CFFC 106 | US | Thursday

Lightweight, Paris Artis (5-0)

Artis is a highlight-reel finisher holding a few dramatic finishes. He comes out with a high guard chopping with heavy leg kicks and throwing check hooks. Artis has huge power in his hands and kicks with one-shot knockout power. Even on the mat his jiu-jitsu is decent with good scrambling ability and a slick submission attack. I’m not too sold on him but he’s someone you tune in to watch when he’s fighting. Artis fights champ Blake Smith (6-2) for the title.

Cage Warriors 134 | UK | Friday

Featherweight, James Hendin (6-1)

Hendin is a super impressive young man out of England. Hendin is a wrestler who will grind out hard-fought decision wins. He’s always in your face throwing low calf kicks, short powerful punches, and pressing opponents against the cage. Hendin has good wrestling, especially with a beautiful hip-toss he’s hit many times in his career. Hendin has one submission but it’s more of his smothering active ground and pound. Hendin has pressure, technique, and a deep gas tank. He fights Jordan Vucenic (8-1).

Featherweight, Jordan Vucenic (8-1)

Vucenic is mainly a wrestler. He has heavy leg kicks plus good forward pressure, but everything he does on the feet is to get to the takedown. Along with good wrestling, Vucenic has really good top control and really nice fluidity as well. His work rate is impressive with a deep gas tank. Still needs some work on the feet but is scrappy. He defends his title against James Hendin (6-1).

Lightweight, George Hardwick (8-1)

No matter where the fight takes Hardwick he’s going to be comfortable. He’s all about volume on the feet throwing slick combinations to the body and head. Surgical on the inside with his hands and elbows in the clinch he will chop the legs at distance. Hardwick can wrestle as well. He can get takedowns on the legs and from the upper body. His jiu-jitsu is slick. He smoothly takes the back and right away locks in the body triangle. As a pro he’s really good at finding the neck of his opponent. Hardwick fights Lukasz Kopera (10-6).

Middleweight, Will Currie (6-2)

Currie has only lost to one person and it was twice to Christian Leroy Duncan. He is  primarily a grappler with a submission base. As a pro, he’s finished with an RNC, arm-bar, americana, keylock, triangle and an arm-triangle. Wrestling-wise he has good timing on his entries and has a strong body lock. Currie has been very impressive on the mat with that submission base, aggression, and smooth transitions. Only being 23, Currie has a bright future. He fights Patrick Vallee (12-12-2).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fytaxeZqRAU&ab_channel=WorldWideWeb

 Flyweight, Lone’er Kavanagh (2-0)

Kavanagh is a very skilled and intriguing young man. Where he’s best at is unequivocally on the feet. He’s light on his feet, doing a lot of bouncing around. Kavanagh is excessively fast specifically with his movement, hands, and his legs. The Englishman throws a nice lead uppercut, is a well-executed counter striker, and has a good one-two. Kavanagh fights behind his kicks, setting the tone of his fights that way. He’s such a flashy guy and he doesn’t telegraph his strikes at all. Kavanagh is a true 125-er that brings speed, athleticism, explosiveness, and a recurrent rapid pace. He fights Ryan Morgan (1-0).

iKON FC 2 | US | Friday

Middleweight, SD Dumas (5-0)

The first thing you notice when watching Dumas is how often and quickly he lets his kickboxing set the pace. He loves to chop away at the legs and then go high – sometimes to the opposite side. All his work he does with his legs opens up his striking even more. Dumas has really good distance management on the feet, with of course his kicks but his striking as well. He has a stiff jab and strikes really well long, keeping guys at the end of his punches. He fights very patiently picking his spots and it’s a big reason why he can fight as well as he can later in fights. Here is an extensive piece I did on Dumas. He fights Aaron Highbaugh (9-5).

PFL Challenger Series 5 | US | Friday

Lightweight, Bruno Miranda (13-3)

Miranda has extensive experience in Muay Thai and it’s shown throughout his MMA career. You will see Miranda attack with leg kicks early and often throughout his fights. The Brazilian is a banger who will come out throwing bombs the entire bout. He is wild though and that’s resulted in him getting tagged, but he’s tough and his will breaks opponents. Miranda is a striker/kickboxer by trade but he has some decent wrestling to fall back on. he fights Carson Frei (9-4).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETI3azNVfRE&ab_channel=JeffSainlarVisuals

Eternal MMA 64 | Australia | Saturday

Lightweight, Josh Kuhne (3-0)

It’s hard to get a good read on Kuhne because his fights end so quickly. The storm he brings right out of the gate is so heavy his opponents so far couldn’t withstand it. Kunhe has massive power in both his hands and knees. So much is unknown about him but to put on a show is what he’s all about. There is a reason they call him Kamikaze. Kuhne fights Blake Donnelly (5-1).

The post Weekly MMA Prospect Report: London’s Calling appeared first on Cageside Press.

KSW, XMMA, and more are in action this week as well — here’s a look at the up-and-comers worth keeping an eye on.

Ring of Combat 74 | US | Friday

Lightweight, Dylan Mantello (4-0)

Mantello is a good prospect training out of Longo And Weidman MMA. Undefeated as a pro, Mantello went 6-0 as an amateur and was a champion. I’ve seen more of his striking where he displays good movement, a textbook jab, and a sick one-two. He’s found home with that straight right knocking out a few guys so far. Mantello seems to have slick jiu-jitsu. I’ve seen him hit sweeps off his back and finish on top with ground and pound. He fights John Ramirez (5-5).

LFA 116 | US | Friday

Bantamweight, Daniel Argueta (5-0)

After wrestling in high school Argueta went on to wrestle Division II for the University of Wisconsin. Argueta’s constant forward pressure, his wrestling, and jiu-jitsu is going to give a lot of guys problems. However, if he cannot impose his wrestling/grappling early he may have problems against a good striker. His head movement isn’t great and as the fight goes on he is likely to be easier and easier to hit. Yet even though he does tire as the fight goes on, Argueta never stops coming forward, making it an ugly fight at the very least. He fights Rodney Mondala (6-3).

RCC: Intro 17 | Russia | Friday

Middleweight, Arseniy Smirnov (9-1)

Smirnov is a dangerous guy who is well-rounded. On the feet, he’s technical with his hands always throwing in twos with big power. He will throw combinations up to four strikes. Smirnov is always throwing a lot of output and has multiple weapons including front kicks, body kicks, knees, and elbows. Everything he throws is with fight-ending intention. Smirnov has strong wrestling and smashing ground and pound on top. He fights Marco Pirata (16-7).

Bellator 269 | Russia | Saturday

Lightweight, Usman Nurmagomedov (13-0)

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, and he is solid at timing double legs and on top. Simply put, he is a big threat. He fights Patrik Pietilä (11-8).

Welterweight, Sharaf Davlatmurodov (18-3-1)

Davlatmurodov is a fun fighter with a lot of good experience. He has wins over some good competition and has lost to only solid fighters. On the feet, Davlatmurodov throws a lot of volume throwing with different patterns and mixing it up very well. He has good kickboxing and from the outside has really good long striking. Mixing it up, Davlatmurodov will explode on the hips taking his opponents down. At times he can be too aggressive on the mat but he has RNC’s for a reason. He’s really good. Mostly he just needs to improve small things— but the takedown defense should be his biggest concern. He fights Anatoly Tokov (29-3).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QNF7kTb7sY&t=3s

Lightweight, Gadzhi Rabadanov (16-4-2)

Rabadanov has a lot of experience and key wins against Oton Jasse and Steven Siler. He’s an excellent wrestler and durable fighter who can go three rounds no problem. On the feet, he has some power and good leg kicks but looks most at home once on the mat. He has good ground and pound and is a submission threat as well. He fights Alexander Belikh (9-4).

KSW 64 | Poland | Saturday

Featherweight, Patryk Kaczmarczyk (7-0)

Kaczmarczyk is one of the many bright young prospects out of Poland. The 23-year-old has a lot of good things going for him. On the feet, Kaczmarczyk is a good counter striker, throws heavy leg kicks, has a dangerous lead flying knee he throws, and throws in combinations. He excels when the fight is in close quarters using excellent offensive and defensive wrestling. Kaczmarczyk is a problem on the mat as his transitions are smooth and is always working to improve his position and finish the fight. He really has it all. He fights Robert Ruchała (5-0).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL_Q-vc_G10

Lightweight, Shamil Musaev (15-0)

Russia’s Musaev is a good wrestler with very sound ground and pound. He has a background in Sanshou which explains why he likes to use that spinning kick to the midsection. Musaev is a dynamic fighter throwing with flash but his setups and speed are impressive. He’s an excellent kickboxer. He recently beat Uros Jurisic which proves how good Musaev is. He fights Michał Pietrzak (10-4).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkybB-oysFQ&t=1s

XMMA 3 | US | Saturday

Welterweight, Tyler Ray (8-2)

Ray is a wrestler who has excellent control and cardio going the distance if need be. On the feet, he’s still a bit green but is improving. Ray does have good head movement and a good one-two. He’s far more comfortable just taking the fight down to land ground and pound or taking the neck for the submission. His last fight was razor close where he squeaked out a decision win. He fights the well-known John Howard (29-16-1).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP526jf5sR8&t=1s

The post Weekly MMA Prospect Report: Bellator Marches on Moscow appeared first on Cageside Press.

SFT 29 | Brazil | Thursday

Heavyweight, Acácio dos Santos (13-3)

Acacio dos Santos is a very dangerous and sloppy striker all at the same time. He has the power, speed, and output but lacks badly when it comes to technical ability. His kicks are slightly better, as he doesn’t throw them as carelessly. Santos will get flashy at times but is best when he attacks the lead leg. Santos is usually in control while in the clinch. It’s another position where he uses his size to his advantage, muscling opponents around and making it look easy to land knees.

Santos is an interesting talent with his size and is a dangerous fighter regardless of the deficiencies he has. With an impressive 13-3 record, an eight-fight win-streak, and having not lost a fight since 2015, Santos is seen as a top 205’er out of Brazil for a reason. He fights Marcos Brigagão (13-2).

UAE Warriors 21 | Abu Dhabi | Thursday

Welterweight, Wisem Hammami (5-0)

There isn’t tons of footage on Hammami but from what I’ve seen he’s set himself apart. He has good hands from the looks of things, and seems to have some knockout power. Hammami is more of a wrestler and on top is where he’s comfortable. In the fights I’ve watched he’s been able to quickly get into the mount. From there he’s got good finishing ability with his ground and pound. Hammami fights Omar Hussein (8-2).

ONE Championship | Singapore | Friday

Strawweight, Denice Zamboanga (8-0)

On the feet, Denice Zamboanga is consistent with pressure and output. She has a good right hand and is very accurate with her straight strikes. The jiu-jitsu of Zamboanga is just as good. Her takedown defense has been getting better and off her back, she’s shown to be very hard to keep still. She fights staple Seo Hee Ham (23-8).

Strawweight, Bo Meng (17-5)

Meng is the first person to beat former UFC strawweight champion Weili Zhang. Meng is a well-rounded combatant who has a lot of power in her hands. Enough to stop someone with just one punch. She’s rapid with her output throwing with her hands and mixing in kicks. She’s an even better wrestler with ferocious ground and pound. She fights Ritu Phogat (5-1).

Strawweight, Alyse Anderson (5-1)

Anderson is still very green on the feet, as she needs work on both offensive and defensive fundamentals. She does throw nice straight punches at least.  Her ground game is very dangerous though. Anderson has slick jiu-jitsu, is dangerous on top and bottom, and specializes in chaining from submission to submission. Her offensive wrestling isn’t too good but she is a pretty good counter wrestler. In her last two fights, she was able to score takedowns. She fights Itsuki Hirata (4-0).

Be sure to check out our interview with Alyse Anderson ahead of ONE Championship: Empower.

Combate Global | US | Saturday

Bantamweight, Kevin Cordero (11-2)

Cordero is an absolute action fighter that comes out with the same aggression every time he fights. Cordero is a scrapper. He’ll sit in the pocket and let his hands go and kick the lead leg. Both his right and left hand are dangerous and he doesn’t let up with his volume. He’s a problem on the feet and all that pressure will force opponents to shoot. That’s an issue itself because Cordero is even better on the mat. His offensive wrestling is good as well and holds six submissions. Overall he’s a dangerous guy all around and never in a boring fight. He fights a tough guy in Ricky Bandejas (14-5).

Bantamweight, Eduardo Matias Torres (11-0)

In all likelihood the best prospect out of Chile, Torres holds an impressive undefeated record. The competition Torres has beaten hasn’t been great but he’s disposed of his opponents the way he should. Torres is always bringing forward pressure as he looks to force his way into the clinch. His wrestling needs some work but he does a good job at utilizing trips in the clinch. On the mat is where Torres wants it, where he is dominant. He has very technical grappling where he makes all the right moves and his BJJ IQ is perfect at only 26-years-old. He fights former UFC fighter Nohelin Hernandez (11-5).

EFC 40 | Russia | Saturday

Welterweight, Khabib Nabiev (4-0)

Nabiev isn’t much in the striking department but is an outstanding grappler. Nabiev floats on top and transitions to dominant positions freely. His wrestling looks good enough so far. Even in positions where he’s off his back he’s scrambled and got back in control. All four of his finishes have come from what’s he’s done on top. Nabiev still has a way to come but his grappling alone is to be feared. He fights Aleksandr Verevkin (4-2).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ODwpvZvKXk

Bantamweight, Umar Kunakbiev (6-0)

Kunakbiev is a fun prospect out of Russia that’s well-rounded and fun to watch. On the feet, he has a flashy style. He throws a variety of kicks from different angles. Just a normal roundhouse is his best weapon but he will throw switch kicks and use the cage. He’s an even better wrestler and grappler. Kunakbiev has three submission wins and his ground and pound set it up. A talented guy that’s worth watching out for. He fights Ramazan Amaev (6-0)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T16XGa-IXIY

Road FC 59 | South Korea | Saturday

Featherweight, Soo Chul Kim (16-5-1)

Kim is finally making his return to MMA after a four-year absence. This guy is a very well-rounded fighter. He’s very hard to engage on since he can change levels effortlessly. Kim can use the power in his striking, or he can tie you up in clinch which he is skilled at. I don’t like how he keeps his hands down low and he needs some work on his takedown defense. He goes in for attacks at odd angles and it’s hard to tell what he’s going to throw next, making him very dangerous. He fights Hae Jin Park (8-1).

UAE Warriors 22 | Abu Dhabi | Saturday

Featherweight, Jarno Errens (11-2)

Errens is a top prospect out of the Netherlands with good experience, who is still only 26. On the feet is where he is best, where he can fight at his preferred range. Errens throws straight punches and a lot of leg kicks to maintain the range. He closes distance pretty quickly when throwing bigger shots like the flying knee and spinning attacks. Errens has the volume and mixes up his weapons to keep his opponents guessing. His takedown defense is his biggest flaw. He at least has a good ground game and holds five submissions. He fights Ali Kabdulla (6-0).

Welterweight, Ramazan Kuramagomedov (8-0)

The Russian is very well-rounded, being skillful no matter where the fight goes. On the feet, Kuramagomedov throws a lot of kicks. Throwing with diversity, his kicks come from all over the place. When he decides to just attack the lead leg, that’s when he’s at his best. Overall he’s a flashy but intelligent kickboxer. Kuramagomedov is an even better grappler. Once he gets the fight to the mat he quickly finds dominant positions. In the past Ramazan had trouble solidifying top position but now he’s a fighter with a strong body triangle and has just been dominant on top. You give him anything on the mat, he’s going to get into a better position and he has proved to be a submission threat. He fights Matias Juarez (12-3-1).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIhe1HMLmPA

Fight Club Rush 9 | Sweeden | Saturday

Lightweight, Sahil Siraj (5-0)

Siraj may be only five fights into his career and is already 31 years old, but he has an extensive background in muay thai and kickboxing with over fifty fights. As expected, Siraj has displayed wonderful striking. He has power in his hands and legs, mixes it up, picks his shots, and his left hand is his money shot. Not sold but his talent can’t be denied. He fights Arbi Mezhidov (13-5).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nChXr2EmC9A

KSW 63 | Poland | Saturday

Welterweight, Roberto Soldić (18-3)

A welterweight out of Croatia, Soldic has beaten some stiff competition including Lewis Long, Michał Materla, Borys Mańkowski, and UFC’s Dricus Du Plessis, winning five titles in his career including this KSW championship. Soldic is always coming forward and always looking for the finish in a controlled chaos manner. Soldic has heavy hands and a very accurate head kick, which he has dropped many opponents with. It’s the constant volume he throws paired with his speed that allows him to do so well. Soldic is always throwing punches behind kicks and vice-versa, showcasing his great striking abilities. He fights Patrik Kincl (24-9).

Fury FC 50 | US | Sunday

Lightweight, Anthony Romero (9-0)

Romero has won multiple titles as an amateur, is 18-1 as a pro and amateur combined, and last year he won on the Contender Series. Despite a very impressive performance over a tough Mike Breeden, he wasn’t awarded a contract. Romero is a Taekwondo black belt and a world IBJJF bronze medalist. 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. He fights JJ Okanovich (7-1).

The post Weekly MMA Prospect Report: ONE Kicks Off Atomwieght Grand Prix appeared first on Cageside Press.

ACA 122 | Belarus | Friday

Featherweight, Elismar Lima (23-7)

The 32-year-old Brazilian Lima has been in the sport of MMA for nine years and despite enduring a lot of setbacks, he’s had more successes. At least in the last five years, he’s only lost to good fighters and on the other side has beat good fighters. Lima is a dangerous striker with a lot of pop in his hands, his forward movement, his accuracy, and his bodywork. His biggest issue is his takedown defense but he does well off his back. He’s competed in some grappling matches but at least in MMA he hasn’t been a submission threat. He’s still a threat overall with good top position and ground and pound. He fights the well-known Levan Makashvili (14-7-1).

PFL #1 | US | Friday

Lightweight, Natan Schulte (20-3)

Schulte came into PFL in mid-2018 with an 11-3 record. Someone that wasn’t a favorite at all, he is now the favorite and the two-time PFL lightweight tournament winner. Schulte isn’t perfect – he gets tired, he gets hit a lot, and his takedown defense isn’t the best. It’s his forward pressure and will that have seen him prevail in his career. What Schulte brings to the table is solid jiu-jitsu and opposing striking. Schulte is always in your face throwing short tight strikes and chopping low calf kicks — that’s one of his better weapons. He’s a good wrestler especially with some solid judo throws. He has it all. Schulte fights the well-traveled Marcin Held (26-7).

Featherweight, Movlid Khaybulaev (15-0-1)

Khaybulaev is a very solid fighter all around, and he is really technical in his stand-up. He throws a lot of spinning attacks, not overdoing it, but that is a good thing. Khaybulaev uses the flying knee often, which he’s used to knock out opponents. With that said, he also has good wrestling; he is able to shoot in for a double leg or he can lift and slam you to the mat. Khaybulaev can usually get the fight down multiple times in a bout. He fights Lazar Stojadinovic (14-7).

Lightweight, Mikhail Odintsov (17-2)

In his last eleven fights, Mikhail Odintsov has only lost one bout and has won now six in a row. On the feet, he throws a lot. He throws a variety of weapons and throws to the legs, body, and head. Odintsov utilizes a lot of feints to time his shots shooting very low double leg takedowns. He has exceptional grappling and fight-ending ground and pound. He fights Akhmet Aliev (19-6).

AKA 114 | Friday | US

Welterweight, AJ Fletcher (7-0)

Since losing two consecutive fights as an amateur in 2018, Fletcher has hit his stride. The Louisiana-born fighter has looked excellent across seven pro bouts. The fighting style of Fletcher slightly resembles Contender Series veteran and UFC fighter Ian Heinisch. Fletcher is a strong wrestler with heavy hands along with good cardio. He fights Ariel Juarez (3-4).

LFA 105 | US | Friday

Strawweight, Svetlana Gotsyk (13-4)

Gotsyk is mainly a wrestler with ferocious ground and pound until she sees an opening for an armbar. On the feet, she stands at 5″2′ making it hard for her to get inside and strike, but that doesn’t affect her being able to stand and brawl, which is where she thrives. She is still really green but is young and getting better with each fight. One of her four losses came early in her career to current UFC strawweight champion Weili Zhang. She fights Pierangela Rodriguez (5-0).

Strawweight, Pierangela Rodriguez (5-0)

Rodriguez is an all-action-type fighter who is a fun one to watch. She does need to work on her takedown defense as that is by far her weakest area. Rodriguez loves to just throw her hands. In her constant rapid attack, she does hit hard and is pretty accurate. Rodriguez is untested and still green but the potential is there. She fights Svetlana Gotsyk (13-4).

Strawweight, Tabatha Ricci (4-0)

Ricci is a judo black belt and a training partner of UFC’s Mackenzie Dern. On the feet, Ricci is a buzzsaw in blitzes dishing out a lot of output. She strikes well to close the distance and once she gets the takedown she’s where she wants to be. Ricci has strong jiu-jitsu, that being her best weapon. You can’t complain about anything she does grappling-wise as she is very good. She fights Shawna Ormsby (2-3).

Light heavyweight, Bruce Souto (13-3)

Souto hasn’t fought in nearly two years and for his return fight, he’s moving up to light heavyweight. Souto was a big welterweight so it makes sense. Souto has fought for M1, ACB, Jungle Fights, and Future FC. He’s on an eight-fight win streak beating some solid dudes. Souto is a good striker with a lot of forward pressure. He does well at coming forward closing the distance and tripping his opponents to the mat. Where he does his best work is on the mat. His ground and pound is good and is just as dangerous as a submission threat. Souto has excellent cardio which sets him apart. He fights Cristhian Torres (15-11).

Welterweight, Mark Martin (5-1)

Mark Martin doesn’t have much MMA experience but is a highly touted wrestler. Some of his accolades including being a Fila junior national champ, a two-time Ohio high school state champ, and a three-time D1 national qualifier from Ohio State University. Martin is obviously a strong wrestler and will decide the wrestle the entire fight. He also strikes his way into wrestling attempts well. Martin has a good submission attack and has gone three rounds already so that looks good. He fights Renato Valente (7-3).

KSW 60 | Poland | Saturday

Featherweight, Vojto Barborik (12-1)

Currently on a ten-fight win streak, Vojto Barborik’s only loss is to a good fighter in Tomas Deak. Barborik is primarily a wrestler who chains together his takedown attempts well. He’s a monster on top with active and heavy ground and pound. He’s very sound with nasty elbows and heavy hammer fists. Barborik doesn’t have many TKO stoppages as nine of his wins are via submission. He fights Krzysztof Klaczek (12-6).

Featherweight, Patryk Kaczmarczyk (6-0)

Kaczmarczyk is one of the many bright young prospects out of Poland. The 23-year-old has a lot of good things going for him. On the feet, Kaczmarczyk is a good counter striker, throws heavy leg kicks, has a dangerous lead flying knee he throws, and throws in combinations. He excels when the fight is in close quarters using excellent offensive and defensive wrestling. Kaczmarczyk is a problem on the mat as his transitions are smooth and is always working to improve his position and finish the fight. He really has it all. He fights Michał Sobiech (4-0).

RCC | Russia | Saturday

Heavyweight, Andre Miranda (7-2)

Miranda started off his career at 0-2 but has hit his stride and won his next seven fights. Miranda utilizes a lot of feints/twitches to keep his opponents guessing. “Monstro” has solid hand speed, often firing right down the middle. He also throws some heavy kicks mixing it up well. He tends to get drawn into brawls and he’s just relentless with his hands. He fights Alexander Podmarev (9-4).

The post Weekly MMA Prospect Report: PFL is Back! appeared first on Cageside Press.

Lightweight, Joe Solecki (8-2)

UFC on ESPN 7 will be hosted in Washington D.C. and has a slew of up-and-comers. Most of the one of note, however, are ranked, mainly Yadong Song, Marina Rodriguez, and Jairzinho Rozenstruik. Digging a little deeper on the card, however, you find a younger, unranked prospect in Joe Solecki.

Solecki is coming off a win on the Contender Series this past Summer. He blitzed through James Wallace in a first-round submission earning himself a UFC contract in the process. Solecki is a BJJ black belt under John Hassett. He’s won the 2015 IBJJF NY Nogi Open as a brown belt, 2014 FIVE Grappling Expert Division Champion (Lightweight), is a multiple time Grapplers Quest Champion in the Men’s Expert division, and had some big super fight wins over Guybson Sa and a few other black belts.

Solecki is world class on the mat with some of the best pure BJJ we’ve seen debut in awhile. On the feet, he’s exceptional though his defense needs some work — or just slight adjustments at that. He uses good low calf kicks and has a useful check right hook. Nothing that necessarily stands out but he can easily get better.

He’s fighting 24-fight veteran Matt Wiman come Saturday, an opponent who could be considered very much past his prime. Wiman made his comeback after a five year hiatus against Luis Pena recently. It didn’t go well for the returning fighter. Wiman was beat down en route to a third-round stoppage.

This is a much closer fight stylistically, with Solecki being a jiu-jitsu player. Interestingly enough Wiman has never been submitted in his career. It’s a fight Solecki should win but a fight, even more, to show where he’s at in his game.

Featherweight, Salahdine Parnasse (13-0-1)

Parnasse is an amazing talent who has a bright future in MMA. At only 21-years-old he’s already the KSW featherweight champion. The French native has only fought one opponent with a losing record. The level of competition has been fair as his opponents have a combined record of 104-63 at the time they fought.

Parnasse would prefer to keep the fight on the feet where he can use his effective movement and a good kickboxing base. On the feet, he does a good job of moving in and out and really loves to attack with leg kicks, which set up his strikes better. One of his best attributes is his cardio as he can fight at the same pace for three rounds, which often puts him above his foes. Parnasse has four wins by submission, all coming via choke, so he is well-rounded in all areas. For more about Parnasse, check out our previous Prospect of the Month feature on him here.

This Saturday at KSW 52 Parnasse will take on Slovakian Ivan Buchinger. The 43-fight veteran Buchinger is well-known as he’s a former lightweight Cage Warriors champ and a former featherweight M-1 champ. Buchinger has the high-level experience that posses an interesting threat to Parnasse. If Parnasse can go out there and beat Ivan that makes him an even more complete top prospect.

The post Fighter Spotlight: Joe Solecki and Salahdine Parnasse appeared first on Cageside Press.

Age: 21-years-old
Born: Aubervilliers, France
Height: 5’9″
Reach: 69.3″
Weight class: Featherweight
Record: 13-0-1
Ranked #69 worldwide among featherweights according to Tapology
Ranked #47 worldwide among featherweights according to Fight Matrix

Who is Salahdine Parnasse?

Born on December 4, 1997 Parnasse started his MMA career in 2015 when he was only 17-years old. The Frenchman began training at the age of 11, in a nation where MMA remains banned. France right now is just now starting to gain recognition with the growing talent there. But when Parnasse started fighting he was quite unknown to even the more hardcore fans. He didn’t really become noticeable until he signed with one of the biggest European organizations in KSW in late 2017. Still with the promotion today, Parnasse quickly jumped into the pool with tough competition. Before signing with KSW, the best record Salahdine beat was 14-8. Now in his four KSW bouts he’s fought a combined record of 49-19. In his most recent fight, Parnasse beat Roman Szymański to become the interim KSW featherweight champion.

Striking

Fighting in a southpaw stance, Parnasse’s right hand is his primary go-to when he fires his hands. Always throwing with output, Parnasse is constantly launching crisp combinations. He will always lead combinations with his left hand and will throw two or three more strikes behind it. He favors a very sneaky but good right uppercut in combinations as well. Parnasse is an excellent counter striker with incredible reaction speed, timing, and accuracy.

Kickboxing

Kickboxing is probably the best weapon the French fighter possesses, which is saying a lot. It’s crazy that Parnasse hasn’t yet finished someone with his kicks, because of how hard they connect. It isn’t just the power he throws behind his kicks though, it’s also the speed. His release is very quick as is his timing. Parnasse at times will throw with some flash with wheel kicks and switch kicks. He will rarely take risks though, staying grounded and sticking to fundamentals. Parnasse is greedy with his kicking attack going after the legs, body, and head frequently. He will set up combinations with kicks and at times end combos with kicks. Really a skilled and intelligent kickboxer.

Clinch

Parnasse is immensely strong in the clinch. You will see him in control at times but mostly you will see his back against the cage. He doesn’t throw as much offense as you would like to see but does well enough. What you like to see from a young fighter is the understanding of defending against the cage. Parnasse knows that getting the over-under and the double under-hooks is important and he does it perfectly. He will always stay working using wrist control of his foes to maintain the posture.

Movement

Not exactly Dominick Cruz or TJ Dillashaw movement-wise, but Parnasse is very slick. He doesn’t use much lateral footwork, rarely moving side to side. His vertical movement though is very impressive. Parnasse does a stellar job moving in putting in combos and moving out so effortlessly. Always light on his feet in his primary southpaw stance Parnasse will only plant his feet for a few seconds to throw with his hands. You will hardly ever see him sit in the pocket.

Wrestling

You won’t see Parnasse wrestling too often but he does have it in his back pocket. He will usually use it to just mix it up a little bit. Most of his takedowns come from the clinch where he does a nice job utilizing trips and the body lock. You won’t really see him shoot from the outside but he will change directions and get the takedown.

Ground Game

Throughout his career, Salahdine Parnasse hasn’t spent a lot of time on the mat on top or even off his back. The few times he did end up on his back, he has done a good job getting back to his feet. That usually comes not by his jiu-jitsu but by his explosiveness as soon as he has space to move. On top, Parnasse doesn’t throw a lot of punches but is good at transitioning to the back. He has four submission wins all by the way of choke. Also, watch for his D’arce choke as he goes for it often.

Cardio

Cardio may be Parnasse’s biggest attribute. Parnasse has gone the distance seven times and his cage time is 2 hours, 28 minutes, and 45 seconds. While some have labeled him “boring” as he lacks finishes, that’s simply not the case. Parnasse throws a ton of volume. At times he will coast but to fight at the same pace the entire fight is massively impressive. It takes more energy to throw a kick than to throw a punch but Parnasse will constantly throw kicks not slowing him down a bit.

Defense

Arguably his biggest weakness would be his takedown defense. And it’s not even bad, he just winds up being taken down from time to time. Off his back, Parnasse is good when he gets space exploding with a lot of power and speed. It would be nice if he would show more BJJ in regaining guard and working his way back up using the cage. It’s not a big issue though. His head movement is pretty solid, given he’s such a good counter striker. Parnasse knows exactly when to lean back seeming to know when and what his opponent is going to throw. He’s very evasive and his speed and vision make him an excellent prospect.

Final Thoughts: Parnasse is an amazing talent who has a bright future in MMA. At only 21-years-old he’s already the KSW featherweight champion. KSW is a top promotion who will always give Parnasse a quality opponent. A dream match-up would be Parnasse against Mateusz Gamrot, a former KSW champion. That fight may be far away however, since Gamrot vacated his belts and decided to take a break from the sport. Parnasse is happy with KSW as they treat him well and the pay is good. With that, he’s still young so there’s a strong chance he lands with the UFC some day.

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The promotion announced the addition to KSW 49 today.

After spending his career at 155 pounds, Norman Parke recently fought at welterweight for the first time. Sowiński followed a similar path, fighting at featherweight from 2013 to 2018 before going up to lightweight in his last bout. They’ll meet in the middle with a 163-pound catchweight fight set for KSW 49.

Norman Parke won TUF: The Smashes in 2012 and proceeded to go 5-3-1 in the UFC. After fights in both ACB and BAMMA, the Northern Ireland native found a home in KSW. Parke received a title shot in his first fight with the Polish promotion, losing to champion Mateusz Gamrot by decision. The rematch resulted in a no-contest after an eye-poke early in the second round. Since then, “Stormin’ Norman” is 3-0.

Artur Sowiński has been with KSW since 2010, going 10-6 with one no contest. The Polish fighter won the promotion’s featherweight title in 2015 and defended it once before losing to “The Polish Zombie” Marcin Wrzosek. Since then, Sowiński is 2-2, winning his last fight in December.

KSW 49 features a who’s who of the Polish promotion. Michal Materla and Scott Askham will battle for the vacant middleweight title in the main event, while top prospect Roberto Soldic looks to defend his welterweight belt for the first time against Krystian Kaszubowski. Also on the card are former UFC fighters Thiago Silva and Damian Grabowski. The event takes place on May 18 in Gdansk, Poland, inside the ERGO Arena.

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KSW 41 went down on Saturday, marking the Polish promotion’s final card of the year. In the main event, Borys Mankowski (19-6-1) and Roberto Soldic (12-2) went to war with welterweight gold on the line. Polish rapper and heavyweight Popek (Paweł Rak) also featured on the card, taking on Tomasz Oświeciński.

A featherweight title fight between Kleber Koike Erbst and Artur Sowiński was also planned for the event. However, Erbst failed to make weight, and was forced to vacate the title as a result. The fight remains on the card, however, and Sowiński is still eligible to win the title.

The action kicks off at 1PM EST, Live from Katowice, Poland. Check back come event time for a recap and results from the entire card!

Maciej Kazieczko vs. Gracjan Szadziński

Lightweights Maciej Kazieczko and Gracjan Szadziński kicked off the KSW 41 card. Kazieczko brought the action early, chopping at the legs of his opponent and letting his hands go. Kicks to the thigh followed; he then initiated a Muay Thai clinch, and landed a knee to the body before the fight went to the ground. With Kazieczko in Szadziński’s guard, he had plenty of time to make something happen. Kazieczko was able to land some big shots, both punches and elbows, from within the closed guard of Szadziński. Szadziński would eventually escape back to the feet briefly, but it was still Kazieczko pressing forward, and as it went back to the mat he added some more big elbows. On the feet, Kazieczko showed a well-balanced attack, continuing to mix in kicks, knees in the clinch, and combinations.

Szadziński was finally able to answer back with a few strikes, and as the clock wound down, he suddenly connected with a short left hand that dropped Kazieczko! After a completely one-sided round, Gracjan Szadziński pulled off the TKO victory in the dying seconds of the first round.

Gracjan Szadziński def. Maciej Kazieczko by TKO, Round 1, 4:59

Salahdine Parnasse vs. Lukasz Rajewski

Poland’s Lukasz Rajewski took on Salahdine Parnasse of France at featherweight in the second bout of KSW 41 on Saturday. Rajewski held the center of the cage early. Parnasse stayed light on his feet and circled out of harm’s way. It was an orthodox vs. southpaw battle, with both men firing off kicks during the opening moments of the fight. An exchange followed, and each fighter displayed some fast hands. Parnasse went upstairs with a head kick that was blocked, and initiated another exchange shortly after. Rajewski struck at the lead leg of his opponent, and went to the body with his hands. He began walking down his opponent, who was still trying to set up the head kick. Parnasse would find success with a superman punch. By rounds end it was Parnasse pushing forward; close round, very much a kickboxing match with no thought of going to the mat.

Parnasse flashed level changes and kept his hands moving to keep Rajewski guessing early in round two. Rajewski pressed forward on the attack, coming with his right hand; Parnasse answered back. He then tagged Rajewski on the forehead, but the Polish fighter pushed on, seemingly unharmed. Rajewski’s right hand was becoming a looping yet dangerous punch; Parnasse again landed a superman punch. Curiously, however, he was circling towards Rajewski’s dominant side. Near the end of the round, Rajewski landed a body shot only for a head kick by Parnasse to hurt and briefly drop him. Out of desperation, he landed the fight’s first takedown just before the bell sounded.

Rajewski looked to take the fight back to the mat in round three, but Parnasse was having none of it. Stuffing the attempt, he went back to work on the feet. With roughly two minutes to go, Parnasse took the back of Rajewski, and was able to get a body triangle in. Rajewski dropped to his knees, and Parnasse was able to roll him over and work to secure a rear-naked choke. Rajewski turned inward, defending it, and while Parnasse briefly had mount, Rajewski got back to his feet. Parnasse then grabbed the nack and sunk in an anaconda choke! He had the leg trapped and the choke in tight, but ran out of time! The sequence, however, likely earned him both the round and the fight.

Salahdine Parnasse def. Lukasz Rajewski by majority decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-29)

Kamil Szymuszowski vs. Grzegorz Szulakowski

Lightweights Szymuszowski and Szulakowski went to the ground early. Szulakowski looked for a leg lock, but couldn’t secure it. Back on the feet, Szymuszowski looked to use his reach. Within moments, the fight was back on the ground, and this time, when Grzegorz Szulakowski grabbed a leg, he made no mistake. Securing a heel hook, Szulakowski rolled, wrenched, and forced the tap from a clearly pained Szymuszowski.

Grzegorz Szulakowski def. Kamil Szymuszowski by submission (heel hook), Round 1, 3:33

Damian Janikowski vs. Antoni Chmielewski

Janikowski pressed the action early, pressing Chmielewski into the fence. He could not secure the takedown, however, and a low blow on Chmielewski then halted the action. Janikowski tried a jumping double knee, and was coming in fast with a big overhand. He then pressed the action against the fence, and finally got the fight to the mat. He worked from half guard, and while Chmielewski, Janikowski was all over him, landing bombs. He survived to the bell however.

It took less than three minutes for the former Olympian Janikowski to finish the job in round two. His wrestling was the story throughout the bout, and an early takedown underscored that fact. He took the back and looked to lock in underhooks. He moved to side control, and was able to trap the arms of Chmielewski. With the mounted crucifix position secured, Janikowski was able to pepper his opponent with undefended punches to the head, and the ref waved it off!

Damian Janikowski def. Antoni Chmielewski by TKO, Round 2, 2:33

Michał Andryszak vs. Fernando Rodrigues Jr

Heavyweight Michał Andryszak made short work of Fernando Rodrigues Jr Saturday at KSW 41. Just twenty seconds in, Rodrigues charged forward, opening up the action. It was a wild, undisciplined attack, and the end result was Rodrigues felled by an Andryszak punch. Andryszak punched, adding some ground and pound to capture the win at just twenty-six seconds of round one!

Michał Andryszak def. Fernando Rodrigues Jr by TKO, Round 1, 0:26

Kleber Koike Erbst (c) vs. Artur Sowiński

In what was to be a featherweight title fight, champ Kleber Koike Erbst took on Artur Sowiński. However, after missing weight, Erbst was stripped of the belt, meaning only Sowiński was eligible for the title.

The pair were meeting in a rematch of their KSW 33 bout. Going right into the third round, it was back and forth action through bout of the first two frames. Erbst looked good on the mat in the second, working for a submission, trying for a gogoplata, among other attempts. On the feet, Sowiński went upstairs with a head kick and even added a bit of showboating at round’s ending, miming a burial with a shovel.

In the third, however, Erbst kept the pressure on, rushing in on the attack. Sowiński met him with a guillotine, which Erbst was able to avoid. He was getting the better of the grappling, but Sowiński made it back up. Erbst would begin walking him down, and shoot for a takedown only to be stuffed. They traded along the fence, clinched, and Erbst then took the back of a standing Sowiński. Sowiński dove forward in a roll, with Erbst hanging on the whole time. Locking in the rear-naked choke, he refused to be denied, securing the tap just a few seconds later!

Kleber Koike Erbst def. Artur Sowiński submission, Round 3, 3:56

Paweł “Popek” Rak vs. Tomasz Oświeciński

Heavyweight action was up next. Popek dominated on the ground in the first, muscling his opponent to the canvas and working in side control, landing some heavy shots and controlling the action throughout most of the round. When Stachu was finally able to make it back up he was thrown right back to the canvas for more ground and pound.

Surprisingly, this one made it to the second round, and Stachu immediately came out with a powerful takedown. He moved to side control, looking to flip the script and replicate what Popek had achieved in round one. Popek would briefly give up the back tring to escape, then return to his back. Stachu was doing some damage by that point, and Popek again tried to escape to no avail. Still eating shots, big hammer fists, the ref had seen enough, and waved it off!

Tomasz Oświeciński def. Paweł “Popek” Rak by TKO, Round 2, 1:58

Borys Mańkowski (c) vs. Roberto Soldić

Borys looked light on his feet early, circling and coming in for a leg kick. Soldić answered with a punch while Mańkowski continued chopping at his opponent’s lead leg. The outside leg kicks looked like they’d become a factor if the challenger was unable to consistently check or avoid them. Mańkowski seemed to get his hands going, unloading a combination, but Soldić stayed active in what turned out to be a back-and-forth round. Soldić went upstairs with a kick that was blocked; they’d begin to trade mid-round, but again Mańkowski worked his kicks, and the challenger seemed to slow a step and drag his foot a bit as the round wore on. Soldić went to the body with a pair of punches and began unloading on Mańkowski along the fence, resulting in a late takedown attempt by the champ just prior to the round’s end.

Soldić got the fight to the ground early in the second, but couldn’t keep it there. Back on the feet, it was another back-and-forth round, but just prior to the final minute he was able to take the champ down again. That led to him working in some ground and pound from Mańkowski’s closed guard.

Round three once again saw the challenger take the fight to the ground. Mańkowski stayed active off his back and was soon back on his feet. Soldić, however, quickly had him down again. The champion looked for a leg lock as Soldić stood up, trying to pull free. The challenger escaped, moving to half guard. Mańkowski at that point was bloodied. Heavy ground and pound, with elbows and some big shots, had Mańkowski covering up. With nowhere to go and not able to defend himself, Mańkowski survived the round. The bout, however, was over. Mańkowski was clearly rocked after the round, initially unable to make it to his stool. His corner called it a night, and KSW had a new welterweight champ in Roberto Soldić!

Roberto Soldić def. Borys Mańkowski by TKO (corner stoppage), Round 3, 5:00

KSW 41: Mankowski vs. Soldic Results

Roberto Soldić def. Borys Mańkowski by TKO (corner stoppage), Round 3, 5:00 – For the KSW Welterweight Championship
Tomasz Oświeciński def. Paweł “Popek” Rak by TKO, Round 2, 1:58
Kleber Koike Erbst def. Artur Sowiński submission, Round 3, 3:56
Marcin Wrzosek def. Roman Szymański by unanimous decision
Michał Andryszak def. Fernando Rodrigues Jr by TKO, Round 1, 0:26
Damian Janikowski def. Antoni Chmielewski by TKO, Round 2, 2:33
Grzegorz Szulakowski def. Kamil Szymuszowski by submission (heel hook), Round 1, 3:33
Salahdine Parnasse def. Lukasz Rajewski by majority decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-29)
Gracjan Szadziński def. Maciej Kazieczko by TKO, Round 1, 4:59

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Which leads to a simple question: has the UFC lost the opening skirmish in an international MMA war?

To answer that question, understand that the UFC for several years was all but unopposed when it came to MMA dominance. After acquiring Pride, and later Strikeforce (in 2011), there was little left in the way of competition for the UFC, then owned by Zuffa. Bellator was around, with their idea of title shots being earned and relying on a tournament format, but they were in a slow, steady building period. Promotions like M-1, KSW and ONE Championship (which was only launched in 2011) weren’t on the radar outside their strongholds well beyond the borders of North America.

In short, it was the UFC or bust.

What a change a few years have made. KSW became the most unlikely of heroes when it smashed the UFC’s live attendance record with KSW 39 in Warsaw, Poland on Saturday. More impressively, it did so without relying on a host of former UFC stars (really, Norman Parke was the only ex-UFC prospect noticeable at the event). The promotion has been around longer than you might think, popping up way back in 2004, but really has only been on the radar the past couple of years. In that time, Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki has grown in leaps and bounds, leading to Saturday’s 58,000 strong stadium show.

KSW 39: Colosseum was a success, broadcast live around the world.

ONE Championship also put on one of its best shows to date Friday in Kallang, Singapore at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. ONE Championship: Dynasty of Heroes wound up being a smashing success. Yes, “Funky” Ben Askren was there, and successfully defended his welterweight title before calling out the promotion’s middleweight champ. Yet he wasn’t the biggest draw. That would be women’s MMA and atomweight Queen “Unstoppable” Angela Lee. Just twenty, Lee has become the face of the promotion, and draws huge crowds where ever she fights. Her entire career has been spent in ONE, and it doesn’t look like that is about the change any time soon.

The UFC will be touching down in that very same venue next month, leading with a main event of Holly Holm vs. Bethe Correia. It sort of makes you wonder how serious the promotion is about the Asian market. Yes, it’s a Fight Night event, but are you telling me you couldn’t put a Demetrious Johnson or Joannna Jedrzejczyk on a televised card, and do solid numbers, while showing the region they’re more than an afterthought? While the UFC has flirted with the Asian market, showing up every now and then to China, Japan, Singapore and Korea, Asian promoters like ONE Championship, along with Japan’s Rizin FF and Korea’s Road FC, have wisely filled the void left by Pride’s fall and the UFC’s absence.

Holm vs. Correia is a good fight, but it’s a fight that has little meaning to the bantamweight division at the moment. Having lost a shot at the UFC featherweight title (and isn’t that a mess at the moment), Holm needs a win, badly. With all due respect to Bethe Correia, this feels like a rebuilding fight for Holm, despite the fact that Correia has the better record of late.

Make no mistake, there are some good fights at UFC Fight Night 111, which Holm and Correia headline. Andrei Arlovski is a legend. Takanori Gomi is a legend. Yet neither are relevant to their division at the moment. Ben Askren defending his title is relevant to Asian fans. Angela Lee is relevant, a rising star and the most marketable name in the region.

And that’s why the UFC has failed at its attempts to break into the Asian market, simply by not taking it seriously enough. Anyone who has spent time in the region knows that the market is there. They’ve been waiting, patiently, for a promotion to cater to them.

On page two, we’ll look at Bellator MMA’s excursion to London, and how their card stacked up against the UFC’s recent jaunt across the pond, plus UFC Fight Night 109.

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