Upon hearing the news that he was facing the champ, Al Silawi was “really excited,” he told media outlets including Cageside Press during this week’s PFL 3 media day in Las Vegas. “It’s a great opportunity, an honor to face the champion of last season. So I was very excited to see his name on the bout sheet. It’s a great opportunity for me to get a win and hopefully prove to everyone that this is where I deserve to be.”

Al Silawi (18-4) will be looking to bounce back in the fight, after being bounced from the tournament last year off a loss against Magomed Umalatov.

“Unfortunately I did lose my last fight in the PFL, but I made quite a few changes in this camp, and I’ve been working very hard, adding new wrinkles to my game,” the welterweight said on that front. “I’m hoping that the results of that will show in the fight.”

As to what the 30-year old has been focused on, “I’ve been working on pretty much all facets of the game,” he stated. “Of course I did study my last fight and what led to that loss, and I tried to iron out those kinks. But most people know me as a striker, and I’m also working on developing other areas of my game. Hopefully we’ll see more of that this year.”

Watch the full 2023 PFL 3 media day appearance by Jarrah Al Silawi above.

The post PFL 3 2023: Jarrah Al Silawi Wants to Prove That “This Is Where I Deserve to Be” appeared first on Cageside Press.

Topping the card, Jordan’s Jarrah Al-Silawi, a veteran of Brave CF, was looking to land a spot in the PFL’s regular season when he took on Michael Lilly. Al-Silawi had won three straight coming into the bout, and had captured the Brave CF super welterweight championship last year.

Lilly, meanwhile, was looking to bounce back from a loss to Dilano Taylor in the fight. That loss had snapped a four-fight win streak for Lilly; coincidentally, Taylor was also fighting on the PFL Challenger Series 2 card. He was paired up with Mark Martin, who had won six straight bouts dating back to 2019. Impressively, Taylor had also won six straight dating back to 2019, with all of his wins coming under the Titan FC banner.

Over 500 fighters applied to be part of the Challenger Series, which sees one fighter from each week earn a spot in the PFL’s regular season, or a developmental deal with the promotion.

PFL Challenger Series 2 takes place Friday, February 25, 2022 at Universal Studios in Orlando Florida. Full results from the show can be found below. The event streams live and free on Fubo Sports Network.

PFL Challenger Series 2 Results

Jarrah Hussein Al-Silawi def. Michael Lilly by knockout (knee), Round 1, 2:54
Dilano Taylor def. Mark Martin by TKO (doctor’s stoppage), Round 1, 5:00
Carlos Leal def. Korey Kuppe by TKO, Round 1, 0:56
Chris Mixan def. Nathan Pierce by TKO, Round 2, 1:29

https://twitter.com/AlexBehunin/status/1497415424647917569

The post PFL Challenger Series 2 Full Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

All fighters hit the scales on Thursday to weigh in for the event, which had seen a couple of fighters drop off the card on short notice. Among them, Lucas Barbosa vs. Troy Green, which fell off the map when Green withdrew. Socrates Pierre, meanwhile, was supposed to face Carlos Leal, only to be replaced by Korey Kuppe.

Kuppe successfully made weight on Thursday. Another fighter, however, did not, as Nathan Pierce came in 2.6lbs over the welterweight limit for his card opener against Chris Mixan. The bout has be set for a 174lb catchweight as a result.

The PFL Challenger Series 2 main event, meanwhile, was switched to a 177lb catchweight. Both Jarrah Al Silawai and Michael Lilly weighed in slightly shy of that mark.

PFL Challenger Series 2 airs live on Fubo Sports Network on Friday, February 25, 2022. Full results from Thursday’s weigh-in can be found below.

PFL Challenger Series 2 Weigh-In Results

Jarrah Al Silawi (175.6)* vs. Michael Lilly  (176.2)*
Dilano Taylor (171) vs. Mark Martin (170.2)
Carlos Leal (170.6) vs. Korey Kuppe (170)
Chris Mixan (171) vs. Nathan Pierce (173.6)**

* Bout changed to a 177lb catchweight

** Pierce missed weight by 2.6lbs, fight will move forward at a 174lb catchweight

The post Two Bouts Moved to Catchweight at PFL Challenger Series 2 appeared first on Cageside Press.

Outside of Leon Edwards and Khamzat Chimaev, there aren’t a lot of viable names Usman hasn’t faced. Which is all the more reason to start building for the future. With that in mind, here’s our 10 picks for welterweight prospects the UFC should sign in 2022.

First, a look at last year’s list, featuring current UFC roster members Ian Garry, Jack Della, and Michael Morales signing with the UFC in 2021:

Amiran Gogoladze
Daniel Skibinski
Eldar Eldarov
Ian Garry
Jack Della
Kamil Magomedov
Kerim Engizek
Maycon Mendonça
Michael Morales
Roberto Soldic

Before we get started, be sure to check out our other instalments:

10 Heavyweight Prospects the UFC Should Sign in 2022
10 Light Heavyweight Prospects the UFC Should Sign in 2022
10 Middleweight Prospects the UFC Should Sign in 2022

The post 10 Welterweight Prospects the UFC Should Sign in 2022 appeared first on Cageside Press.

BRAVE CF 50 | Bahrain | Wednesday

Welterweight, Jarrah Hussein Al-Silawi (15-2)

Jarrah Hussein is well-rounded with exceptional cardio and that has won him the Brave CF welterweight title twice. On the feet, once he gets warmed up, he’s a skilled striker. I like the way he kicks the legs after combinations. His striking defense could be better and so could his takedown defense but I think he’s at his best on the mat. He has five submissions and can threaten from both on the top and bottom. Hussein has good jiu-jitsu and while he is a bit more of a slower fighter, he has good technique. He fights former UFC fighter Ismail Naurdiev (20-4).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPQNucwa92w

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.

Light heavyweight, Anton Turkalj (6-0)

Turkalj is a raw talent fighting out of Sweden. He’s a big guy standing at 6’4″ and is super athletic. On the feet, Turkalj fights long with a jab and kicks. He’s explosive throwing spinning kicks and flying knees as well. He puts together punches and knees well and can finish the fight at any moment. The Swede has an array of submissions dating back to his amateur MMA career. He’s well-rounded and although he’s still raw he’s got the skillset to go far in his division. He fights Konstantin Soldatov (5-1).

Featherweight, Borislav Nikolić (8-0)

Nikolić’s main attribute is his solid jiu-jitsu. Even off his back, Nikolić is aware of what’s going on. He scrambles well and is good at making bad positions into good ones. He oftentimes transitions into the mount or to the back to later finish the fight. Nikolić has excellent ground and pound. He’s finished fights a couple of times with ground shots. When not getting the finish, he has at least used ground and pound to improve the position or get to a submission. Shockingly enough, Nikolić actually comes from some sort of kickboxing background. Not that his stand-up is bad, per se, but his grappling is where he’s looked most comfortable before. I would like to see him cut the cage off more, but his hands are looking good. He throws in combos, and despite lacking power, he makes up for it in aggression. Nikolić has finished seven of his eight fights via submission. What he’s good at is attacking the neck, as he has earned two guillotines finishes and three rear-naked chokes. He fights former UFC fighter and TUF winner Brad Katona (8-2).

Lightweight, Amin Ayoub (15-4)

25-year-old French fighter Amin Ayoub already has a good amount of fights under his belt. He hasn’t lost a fight in over two years and he’s currently on a seven-fight win streak. Ayoub is a European kickboxing champion but eight of his MMA wins come by submission. His takedown defense needs a lot of work but at least he does have a dangerous guard. Ayoub on the feet throws good output and mixes his kicks and punches together well. Not sold on him but he has a lot of talent. He fights Mashrabjon Ruziboev (10-2-1).

Bantamweight, Bair Shtepin (9-3)

From Russia, Bair Shtepin is one of the best-kept secrets among all Russian prospects. From the start of his career, he’s fought for Fight Nights Global and M-1 always testing his skillset. He’s only lost to good fighters and has beat good fighters as well. Shtepin is a diverse striker on the feet that mixes a bit of everything into combinations. The Russian likes to keep his opponents guessing throwing from different angles. He loves to be a bit flashy as that spinning kick to the body is money. The accuracy, the timing, and the setups with feints are all perfectly set-up. To make everything better he can wrestle when needed and has a good ground game. He fights Alexander Keshtov (9-1).

CFFC 94 | US | Friday

Welterweight, Bassil Hafez (6-1-1)

Hafez made a huge statement in his last fight. Not only did he win the CFFC welterweight title more impressively he beat a top prospect in Christien Savoie. Hafez is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Ricardo and Phil Migliarese. Even though Hafez beat a top prospect like Savoie, he does need to show a bit more overall. He defends his title against Evan Cutts (11-4).

Welterweight, Nick Alley (7-3)

Mid-2018, Alley was 3-3 and on a three-fight skid. However, Alley has hit his stride and is now on a four-fight win streak. He even beat John Gotti III in his last fight putting the brakes on that hype train. Alley is mainly a grappler and a big submission threat with five career subs. Even off his back, he’s comfortable there because of his strong jiu-jitsu. No matter where he’s at on the mat he’s happy. He fights Solomon Renfro (6-1).

iKon Fighting Federation | Mexico | Friday

Lightweight, Elvin Espinoza (4-0)

Espinoza is only 4-0 but is someone that’s caught my eye. Espinoza is a strong wrestler who has manhandled guys lifting and slamming them down to the mat. He is a grinder on top who is heavy with position and will take anything his opponents give him. On the feet, I want to see him move his head more but he’s held his own. He has good hands that are improving. He fights Luis Campa (3-2).

CFFC 95 | US | Saturday

Bantamweight, Paul Capaldo (5-0)

Capaldo is still young in his career but I will say it already seems like he’s now in his prime. He already has everything you look for in a fighter and is someone I’m sure will reach a big stage soon. Capaldo on the feet throws everything with heavy power looking to the finish. He has an excellent head kick which he has a knockout by in his pro debut. Not only a striker as Capaldo is probably a better wrestler than anything. Capaldo throws at a good pace and can do it for three solid rounds going the distance three times in his pro career. He fights Chris Vasil (4-1).

Bellator 255 | US | Friday

Lightweight, Usman Nurmagomedov (11-0)

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 well as timing double legs and on top. Simply put, he is a big threat. He fights Mike Hamel (7-4).

Welterweight, Jason Jackson (13-4)

Jackson is a good striker who is technical with an excellent jab and a crushing right hand. This product out of the former Blackzilians gym is a very good wrestler as well as being very well-rounded. He’s super athletic and seems to get better every time he fights. He already has career wins against Ben Henderson, Jordan Mein, Dhiego Lima, and Kiichi Kunimoto. He fights Neiman Gracie (10-1).

Bantamweight, Magomed Magomedov (17-1)

Magomedov is a good striker that has improved over the years but owns a better kicking game. He likes to get flashy at times, throwing a lot of spinning kicks which may be his best weapon. He is an excellent wrestler with superb grappling and can wrestle/grapple during the duration of the fight with his tremendous endurance. His only loss has been to the former UFC bantamweight champ Petr Yan. But he also has beaten Yan in the past so that says a lot about him. He fights Cee Jay Hamilton (15-7).

Welterweight, Mukhamed Berkhamov (14-1)

Berkhamov is a very solid fighter that can go the distance or finish. He has solid cardio going the distance three times but mainly ending the fight with his striking. He only throws a strike at a time but he is very explosive and is very hard to read as he throws hooks, jabs, leg kicks and head kicks and his timing is perfect. Berkhamov has soild wrestling as he changes levels great and always gets the takedown. He is very good on top moving well and stays heavy and gets dominate position frequently. He fights Herman Terrado (13-5-1).

The post Weekly MMA Prospect Report: Berkhamov, Magomedov, Nurmagomedov and More! appeared first on Cageside Press.

On October 4, 2019 the Brave Combat Federation returns to the Mubadala Arena in Abu Dhabi for another stacked card. The Bahrain-based outfit recently announced the full lineup for the event.

At the top of the bill is an immediate rematch in the promotion’s welterweight division, as newly minted champion Abdoul Abdouraguimov (10-0-0 MMA, 3-0-0 BCF) looks to tame “The Jordanian Lion” Jarrah Hussein Al-Silawi (12-3-0 MMA, 6-1-0 BCF) for a second time. Silawi relinquished his crown to the unbeaten Russian earlier this year in a closely contested five-round affair. It is important to note that Brave’s welterweight contests take place at 175 pounds. The weight-class was originally dubbed the super welterweight division, as it is classified as such under the unified rules of MMA. To avoid confusion Brave renamed the division welterweight after much discussion from officials and fans alike. The promotion decided to move the division up five pounds when it created the super lightweight (165lbs) category late last year.

Another rematch will take place in the lightweight division as Canada’s Alexander Martinez (5-0-0 MMA, 1-0-0 BCF) battles “The Moroccan Sensation” Anas Siraj Mounir in the co-feature. The two previously met at Brave CF 23, but the fight was ruled a no contest after a groin strike halted the bout. Mounir (7-1-0 MMA, 1-0-0 BCF) is a training partner of former super lightweight title challenger Mounir Lazzez.

Several of the promotion’s rising stars will be in action as well. Fresh off of the biggest win of his career, a knockout triumph over the previously unbeaten Ikram Aliskerov, Khamzat Chimaev looks to keep is unbeaten record in tact as he takes on Mzwandile Hlongwa. A Chimaev win could see him challenging for the inaugural middleweight title, facing the winner of Abdouraguimov/Al-Silawi, or even drop down to challenge for the super lightweight title. Mohammad Fakhreddine, Tarek Suleiman, Ikram Aliskerov and John Cris Corton will all see action at Brave CF 27.

Jaideep Singh, a former RIZIN fighter and K-1 kickboxer who competed against Fedor Emelianenko, is also competing.

Below is the full card for the event.

Main Card:

Abdoul Abdouraguimov (c) vs. Jarrah Hussein Al-Silawi – for the Brave CF Welterweight Title
Anas Siraj Mounir vs. Alexander Martinez (Lightweight)
Ibrahim El-Sawi vs. Jaideep Singh (Heavyweight)
Khamzat Chimaev vs. Mzwandile Hlongwa (Middleweight)
Tarek Suleiman vs. Rustam Chsiev (Middleweight)

Preliminary Card:

Mohammad Fakhreddine vs. Ikram Aliskerov (Middleweight)
Dwight Brooks vs. Alex Leko Nacfur (Super Lightweight)
Jalal Al-Daaja vs. Tariq Ismail (Bantamweight)
John Cris Corton vs. Zia Mashwani (Bantamweight)
Flavio Serafim vs. Mohammad Khatib (Super Lightweight)
Sulaiman al Modhyan vs. Abdullatip Magomedov (Featherweight)

The post Brave CF 27 Full Card Announced appeared first on Cageside Press.

Here’s who to watch out for in our latest Weekly MMA Prospect Report. Also, I will highlight the three prospects who I believe have the highest ceiling with an asterisk.

Brave CF 23 | Friday | Jordan

Welterweight, Abdoul Abdouraguimov (9-0)

The Russia native had a background in freestyle-wrestling and Brazilian jiu-jitsu before switching over to MMA to boost up his undefeated pro record. Abdouraguimov needs to work on a few things like his footwork as he tends to get more flat-footed as the fight goes on, and that’s because his gas tank wears quickly. He slows fairly quick because of how aggressive he is early and his grapple-heavy style. His wrestling is decent, but he 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, he is solid with grappling, but on the feet, he is unpredictable and just needs to be more technical. Abdouraguimov also has a win over former UFC fighter Viscardi Andrade. He fights champion Jarrah Hussein Al-Silawi (13-2).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WS6PbuYL5g4

Welterweight, Jarrah Hussein Al-Silawi (13-2)

Jarrah Hussein is well-rounded with exceptional cardio and that has won him the Brave CF welterweight title. The Jordan native is currently on an eight-fight win streak with those wins over opponents with a combined record of 61-16. On the feet, once he gets warmed up, he’s a skilled striker. I really don’t like when he utilizes his head kicks because they are telegraphed. I do like the way he kicks the legs after combinations, though. His striking defense could be better and so could his takedown defense but I think he’s at his best on the mat. He has five submissions and can threaten from both on the top and bottom. Hussein has good jiu-jitsu and while he is a bit more of a slower fighter, he has good technique. He fights the aforementioned Abdoul Abdouraguimov (9-0).

Welterweight, Mounir Lazzez (7-0)

Mounir Lazzez has been wrecking guys, winning six of his seven fights by KO/TKO as he captured a regional title in the process. Lazzez has the nickname “The Sniper” and that couldn’t be truer – his accuracy is awesome and once he connects flush, it’s lights out. He is athletic, quick, and well-rounded. He can get the takedown and work on top, but on the feet, that’s where he can let loose, where he is really at home. He also holds two awesome head kick knockouts. With all that said, Lazzez can get a little sloppy. He fights Eldar Eldarov (10-1)

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

Welterweight, Eldar Eldarov (10-1)

The Russian was a former World Cup of Sambo champion and a former European sambo champion. He hits hard on the feet, but he wants to close the distance and get the takedown. His last loss came in 2009 and that was against current UFC lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov. Eldarov relies on his top control but has eight submission wins as well. He fights the aforementioned Mounir Lazzez (7-0).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ru07xOiJjY8

Lightweight, Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady (10-1)

Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady is only 23-years-old and is really getting better and better each fight. Al-Selwady is a wrestler first-and-foremost as he closes the distance very well and has the strength to elevate his opponents and slam them to the mat. As I said, Al-Selwady is getting better and that showed with his striking where he’s really quick on the release along with showing accuracy and power. Last year, he won the Brave CF lightweight title against former UFC fighter Lucas Martins. He fights Luan Santiago (13-3) who is legit, so this should be a good test.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vr9cDSIstQI

Middleweight, Ikram Aliskerov (8-0)*

Ikram Aliskerov is a two-time world combat sambo champion out of Makhachkala, Russia, along with other accomplishments. From what I’ve seen from Aliskerov, while he has the wrestling background, he likes to stand and trade with his opponents. He has a good jab along with some impressive accuracy and timing on both his strikes and level changes. A lot is still unknown about him, but with the power, speed, and accuracy he shows on the feet while being an accomplished wrestler, I like his future at only 26-years-old. He fights Khamzat Chimaev (4-0) who I haven’t watched much on but has a lot of hype around him.

Flyweight, Amir Albazi (11-0)

Amir Albazi has an impressive record as a pro but was also the IMMA world champion as an amateur in 2015. He trains out of London Shootfighters with some top-notch fighters around the world. Albazi is solely a grappler, but with that, he has excellent takedowns utilizing trips and takedowns along the cage. He excels on the mat with his effortless grappling and high IQ. Albazi thrives in scrambles with six submissions. He is high-level on the mat and although he hasn’t shown much on the feet, he hasn’t had too. He fights former UFC fighter Jose Torres. This is a huge fight for Amir.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzp-33hpzZs

Lightweight, Akhmed Magomedov (5-0)

Magomedov has a background in freestyle wrestling and was the Russian National Jiu-Jitsu champion in 2017. The Russian only has five fights, but three finishes, getting it done on the mat with submissions and ground and pound. He’s a smart fighter and could be someone to watch for in the future. He fights Steven Goncalves (6-1) who he should beat.

Check out the prospects from RIZIN 15 on page two.

The post Weekly MMA Prospect Report: Two Huge Cards in Brave CF 23 and RIZIN 15 appeared first on Cageside Press.