Among those, a headlining bout featuring Mikuru Asakura (brother of UFC’s Kai Asakura), oooking to claim featherweight gold opposite champ Razhabali Shaydullaev. In the co-headliner, long-serving lightweight champ Roberto “Satoshi” de Souza put his belt on the line against Ilkhom Nozimov. RIZIN’s flyweight grand prix wrapped with the vacant title on the line between TUF vet Hiromasa Ougikubo and Yuki Motoya, while Bellator motormouth Danny Sabatello looked to claim bantamweight gold against champion Naoki Inoue.

Rounding out the five-pack of title fights, undefeated super atomweight champ Seika Izawa faced off against Rena Kubota.

Where to Watch RIZIN Super Powerhouse Festival

December 31, 2025 was the landing spot for RIZIN’s 10th Anniversary show, taking place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. The event is available to stream via RIZIN.tv; full results can be found below. The broadcast goes live at 11PM ET, 8PM PT.

RIZIN 10th Anniversary Super Powerhouse Festival Results

The post RIZIN 10th Anniversary Super Powerhouse Festival Full Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

Per a press release from Brave CF, Ali Bagautinov has drawn a tough new opponent for BRAVE Combat Federation’s return to Russia this Saturday, November 6. The Russian hometown hero will face American standout Sean “Shorty Rock” Santella in the last semifinal clash of the prestigious BRAVE CF Flyweight World Title Tournament, which serves as the headliner of BRAVE CF 55 in Rostov-on-Don.”

Santella (23-7-2) replaces Jose “Shorty” Torres, who withdrew from the fight due to difficulties making weight prior to official weigh-ins. Santella was last in action against Torres at Brave 42 in the quarterfinals of the eight-man flyweight tournament; the pair fought to a draw. They were expected to rematch six months later, but the bout was scrapped due to Santella pulling out with an injury. Before his draw with Torres, Santella won three straight in CFFC.

Bagautiov (20-7) is riding a two-fight win streak since joining the promotion defeating Oleg Lichkovakha and, most recently Dustin Ortiz.

The winner of the semifinal showdown between Santella and Bagautiov will fight for the championship against the highly-touted Velimurad Alkhasov.

The BRAVE CF 55 Fight Card moves forward with nine fights and now looks like this:

• Ali Bagautinov vs. Sean Santella
• Artur Sviridov vs. Ibrahim Mane
• Kamil Magomedov vs. Sam Patterson
• Rustam Chsiev vs. Abdulsupyan Alikhanov
• Andrey Bragovskiy vs. Sergey Yaskovec
• Artur Aliev vs. Ali Abdulkhalikov
• Gazimurad Magomedov vs. Djabrail Aidamirov
• Ahmed Omarov vs. Albert Mallokurbanov
• Alan Balaev vs. Vadim Pavlikov

#BRAVENation! Here is your updated BRAVE CF 55 Fight Card 🚨

Are you ready❓🤩

[#BRAVECF55 🇷🇺 | Sat, November 6th, 13:00 GMT | @profc_mma] pic.twitter.com/hHmhbM8BDi

— BRAVE Combat Federation (@bravemmaf) November 5, 2021

The event is available at BraveCFTV.com and Fight Network and starts at 9:00 am EST / 6:00 am PT

The post BRAVE CF 55: Sean Santella Steps In On Two Days’ Notice To Replace Jose Torres, Will Fight Ali Bagautinov appeared first on Cageside Press.

According to a new report by FloCombat, and backed up, it seems, by recently released UFC flyweight Jose Torres, the UFC is looking at closing up shop in the 125lb division. According to Wednesday’s initial report, the plan is to shutter the division, offering some — but not all — flyweights a shot at 135lbs. That’s clearly the plan with champ Henry Cejudo, who is being targeted for a fight with T.J. Dillashaw at UFC 233 in Anaheim for the bantamweight title.

Former double champ Jose ‘Shorty’ Torres, who held gold at 125lbs and 135lbs in Titan FC, later added that he’d been cut by the organization and could confirm the news.

Im the 1st to be let go. I didnt get to finish my UFC contract with 2 fights left because they are cutting most of my division n not giving some of us a chance to bump up n prove ourselves like myself. So now it’s time to move on to bigger and better things. Good luck small guys! pic.twitter.com/lUMijsRoDm

— Jose Shorty Torres (@ShortyTorresMMA) November 7, 2018

Torres later told MMA Junkie that the UFC told him outright of the plan to cut flyweights. However, they did not offer him a shot at bantamweight, because they did not see him as a contender.

Over a year ago, recently traded UFC star Demetrious Johnson claimed UFC President Dana White had threatened to shut down the flyweight division. White’s response was that it was never a threat, rather, something the promotion was considering. “Never once did I threaten him to shut down the division,” White said (via MMA Junkie). “I told him that we had been talking about shutting down the division for years. He knows that.”

Johnson, of course, was traded to ONE Championship in exchange for Ben Askren. It seems ONE could very well become a destination for many fighters looking at potential cuts due to the dissolution of the 125lb class in the UFC.

The post UFC Reportedly Downsizing, Potentially Eliminating Flyweight Division appeared first on Cageside Press.

The UFC was back on PPV on Saturday night in Los Angeles, looking to follow up on an action-packed UFC on FOX 30 card from last week in Calgary. UFC 227 boasted a pair of title fights in the lowest weight classes on the men’s side, both of which were rematches. Demetrious Johnson took on Henry Cejudo in the evening’s co-main event, while T.J. Dillashaw faced former teammate and rival Cody Garbrandt in an instant rematch of their fight late last year.

Whether or not the matches would look any different than their earlier counterparts remained to be seen.

Earlier on in the evening, however, a trio of fights got the card started off on UFC Fight Pass. In the featured online preliminary bout, Jose Torres took on Alex  Perez. ‘Shorty’ had found a way to pick up an improbable win against ‘The Monkey God’ Jarred Brooks back in June. In a relatively quick turnaround, Torres was hoping to make it two in a row at UFC 227 on Saturday.

Also on the early portion of the card, strawweights Danielle Taylor and Zhang Weili, the latter of whom was making her UFC debut. As well, Marlon Vera was set to face Wuliji Buren.

Check back come fight time for a recap and full results from the early action at UFC 227!

Marlon Vera vs. Wuliji Buren

Vera attacked the lead leg of Wuliji Buren early, but it was Buren throwing more volume early, returning fire with numerous kicks of his own, with several landing to the body. Vera answered back with a push kick, moments after a slip off a high kick attempt. A fairly evenly contested round early, as the action progressed, Buren would drive Vera into the cage, and take his opponent down along the fence towards the end of the frame.

Again in the second round, after a bit of standup action to start, Buren put Marlon Vera on his back. He worked from within Vera’s closed guard, but it wasn’t long before ref Frank Trigg determined there wasn’t enough action for his liking. A standup followed. and Vera looked to get his striking going while Buren again initiated a clinch. Towards the end of the round, Vera was able to secure the back of a standing Wuliji Buren, who would go to a knee but eat a number of elbows and punches. They were warring by the cage as the clock wore down when Vera launched a left hand to the liver the dropped Buren. Buren instantly covered up as Vera added in just a couple of hammer fists. That was it — Buren was done, with the ref waving it off.

Marlon Vera def. Wuliji Buren by TKO, Round 2, 4:53

Danielle Taylor vs. Weili Zhang

Weili Zhang opened up the action in this strawweight battle with a crisp inside leg kick. Danielle Taylor was being forced back as Zhang opted for an in-and-out approach. A couple more inside leg kicks from the Chinese fighter found their mark. However, going to the ground, Taylor would attack with a heel hook that had Zhang in a tight spot. She’d escape, and back on the feet Zhang Weili continued to pressure. Taylor was circling out of harm’s way, but caught a kick near the end of the round that led to a brisk exchange during which Weili was tagged!

The second saw China’s Zhang turn up the heat, stalking Taylor who continued circling constantly. Taylor would counter with right hands, but was under fire early. Zhang stumbled near the midway mark, but Danielle Taylor was unable to take advantage. Taylor’s power remained a threat in the second round, but with Zhang continually pressing forward, she’d need to take control in the fight, or find a finish, to come out on top.

NASTY shots from Zhang at #UFC227 pic.twitter.com/Jfhnomq2SX

— UFC Canada (@UFC_CA) August 4, 2018

Round three saw Zhang once again pressing forward early. She’d return to the inside leg kick once, twice. Taylor was only partially successful in defending those, occasionally switching stances to keep her lead leg protected. Zhang popped Taylor with a counter left about two minutes into the frame, a punch which caught Taylor’s attention. A combination by Zhang punctuated with an outside leg kick followed; while her hands didn’t hit their mark the kick did. Another combination followed. Taylor’s left eye was looking a little worse for the wear, and she was caught with a kick to the mid-section.

Weili Zhang def. Danielle Taylor by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Jose Torres vs. Alex Perez

Torres and Perez immediately got going in the featured UFC Fight Pass prelim at UFC 227, going right to work trading. Perez seemed to be getting the better of the exchanges, forcing Torres to cover up/back up consistently. Perez with picking his spots, going to the body and the head, mixing in some standing elbows and working his jab. Torres was soon bloodied, and it was only two minutes into the fight. With two minutes to go Perez launched another onslaught, hooks, uppercuts, knees, forcing Torres back to the fence where he was covering up. Another barrage followed, with Perez simply teeing off until Torres dropped!

Alex Perez def. Jose Torres by knockout, Round 1, 3:36

UFC 227 Fight Pass Preliminary Results:

Alex Perez def. Jose Torres by knockout, Round 1, 3:36
Weili Zhang def. Danielle Taylor by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Marlon Vera def. Wuliji Buren by TKO, Round 2, 4:53

The post UFC 227 Fight Pass Prelims Results and Recap appeared first on Cageside Press.

The UFC returned to action with a rare Friday night show to kick off the month of June. Going down in Utica, New York at the Adirondack Bank Center, UFC Fight Night 131, as UFC Utica was formally known, boasted a grudge match in the main event. That bout saw bantamweights Jimmie Rivera and Marlon Moraes throw down, following a co-main event lightweight scrap between Vinc Pichel and Gregor Gillespie.

Yet before all that action unfolded, a trio of fights kicked off the entertainment on UFC Fight Pass. The streaming service saw flyweights, bantamweights, and women’s strawweights throw down, with the featured fight being the 115lb tilt between Jessica Aguilar and Jodie Esquibel.

Opening up the UFC Fight Pass action was Jarred Brooks vs. Jose Torres. While ‘The Monkey God’ had proved formidable thus far in his career, making his debut was Titan FC’s “champ champ” Jose Torres. Also known as ‘Shorty,’ the debut of Torres was long overdue, and he held the potential to shake things up at 125lbs.

Check back come fight time — that’s 6:30 PM ET — for full results and a recap of all the early action.

Jessica Aguilar vs. Jodie Esquibel

At the last moment, the NYSAC deemed Jessica Aguilar unfit to compete, meaning her fight against Jodie Esquibel was pulled from UFC Utica. Be sure to check out the full story.

Jarred Brooks vs. Jose Torres

After walking out to “Duel of the Fates” from John Williams’ Star Wars score (one of the few bright spots of the prequel films), ‘The Monkey God’ went right to work. Throwing a spinning back fist early, off a fake, Brooks wouldn’t connect. Yet just a few moments later, Brooks spun the opposite direction, and this time caught Torres. On the ground, Brooks unloaded knee after knee to the shoulder of Torres while trapping the promotional newcomer in a front head lock. Torres would eventually escape, only for Brooks to climb his back and look for a choke until round’s end.

In round two, a spinning attack by Brooks was avoided by Torres, who was then able to cinch his arms around his opponent’s waist, taking the back. The round was a much more successful affair for Torres, but Brooks was still in control. However, a double leg attempt led to a slam for Brooks, who hoisted Torres up over his shoulder. Torres nearly slipped off, and Brooks looked to get air on the slam — only to essentially knock himself out on the landing! Brooks was out of it; Torres swarmed, and captured the win.

WHAT!? @shortytorres125 just earned one of the wildest KO finishes you'll ever see!#UFCUtica pic.twitter.com/qoBBnbI9f0

— UFC Canada (@UFC_CA) June 1, 2018

Jose Torres def. Jarred Brooks by TKO, Round 2, 2:55

Johnny Eduardo vs. Nathaniel Wood

In bantamweight action, newcomer Nathaniel Wood held the center of the cage early, pressing the action. He caught a Johnny Eduardo kick, but couldn’t throw him off balance for a takedown. Instead, he fired off some leg kicks of his own; Eduardo countered with a punch. Near the midway point, Wood threw a left, only to eat a blow to the side of the head from Eduardo. That rocked Wood! He recovered quickly, however, at least seemingly. However moments later Eduardo tagged his opponent with another, and began unloading with combinations. Big, clubbing right hands and short lefts were landing for Eduardo. He clearly had an opening, but took his foot off the gas, allowing Wood to recover.

Trading big shots in the 1st!@johnnyeduardon vs @theprospectmma at #UFCUtica pic.twitter.com/jI3C6vgju2

— UFC Canada (@UFC_CA) June 1, 2018

Round two started with Eduardo looking very loose. However, as the pair went to the mat, Nathaniel Wood went to work on the D’Arce choke. Given it was Eduardo initiating the takedown, it was a costly mistake for the Brazilian. Wood had the choke it, applied more and more pressure, and forced the tap!

ANOTHER crazy debut at #UFCUtica!@theprospectmma weathers the storm to tap Eduardo! pic.twitter.com/RuwMxTjSJK

— UFC Canada (@UFC_CA) June 1, 2018

Nathaniel Wood def. Johnny Eduardo by submission (D’Arce choke), Round 2, 2:18

UFC Utica Fight Pass Preliminary Results:

Jessica Aguilar vs. Jodie Esquibel – bout cancelled
Nathaniel Wood def. Johnny Eduardo by submission (D’Arce choke), Round 2, 2:18
Jose Torres def. Jarred Brooks by TKO, Round 2, 2:55

The post UFC Utica: Rivera vs. Moraes Fight Pass Prelims Results and Recap appeared first on Cageside Press.

Widely considered one of the best lighter weight prospects outside the UFC, Jose ‘Shorty’ Torres recently inked a deal with the Endeavor-owned promotion. Now, the hot prospect has a chance to make a big impression in the UFC’s smallest weight class.

Titan FC’s reigning champ-champ (flyweight & bantamweight), Torres is set to make his first walk to the octagon this Friday at UFC Utica on just nine days’ notice against Jarred ‘The Monkey God’ Brooks.

Speaking with Cageside Press just days before inking his UFC deal, Torres was optimistic this day would come sooner rather than later. “I know I’ll be in the UFC one day,” Torres revealed. “I’m literally just waiting to be signed, but I still have to make a living for myself and stay relevant when I’m not fighting. Right now I’m kind of in MMA limbo.”

‘Shorty’ had long been lobbying for his UFC shot, with many pundits wondering why it was taking so long. “The timing has never worked out,” explained Torres. “The UFC has been having problems with their flyweight division, and it doesn’t look like they want to sign anyone right now mainly because of money.”

Be that as it may, uncle Dana opened the check book. As a result we now have one of the brightest young prospects in the sport fighting Friday night in his promotional debut.

Torres will be the first fighter making the walk to the octagon on fight night, and if you think ‘Shorty’ will fall victim to the dreaded UFC jitters, think again. “I’m going to approach this fight like any other,” said Torres of his UFC debut. “I’ve been envisioning this moment for a long time; in my mind I’ve already made the walk a hundred times. Business as usual.”

Timing is everything. Just days after speaking with Cageside Press, Torres would go on to sign his UFC contract and fulfill a life long dream. We reached out to ‘Shorty’ for a comment after the ink had dried.

“Its been a long time coming and I’m just so happy that I can finally say yes, I am in the UFC. Everyone’s support and positive feedback is overwhelming and it’s amazing to know that I have so many people from around the world who know and support me. To new and old fans and friends.”

Jose Torres vs Jarred Brooks will be the first fight of the night on the early UFC Fight Pass prelims (5:30PM CST/6:30PM EST). UFC Utica, or UFC Fight Night 131, takes place June 1 at the Adirondack Bank Center in Utica, New York.

The post UFC Utica: Jose ‘Shorty’ Torres No Longer In MMA Limbo appeared first on Cageside Press.

It is every fighter’s dream to make it to the UFC and test their skill against the best fighters in the world. And while the UFC does a good job at scouting talent outside of the usual avenues, they have also struck up a bit of a partnership with Titan FC, utilizing them as a sort of feeder league.

For those who stick to the major promotions and might have overlooked them thus far, Titan FC is a regional MMA promotion that puts on quality events. They’re easy enough to find, however: you can watch Titan’s fight library on UFC Fight Pass.

For two years now one man has embodied the Titan FC brand unparalleled — Jose ‘Shorty’ Torres. Torres is a two-division champion, holding both the bantamweight and flyweight straps in the promotion. The dual-weight class champ defends his flyweight title on February 16 at Titan FC 48 for the first time in over a year.

Cageside Press sat down with this Midwestern phenom and talked about his upcoming bout, the likelihood of joining the UFC roster, and more.

First up, does the long lay off (from flyweight) concern ‘Shorty’? “Not at all,” said Torres. “It’s not like I haven’t been active, I’ve been training, I’ve had other fights. I’m just ready!”

Being ready and staying ready are characteristics that Torres values; when the UFC came calling the timing wasn’t right for ‘Shorty’, “Sadly because of injuries and bad timing when the UFC called I wasn’t able to take all their offer.”

Torres added, “I’m getting my weight down and getting ready for this fight, just in case the UFC calls me for a last-minute fight I’ll be ready for that too.”

A Midwestern native, Torre’s work ethic was forged in the very city he grew up in, Chicago. Make no mistake though, ‘Shorty’ is a part of a new breed of athletes that will travel the globe if need be to seek out the very best training partners in the world.

On January 2 of this year the brand new American Top Team gym opened their doors, and guess who decided to check it out?  “Its been tough,” Torres said. “Those guys are really good.”

“I’ve traveled the world to try to define my craft, these guys are good down here. I know why I had trouble in my last fight against Gleidson [DeJesus], there are some real masters here.”

Torres’s next fight will be his first one with ATT.

The individual that is charged with the task of beating the ‘champ champ’ in his next fight is Alberto Orellano. ‘Shorty’ will agree that Orellano isn’t the number one contender, but why should he get the fight then?

“I don’t believe Alberto is the next in line,” Torres said. “But the guys that are next in line don’t want to fight me, so Alberto stepped up and now he gets to fight me for the flyweight title.”

Regardless of who he is fighting, Torres is one of the most talented athletes not currently under contract with the UFC. ‘Shorty’ looks to continue his winning ways when he defends his flyweight title at Titan FC 48 on February 16. After that? You have to think that this two division champ will most likely be making his first walk to the octagon sometime in 2018.

The post The Real Champ Champ: A Chat With Titan FC 48 Headliner Jose ‘Shorty’ Torres appeared first on Cageside Press.

Last year I decided to write down 17 fighters to keep an eye on in 2017. This wasn’t an article I published on any site, this was more of an “experiment.” I’d say the experiment went well; by year’s end 13 of the 17 fighters I said to watch for in 2017 had cracked the top 15 in their respective weight classes.

So, this year I figured let’s do it right, and so I bring you 18 Fighters to Watch For in 2018.

One thing I wanted to really focus on this year was depth, meaning, I wanted to go beyond the usual promotions and truly offer genuine and relatively unknown fighters with enormous potential. I think I’ve done that with this year’s list. I’m sure you will see some names you recognize on the list as well.

On a side note, one thing you notice immediately when you engage in an activity like this is just how thriving the Russian MMA community is. I honestly could’ve complied a complete list of all Russian fighters, however, several still made the list.

Heavyweight: Vitaly Minakov

Many of you may remember Minakov, he was the last heavyweight champion for Bellator MMA and more recently he has been competing oversees at Fight Nights Global. Minakov turns 33 in February so a UFC run is still not out of the question for this unbeaten Russian monster, and with a record of 21-0 he could be exactly what the UFC’s heavyweight division needs. Lets all collectively cross our fingers and hope we get a Ngannou vs. Minakov title fight in 2018.

Heavyweight: Blagoi ‘Baga’ Ivanov

If you were a fan of World Series of Fighting or you follow the Professional Fighters League, then you are most likely familiar with this real life Zangief (that’s a Street Fighter reference for those of you who don’t game!). Technically Ivanov is Bulgarian, and although he stands at only 5’11 he packs all of his 262lbs into his stout frame rather easily. ‘Baga’ has only tasted defeat once in his career and he boasts an impressive 16-1 record. Ivanov would be a welcome addition to the UFC’s heavyweight landscape that is much in need of talent outside the top 10.

Heavyweight: Sergey Pavlovich

Yet another Russian heavyweight, but I can assure you, if you have ever seen Pavolich fight, then you know exactly why I have him on this list. Pavolich is undefeated with a record of 12-0 and he looks better with each performance. I hope this Russian fighter inks a deal with one of the bigger stateside MMA promotions so he can continue his quest for greatness on a broader scale.

Light Heavyweight: Magomed Ankalaev

I promise this list isn’t comprised entirely of Russian fighters, having said that, Ankalaev is the youngest of all the Russian fighters on this year’s list and perhaps has the most potential being he is only 25 years old. He is riding a 16-fight win streak, 10 of which have been professional fights, however his next fight will be his most important being that he will be making his UFC debut against Paul Craig at UFC Fight Night 127 in March. Ankalaev would love to go from relative unknown to title contender in one years’ time much like Volkan Oezdemir did in 2017.

Middleweight: Rafael Lovato Jr

Finally, a non-Russian fighter and a fighter who had a fantastic 2017 in his own right. Lovato is one of Bellator’s brightest stars and unfortunately not too many people know how good he really is, but I have a sneaking suspicion that is going to change in 2018. Lovato is 7-0 and he has arguably the best BJJ in all of mixed martial arts. Look for big things from this mid-western grappling ace in the new year.

Welterweight: Abubakar Nurmagomedov

Yes, this is the little brother of lightweight star Khabib Nurmagomedov and he fights with the same relentlessness that his big brother does. Abubakar was scheduled to make his octagon debut in February but was pulled from the card for undisclosed reasons; make no mistake about it, when this Dagestani makes his UFC debut the whole division will be put on notice. Abubakar is a veteran of 15 fights, he has lost only one of those fights and is currently on a six-fight winning streak.

Lightweight: Gregor ‘The Gift’ Gillespie

After Gillespie’s last performance he should be on everyone’s radar. Gillespie displayed a well rounded technical understanding of distance and striking in his last performance against Jason Gonzalez back in September, yet ironically, he would finish that fight with a choke. ‘The Gift’ is exactly the kind of fighter the UFC loves to promote, he has the look, he can talk, and oh yea, he is pretty good too. Gillespie is wasting no time in 2017, he steps back in the octagon at the end of the month against Jordan Rinaldi at UFC on FOX 27.

Lightweight: Mateusz ‘Gamer’ Gamrot

Eastern Europe’s number one pro lightweight and the pride of Poland, Gamrot may be the best fighter you’ve never heard of.  Gamrot has been sharpening his skills in the fine promotion KSW and he already holds victories over some UFC veterans. ‘Gamer’ holds an unblemished record of 13-0 and he is still only 27 years old. I’m not certain of Gamrot’s current contract situation, but I hope Scott Coker or Dana White finds a way to play this game.

Featherweight: Movlid ‘Killer’ Khaibulaev

No frills, I love it when a fighter doesn’t need any gimmicks or trash talk to get him going. This is the case for Khaibulaev, I mean his nickname is ‘Killer’ for god’s sake. Seriously, though, Khaibulaev is all business inside the cage and through 13 fights nobody has figured out this Russian pugilist. I think Khaibulaev has the ability to step into Bellator or the UFC and be a top 10 guy right away, hopefully 2018 is the year we get to see a ‘Killer’ running loose in the UFC.

Featherweight: ‘Hurricane’ Shane Burgos

Burgos is a veteran of three UFC fights already and is booked for his fourth bout on January 20 against Calvin Kattar. Burgos’s pressure and willingness to take the fight anywhere are some of his best attributes but what separates ‘Hurricane’ from the long list of prospects in the featherweight division is his astute understanding of the sport of MMA. Look for big things from this Tiger Schulmann’s student in 2018.

Featherweight: Andre ‘The Bull’ Harrison

Perhaps the biggest head scratcher on this list, and its not because Harrison isn’t a great fighter, quite the opposite. Harrison is one of the very best fighters in the world he just happens to compete in the Professional Fighters league, so his accomplishments usually fall on deaf ears. But this 29-year-old undefeated champion may be looking to make more of a house hold name for himself in 2018, lets hope he has the chance to do so on a grander scale.

Featherweight: Jeremy ‘JBC’ Kennedy

Some people are calling this 25-year-old Canadian phenom the next George St Pierre. I won’t go so far as to say that, but, the man known as ‘JBC’ has all the skills to be a real player in the 145lb division. Kennedy may have the best Muay Thai of all the featherweights in the UFC, and he looks to continue his winning ways against Alexander Volkanovski in February. Kennedy hopes 2018 will be the year he can go from unranked to contender.

Bantamweight: Cody ‘Spartan’ Stamann

Michigan Top Team’s Stamann is one of the best wrestlers in the 135lb division and in his last outing the ‘Spartan’ displayed a well-rounded skill set en route to beating highly touted Tom Duquesnoy. Stamann just turned 28 years old so he still has plenty of time to make a run, but this mid-western fighter is looking for a top 15 opponent in his next fight so he can continue his ascent to the top of the division. Look for Stamann to make some noise this year.

Bantamweight: Ricardo ‘Carcacinha’ Ramos

Getting to the UFC is half the battle, but don’t tell that to this 22-year-old Brazilian fighter. Ramos has made the walk to the octagon twice in his brief career and already he has shown that there is much more to his game than his BJJ. ‘Carcacinha’ is a bit of a Darkhorse in the bantamweight division, but I think with careful match making Ramos could be a contender for breakout fighter of the year in 2018.

Bantamweight/Flyweight: Jose ‘Shorty’ Torres

Of all the amazing stars on this list, I think Torres’s star shines the brightest. If you are unfamiliar with ‘Shorty’s’ resume let me fill you in: He has a professional record of 6-0, he is on a 19-fight winning streak, he is Titan FC’s bantamweight & flyweight champion, and I think he is the best fighter in the world currently not signed to the UFC. Since Titan FC is basically a feeder organization for the UFC I do think we will see Torres inside the octagon, lets just hope it’s sooner rather than later.

Flyweight: Deiveson ‘Daico’ Figueiredo

Figueiredo finishes fights. Simply put, this man has finished 11 of his 13 opponents, and the other two men he beat via decision. ‘Daico’ is all action and an extremely exciting fighter to watch. He steps back into the octagon in February against Joseph Morales and if things go his way in that one, you can bet Figueiredo will be getting a top 15 guy next time out, and most likely a coveted FS1 slot.

Women’s Bantamweight: Taila Santos

Why isn’t she in the UFC yet? All jokes aside, Santos should’ve been in the UFC like yesterday. She has every characteristic the new owners of the UFC love to promote: She is attractive, she can really fight, she is a legit 135er, and with her 14-0 record she is marketable. All the women’s divisions are a bit in flux due to the addition of the flyweights, that’s all the more reason to sign this Brazilian knock out. Given the opportunity, I believe Santos could be challenging for UFC gold within a calendar year.

Women’s Strawweight: ‘Unstoppable’ Angela Lee

The woman with the moniker ‘Unstoppable’ has essentially carried an entire division on her shoulders at the young age of 21. ONE championship has been the stomping ground for this Asian American fighter for the last three years; I think 2018 is the year Lee brings her talents to the UFC. She would be a welcome addition to the UFC’s strawweight division and someone who could challenge a top 5 fighter right away.

The post UFC, Bellator and Beyond: 18 Fighters to Watch For in 2018 appeared first on Cageside Press.