but an apparent foot injury hindered him. Coria pressed forward confidently, pinning Costa against the cage. When Costa attempted a poor takedown, Coria stepped back and unleashed a punishing combination along the fence, breaking Costa down and forcing the referee to step in.

Official Result: Alden Coria def. Alessandro Costa by TKO (punches), round 3, 0:47

The post Alden Coria Stuns Alessandro Costa with Breakout Win at Noche UFC appeared first on Cageside Press.

Alden “Cobra” Coria
Standing at five-foot-eight
Fighting at 125 lbs (flyweight)
27-years-old
Fighting out of Houston, Texas, US
Training out of 4oz. Fight Club
A pro record of 10-3, 1 NC
4 KO/TKOs, 4 Submissions’

Always good to see the UFC add talent at flyweight, arguably the most stacked division on the roster currently. Coria is a fighter who had his path to the promotion stalled early, dropping tough fights and going 2-3 over a five-fight stretch. That inconsistency cost him momentum, but he’s since turned things around, winning four straight with notable victories over Paris Moran and Chris Ocon— proof that he’s cleared the hurdles from his early career.

Coria is well-rounded and improving in all areas, though his defensive wrestling remains his biggest weakness. He’s capable on the mat, with active jiu-jitsu and a constant hunt for submissions, but often loses minutes fighting off his back. Early on, his game leaned heavily on grappling, but he’s since transitioned into a primary striker—and that’s where he’s at his best.

On the feet, Coria is a technical striker with sharp fundamentals. He works behind a stiff jab, strings together multi-strike combinations, and targets the body with consistency. That body work can leave him open to counters, but his offense overall is slick and effective. He manages range well with his jab, kicks, and backward movement, while also punishing opponents as a counter striker. He’s comfortable going first or reacting, though he sometimes gives up too much ground, backing himself into the cage where he’s forced to defend takedowns. His best moments come when he plants his feet, fires the jab, and mixes body-head combinations.

Coria’s striking is clean, fast, and diverse, and he’s developing strong timing and fight IQ. On the ground, he still flashes underrated grappling, constantly moving, chaining submissions, and working for better positions, though he can get overly aggressive and lose technique.

Overall, Coria projects as a solid addition to the UFC flyweight roster. I’d place him just below the middle tier of the division, with the potential ceiling of cracking the top 15 if everything comes together.

The post Welcome to the UFC: Alden Coria appeared first on Cageside Press.

Cyr (3-0) made his professional debut in 2020 after going 3-0 on the amateur scene. He fought twice in 2021, finishing both of his fights in the first round. First, he knocked Chris Varner out in 29 seconds, and then in his most recent outing, he submitted Kameron Jordan at B2 Fighting Series 139 to end his year.

https://twitter.com/justantherburn/status/1480783076405907456

Cyr has a 100% finishing rate dating back to his amateurs, and he is looking to extend that when he makes his LFA debut this Friday.

“You know, I always like a knockout because I only got one of those, and I would like another one, but I’m okay with anything,” he told Cageside Press in an exclusive interview recently. “I’ve only had three pro fights and three ammys, but they have all been finishes. So, looking finish one way or another, I only take what comes and don’t force anything…Why waste the cardio if you don’t need it.”

Cyr faces a fellow undefeated prospect Alden Coria at LFA 121. Coria is 5-0 with four finishes and fights out of 4 oz Fight Club in Texas. It’s a fight Cyr is taking on relatively short notice, which actually has an upside.

“Got this fight on short notice, so it didn’t effect any of my holidays. Had fun, ate a lot of food, drank some beer,” Cyr told us, who added that he stays close to fighting weight at all times, meaning his weight cut won’t be too bad.

Both fighters are very young in their careers, and a win will really boost them up.

Watch the rest of Michael Cyr’s interview above. Cyr vs. Coria goes down Friday, January 14, at LFA 121 in Dallas, Texas. The event can be streamed exclusively on UFC Fight Pass.

The post Michael Cyr Plans On Keeping His 100% Finish Rate At LFA 121 appeared first on Cageside Press.

LFA 113 | US | Friday

Heavyweight, Thomas Petersen (4-0)

Peterson came into his MMA career with a background as a wrestler. He was a Minnesota State champion in high school and an NJCAA National champion at Iowa Central. Petersen has had no issue using his wrestling and landing ground and pound to send the ref in. Outside of that, he does have a one-punch knockout win. It’s still hard to tell how good he really is. Peterson fights Vernon Lewis (8-4) for the LFA heavyweight title.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2ScHfhJraI&t=3s

Bantamweight, Ricky Camp (11-4)

Camp is making his return off a two-year layoff. Camp has five wins coming by submission but his stand-up is even more dangerous. The Guam native is a technical striker with stones in his hands. He’s done his job in dropping guys on the feet and finishing them on the mat. Camp is very well-rounded and has finishing ability everywhere. An exciting prospect that needs some eyes on him. He fights Greg Fischer (10-2).

Flyweight, Alden Coria (4-0)

Coria is a young man at only 23 with a lot of potential. Undefeated as a pro he went 5-0 as an amateur and won two titles. On the feet Coria is a good striker that mainly likes to kick the lead leg. He’s fairly confident on the feet but excels on the mat. Even on his back he’s got a dangerous guard. Coria does have slick grappling and is always improving his position. It’s hard to tell how good he is just yet due to his competition. He fights Donnie Ballou (7-4).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usqoK2ZNWSE&t=383s

Bellator 263 | US | Saturday

Lightweight, Usman Nurmagomedov (12-0)

A cousin of former UFC champ Khabib and brother of UFC fighter Umar, Usman Nurmagomedov is a kickboxer at heart. He doesn’t throw with much power but he’s flashy and diverse with his attacks. He will throw spinning kicks, roundhouse kicks, and question mark kicks. Usman stays unpredictable attacking with all limbs and throws combos with just his legs alone. His wrestling is good, as is his timing, double legs, and work on top. Simply put, he is a big threat. He fights Manny Muro (12-6).

Lightweight, Islam Mamedov (19-1-1)

A top-level wrestler, Mamedov finds the takedown naturally, and on top, he is as good as it gets. He sticks like glue, moves well, and is even excellent at taking the back. His ground-and-pound is very solid — not heavy strikes but constant strikes. Once Mamedov gets the separation, he has a good submission game. On the feet, he is explosive, and he lunges forward with hooks and flying knees. He has power but his ground game is where he is best. He fights Brent Primus (10-1).

Featherweight, Khasan Magomedsharipov (4-0)

Magomedsharipov is the younger brother of UFC featherweight contender Zabit Magomedsharipov. Khasan is only 4-0, although he has done some kickboxing fights as well. Magomedsharipov is a flashy kickboxer that likes to stay loose and throw those spinning kicks. It’s not overdone and his diverse striking is tight and set up. As good as he is on the feet Magomedsharipov is even better using his wrestling and grappling. He’s a long guy and uses it to his advantage on the mat, staying in control of every mistake his opponents make. He’s a submission threat from all positions it seems. Magomedsharipov fights Jonathan Quiroz (3-4).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lHqkKLubvk

Brave CF 52 | Italy | Sunday

Light heavyweight, Mohamed Said Maalem (11-3)

Born in Geneva, Maalem is a good prospect. Not often do you see a heavyweight with an 11-3 record and on a six-fight win streak. The biggest issue is he’s 37-years-old. Despite his age, he hasn’t had any signs of slowing down and at heavyweight, you can get away with being older. Still, with one more loss he could be set back too far to make an impact in a major promotion. On the feet, Maalem has clubbing striking throwing big looping overhands. He does hit hard and strikes well to close the distance. He has solid wrestling and on top he’s going to threaten with big ground and pound. He fights Mohammad Fakhreddine (14-4) for the title.

Welterweight, Abdoul Abdouraguimov (12-1)

The Russian native had a background in freestyle-wrestling and Brazilian jiu-jitsu before switching over to MMA. He slows fairly quickly because of how aggressive he is early and his grapple-heavy style. He changed his nickname to the “Lazy King” because he plans on taking his time and being more proficient. His wrestling is decent, but Abdouraguimov could use his setups better. However, he does close the distance fairly well and is willing to take risks getting the fight to the mat because he scrambles so well. On the mat, Abdouraguimov does excellent work with grappling, but on the feet, he is unpredictable and just needs to be more technical. Overall, Abdouraguimov has a bright future. He fights Nursulton Ruziboev (29-8-2).

Bantamweight, Mochamed Machaev (10-0)

Machaev is a really good striker. He’s explosive, has commanding pressure, and a diverse striking arsenal. Machaev is constantly throwing combinations, mixing in a bit of everything. Although his foundation style is kickboxing, Machaev has some underrated wrestling. He’s very good at pressing against the cage and changing levels to the knees, getting the textbook double-leg. For the pace Machaev puts on, he has a deep gas tank. Outside of MMA, he has a K-1 kickboxing record of 7-0. He fights Gamzat Magomedov (5-1).

Welterweight, Benoit Saint-Denis (7-0)

Saint-Denis is an undefeated fighter from France that has done quite well for himself in the Brave CF promotion. He’s more of a wrestler/grappler; while he does throw a lot on the feet he is just a little sluggish. Saint-Denis is a solid wrestler though and that’s his main go-to. One drawback, he’s a bit too comfortable going to his back. With that said he does a good job creating space and getting out from underneath. His grappling is arguably his best weapon. He can be a little over-aggressive but winning by five different submissions he’s always dangerous. He fights Arkaitz Ramos (6-2).

Cage Warriors 126 | US | Sunday

Light heavyweight, Zac Pauga (3-0)

Pauga is an impressive fighter out of Team Elevation who has had an awesome pro career thus far. He’s primarily a wrestler but has some upside on the feet. He throws well to close the distance and in the clinch, he’s physically strong and has some very nice elbows he throws in the clinch and while he breaks away. Pauga is a strong wrestler and on top his ground and pound is his best weapon. Once again, those elbows are a valuable weapon for him on the feet and on the mat. I’ve been really impressed with Pauga in his young career. He fights Terrance Jean-Jacques (5-2).

The post Weekly MMA Prospect Report: Team Khabib Invades Bellator appeared first on Cageside Press.

LFA 100: 3 Scraps Flying Under The Radar

First, Steven Nguyen (6-1) is a 5″11″ featherweight, competing with great physical attributes. Conversely, his opponent Jorge Juarez (5-2) is a scrappy grappler but also dangerous on the ground. Next, Rashaad Robinson (3-1) vs. Alden Coria (3-0) is a battle of blue-chip prospects. Chiefly, the 22-year old Coria has shown great promise inside the cage. With an unbeaten record in the sport so far, the LFA pairing is essential. Similar in experience and skill-range, Robinson and Coria will both enter the cage looking to emerge as the next big player in the flyweight division.

The final fight in the under-the-radar segment at LFA 100 will the unbeaten Gerald Scott (4-0) taking on Tommy Aaron (6-4) in a lightweight bout. The six-fight main card is packed with all sorts of action, now let’s look at the trio in more detail.

1. Steven Nguyen  vs.  Jorge Juarez –  LFA 100: 145lbs

Having an undefeated record translates into a lot of pressure. Fans witnessed the pressure boil over after Nguyen lost to Aalon Cruz by a flying knee knockout. While often a tough pill to swallow, it’s the catalyst that triggers the transformation for many fighters coming up. Nguyen’s aggressive style can sometimes land him out of position but the Kansas native is hard to pin down. Basically, he is so effective at exiting shuffles and scrambles, it makes for an evasive foe during a cage fight. Additionally, since the 27-year old’s last loss was on the Dana White’s Contender Series it shows just what level he really is striving to compete at.

On the other hand, Juarez is making his LFA debut. Though it’s important to realize that this isn’t his first rodeo. The athlete has competed in a number of top promotions like Bellator MMA before. Recently though, at World Fighting Championships,(WFC 119) Juarez put an exclamation point on his grappling dangers by snatching a rear-naked choke finish over Raphael Smith. Overall, Juarez’s activity coupled with his slick transitions makes him a dangerous fight for any featherweight at LFA 100.

2. Rashaad Robinson  vs.  Alden Coria – 125lbs

Coria’s ability to secure top position on the mat is dangerous, but the 27-year old Robinson’s activity may help him thwart away his opponent’s game plan. Mainly, it is because the brawler, Coria uses flurries to put the opponent on the defense and backing up. Why? Because Coria’s close-range shots help initiate the clinch. While inside the clinch, the unbeaten Coria uses a very tight lock of the bodies to eventually secure a takedown. Nicknamed the “Cobra”, the American lives up to his name by twisting his opponents up until transitioning into full-mount. Ultimately, his top pressure and air-tight full mount are some of his most effective methods inside the cage.

Facing the tricky grappler is the 27-year old Robinson. A distinct advantage in Robinson’s corner is his activity. After a lengthy (and somewhat rocky) amateur stint, Robinson went pro in 2019. After two wins, he suffered his first defeat. But at XKO 49 the flyweight picked up a dominant victory over Aldheir Romero on Jan.28, 2021. It would seem now at LFA 100 is the most ideal time for Robinson to show some evolution in his game.

3. Gerald Scott  vs.  Tommy Aaron LFA 100: 155lbs

A very interesting big step up for Scott, because Aaron will enter the cage with more than double the experience. Since bursting onto the MMA scene, Scott has looked spectacular. With a five-fight win-streak and four of them coming professionally, clearly, the talent ceiling could be high with the young, unbeaten 26-year old. Additionally, Scott is training out of Colorado at elevation while focusing on boxing and kickboxing. Overall Scott looks to be in a prime position to continue his unbeaten streak.

In 3 Days, top undefeated #lightweight prospect #GeraldScott returns to the @LFAfighting Octagon at #LFA100! 💯

Friday, February 19
@HartmanArena#ParkCity, #Kansas#MMA#LFANation@UFCFightPass pic.twitter.com/ZobOAfQH8P

— LFA (@LFAfighting) February 17, 2021

On the other hand, Aaron comes in with a wealth of cage experience. Specifically, he lost in Bellator but was able to make it into various promotions where he mostly alternated in success and failure. For example, he was able to secure a rear-naked choke against Troy Guerrero at LFA 36: Simon vs. Zani. Following his success, Aaron faced the dangerous Samuel Alvarez and as a result, would lose by a corner stoppage, where he sustained an ankle injury. Now, looking for redemption, the seasoned veteran, Aaron will look to snap Scott’s nice 5-fight win streak and get back into the win column.

Don’t miss the action at LFA 100: Altamirano vs. Smith on UFC Fight Pass! The event takes place this Friday, February 19, 2021.

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