LFA Archives - Cageside Press

LFA Begins New Era With Vice TV Broadcast Partnership

Eddie Law — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 19:31:04 +0000

Legacy Fighting Alliance has found a new home.

The rising MMA promotion announced a new broadcast partnership with Legacy Fighting Alliance, bringing its events to Vice TV in a move that signals a major step forward for the league as it continues to establish itself as one of the premier developmental pipelines in mixed martial arts. The deal will see 25 LFA events broadcasting on Vice TV through 2026.

Ariel Helwani was the first to report the news.

LFA began broadcasting its events on UFC Fight Pass in 2019, entering into a deal that ran through 2025. Following the UFC’s decision to move all of its events to Paramount+, LFA opted to pursue a new broadcast partnership and chart a different path forward.

Along with LFA, Vice TV will also broadcast select events from the Professional Fighters League (PFL), as well as Bare Knuckle Boxing (BKB) cards. The network has steadily expanded its combat sports footprint in recent years, beginning with the success of its documentary series Dark Side of the Cage featuring fighters such as Ronda Rousey and Nick Diaz.

In addition to live fight programming, Vice TV has also invested in professional wrestling content, further positioning itself as a destination for fans of combat and fight-adjacent sports. The growing lineup reflects a clear commitment to building a diverse and consistent combat sports portfolio across multiple disciplines.

The first event to air live the new broadcast home will be LFA 224, which takes place on January 16 from the Mystic Lake Showroom in Prior Lake.

The card will be headlined by a heavyweight title fight as Matt Adams fight for the LFA heavyweight championship against Arslan Bilalov.

The post LFA Begins New Era With Vice TV Broadcast Partnership appeared first on Cageside Press.

Welcome to the UFC: Bruno Souza

Shawn Bitter — Fri, 05 Nov 2021 23:00:06 +0000

UFC 268 was set to blow the roof off of Madison Square Garden on Saturday. The card was headlined by welterweight world champion Kamaru Usman, fighting Colby Covington in a rematch from their first fight in 2019. In the co-main event was another rematch. That saw Rose Namajunas, fresh off knocking out Weili Zhang in April to win the strawweight title, running it back in an instant rematch. Along with a stacked main card, there were a slew of promotional debuts on the night. A thriving up-and-comer Melsik Baghdasaryan (6-1) was supposed to fight TJ Laramie, but Laramie pulled out due to bacterial infection. Coming from the number one feeder league, LFA, the UFC signed their featherweight champion Bruno Souza.

Bruno “The Tiger” Souza
Standing at 5’7″
Fighting at 145 lbs (featherweight)
25-years-old
Fighting out of Los Angeles, California, US but from Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
Training out of Machida Academy
A pro record of 10-1
1 KO/TKO, 2 Submissions

How will Souza fare in the UFC:

Souza was a 2015 world Karate champion and a former national and South American champion as well. Being more of a point fighter doesn’t mean Souza is boring. He’s a joy to watch and has been beating good fighters in LFA. Since losing his pro debut Sousa hasn’t lost since.

Being a karate-style fighter his kicks are his most vital weapon, similar to how a boxer primarily uses their hands. But Souza isn’t only a kicker as in fact, he’s a solid striker as well. Mixing in kicks and punches together in combinations is something Souza does extremely well. With credible movement, his counter striking is very much up to par. Fighting on the outside, the Brazilian has long straight very quick hands. As the fight goes his pace picks up and so does his output. His movement makes him the fighter he is today. His striking and kickboxing are so good and that’s because his footwork facilitates it. The angles he cuts off are important to his striking game as well.

Only a striker, you won’t see Souza attempt takedowns. Souza does have two submissions which are at least passable however. Most of the time when on the mat he’s fighting off his back. Souza has shown to be decent off his back but it’s not up to par. Defensively, Souza’s biggest issue is that takedown defense. Always moving he is hard to get a hold of but once so he’s been put on his back a few times. Against a good wrestler, he may struggle as he did against Mike Hamel. It is evident over his last few fights he’s been able to defend takedowns though.

At only 25-years-old Souza has time to shore up his ground game. When he’s on the feet he’s really good already and as time goes by he’s going to become an even more dangerous fighter. I expect Souza to be in the UFC for a long time. It might take a while for him to hit his stride but I expect him to be a possible staple in the division in the future.

Striking: A-
Kickboxing: A
Clinch: C+
Wrestling: C-
Grappling: C+
Striking Defense: B+
Takedown Defense: C
Cardio: A
Biggest Strength: Kickboxing
Biggest Weakness: Takedown defense

How he matches up with Baghdasaryan:

Both these guys are excellent kickboxers with the accolades to prove it. Both these guys don’t have to worry about the others taking them down since that’s not their style. It’s simply going to come down to who is the better striker/kickboxer. Even though they have similar styles their approach is different. Baghdasaryan is the aggressive striker that puts everything into what he throws and stays technically sound. Souza is more laid back and picks at his opponent. He lets guys come to him and then responds. Against another legit kickboxer, I can’t see the slow approach of Souza working. Baghdasaryan throws much more output, hits harder, and is quicker. Baghdasaryan should win what should be a great fight.

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Weekly MMA Prospect Report: Bellator Marches on Moscow

Shawn Bitter — Fri, 22 Oct 2021 01:03:11 +0000

Bellator MMA hosts its first event in Russia this weekend with Bellator 269, and brings with it a wealth of promising MMA prospects.

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

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Weekly MMA Prospect Report: Christian Lee Looks to Continue His Reign

Shawn Bitter — Fri, 24 Sep 2021 02:00:48 +0000

One of the best lightweights (we know, ONE’s weight rules means it’s not exactly lightweight) outside the UFC returns Friday, while ACA, LFA and more are also in action this week. Let’s get right to this edition of the Weekly MMA Prospect Report.

ONE Championship | Singapore | Friday

Lightweight, Christian Lee (15-3)

After a failed title shot in 2018, Lee rebounded and when he moved to welterweight (lightweight under the ONE weight system) he won a title. Lee is excellent on the feet, being quick and dynamic with outstanding footwork. He covers distance quickly and has some dangerous power is everything he throws. His abilities on the mat are there when needed, holding four submission wins to date. At only 23, Lee is already a star for ONE Championship. Imagine where he’s going to be in, say, five years. He’s well-rounded, has solid cardio, and gets better in every fight. He fights Rae Yoon Ok (15-3).

ACA 129 | Russia | Friday

Lightweight, Pavel Gordeev (18-2)

Gordeev has shown he is a promising prospect, beating four undefeated fighters, former UFC fighter Mickael Lebout and Shane Campbell, and other solid competition. Gordeev is mainly a striker who loves to use the jab often. The Russian has good long straight punches and his speed can be a real factor. Gordeev has also shown the ability to land at a high rate as well. His wrestling is decent enough to be effective with good scrambles and an active ground game. He fights Zhorabek Tesheboev (8-2).

Future MMA 13 | Brazil | Friday

Middleweight, Claudio Ribeiro (8-2)

Outside of his pro debut, his only loss is a split decision in 2018. Ribeiro brings a wild approach slinging wild looping punches. He’s a wild man but with a lot of power in his hands. Not just in his hands as Ribeiro throws thunderous leg kicks as well. Ribeiro is someone you don’t want to rush in on as he will catch you. Not someone to sit in the pocket and trade with either because his knockout power is dangerous. He fights Kelles Albuquerque (24-20).

Flyweight, Wellington Souza (8-1)

Souza is an exciting young prospect out of Brazil. He’s competed in some jiu-jitsu competitions but it’s his stand-up that has impressed. Souza throws heavy leg kicks and fights long very well. He throws wide but throws in twos. What makes him dangerous is his explosiveness. Souza likes to throw the flying knee and has a dangerous head kick he’s landed with a few times. Not completely sold on him but he’s worth watching. He fights Eduardo Henrique da Silva (7-1).

Featherweight, Jean Silva (8-2)

Silva is on a five-fight win streak since his last loss in early 2018. In all eight of his wins, Silva has a 100% finish rate. Silva is fast, athletic, powerful, and explosive. There are concerns about his takedown defense. He does a good job at least getting back to his feet and can end the fight at any point when he has space. Silva has the ability to go to air for the flying knee, sit down on heavy punches, attack with kicks, and grab a hold of the neck. Not sure if he’s at a high level but he’s at that excitement level. Silva fights John David (8-3).

LFA 115 | US | Friday

Light heavyweight Joshua Silveira (5-0)

Silveira trains out of American Top Team under head coach and his father, Conan Silveira. He’s currently 5-0 and went 4-0 as an amateur, so he does have good experience. Silveira wrestled in college for Arizona State University and was a Florida high school state champ. With that wrestling pedigree always in his back pocket, he’s able to let loose on the feet. His shot selection is very on-point with his hands, and his left high kick is very sneaky and dangerous. Silveira really checks all the boxes and is a major prospect to watch for. He fights Tee Cummins (3-0).

Light heavyweight, Tee Cummins (4-0)

Although Cummins isn’t experienced much in pro MMA, he has also dabbled in some bare-knuckle boxing for BKFC going 2-0. Cummins has displayed technical ability, patience, and finishing ability. That trifecta isn’t seen much at 205. In his last fight he was able to prove he can wrestler and end the fight with ground and pound. A lot still needs to be seen from Cummins, but he’s looked really good recently. Watching his old fights he’s improved quickly. He fights Josh Silveira (4-0).

Lightweight, Lucas Clay (7-1)

Lucas Clay has wins over good prospects like Brant Moore, JJ Okanovich, and Mike Breeden. On the feet, he’s still green but at least fights long. Clay is a grappler and mostly a submission artist. Both his submission wins are from a rare buggy choke. He is too willing to fight off his back but in the same sense, that’s where he’s most dangerous. There’s a lot Clay can improve on but he’s definitely worth a watch. He fights Jake Kozorosky (5-1).

Featherweight, Edwin Cooper Jr. (4-1)

Cooper is a three-time Illinois high school state champ, an NJCAA National Champ, a D2 finalist, and he was a national qualifier at the University of Iowa. His sole loss came by a submission where the ref made a mistake saying Cooper tapped. Cooper is a top-level wrestler. To wrestle is his intention in every fight as it should be. He’s very aggressive, strong, and crafty. Cooper has a deep gas tank being able to impose his will on you constantly. He’s got lock-down top control and some good ground and pound when the opening is there. He fights Andrew D Johnson (2-0-1).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOS7ZPXvWQY&t=1180s

Middleweight, Roland Dunlap (2-0)

Dunlap is someone that’s been on my radar ever since he was an amateur. Dunlap has won two wrestling state titles in high school and had a career record of 159-9. He went on to be a three-time All-American and wrestled D3 in the University of Wisconsin Whitewater. Along with that wrestling upbringing, his father was a high-level karate black belt. Dunlap fights very loosely and very long. He’ll throw a lot of kicks and he’ll attack with both legs attacking each side of his opponent. Where Dunlap shines is when he uses his wrestling. Dunlap does nice work changing levels as his opponents come forward to engage. He sneaks under punches to get a hold of the legs to lift guys up and slam them to the mat. To read my more in-depth piece on Dunlap click here. He fights Ryot Waller (3-6).

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Weekly MMA Prospect Report: Brave CF, LFA, and BFL

Shawn Bitter — Thu, 03 Jun 2021 16:41:18 +0000

A busier week this week is a welcome sight for MMA fans, and we set our sights on Brace CF, LFA (with the return of Askar Askar), and Battlefield Fight League.

BRAVE CF 51 | Belarus | Friday

Welterweight, Rinat Sagyntay (9-0)

Kazakhstan fighters have been killing it in 2021, and after taking the full 2020 year off, Sagyntay looks to continue the dominance. Sagyntay, despite an impressive undefeated record, has had a level of competition that has been unfortunately low. He’s performed as expected and has a 100% finish rate. On the feet he has a good straight right but it’s his wrestling/grappling that’s best. Sagyntay times guys coming in and is good at turning to the back and flooring opponents. So far he’s flowed on top into dominant positions and can both end it with ground and pound and submission. He fights Denis Maher (7-0).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VlFxiTE7BM

Flyweight, Badmatsyren Dorzhiev (5-0)

Dorzhiev is someone who popped up on my radar a few months ago and since then I’ve been high on him. My expectations for the 27-year-old Russian will one day be in the UFC. Dorzhiev is well-rounded and every move is thought out and measured. He has a good right hand that’s highlighted. On the feet, Dorzhiev will pick and choose his shots staying technical. He’s a solid wrestler and his ground and pound is really good along with heavy top control. He has it all and even though he’s just 5-0 he’s looked perfect. Dorzhiev fights Almanbet Abdyvasy Uulu (9-4).

Bantamweight, Aydemir Kazbekov (7-0)

Kazbekov is a small 135er and I believe he could and should be fighting at 125 instead. On the feet, the Russian is a bit wild throwing a lot of looping hooks. He is always coming forward and even if he is throwing wild he hits hard. Kazbekov is a master of sports in Freestyle Wrestling and it shows. He’s got strong wrestling and on top, he’s even better. Kazbekov throws excellent ground and pound and is good at flowing on top into dominant positions. He fights Abdul Karim Badakhshi (4-0).

Welterweight, Vadim Kutsy (15-1)

Vadim Kutsy hasn’t lost a fight since early 2016 and has an eight-fight winning streak. Belarus’ own Kutsy is a national champion in freestyle wrestling. On the feet, he does well off his back foot and has some power in his hands. He’s a better wrestler and has dominant top control. Kutsy rains punches down and have finished seven times by submission. I’m not fully sold yet though. He fights Daniyar Abdibaev (8-2).

Flyweight, Muhammad Mokaev (5-0)

Worldwide, Mokaev is one of the MMA prospects with the most hype. Mokaev has an outstanding amateur career going 23-0 and was a four-time IMMAF gold medalist. The young 20-year-old has looked stellar and dominant. Mokaev has excellent wrestling and is very skilled on the mat. His positional grappling and ground and pound are very good. On the feet, he has a nice flow with his kicks and mixes in strikes and kicks together very well. Mokaev is extremely well-rounded and I see no flaws in him yet. He fights Ibragim Navruzov (5-1-1).

BFL 67 | Canada | Friday

Welterweight, Kyran Cameron (5-0)

Cameron trained with Para Bellum MMA, and now Niagara Top Team with other top young Canadian prospects. He has fought for BTC, a good promotion out of Canada that will continue to build him. He’s a good athlete who has dabbled in many forms of martial arts. Cameron is a well-rounded fighter and has a high fight IQ. His cardio could be better but it could easily improve. He fights Dejan Kajić (12-7-2).

Lightweight, Zack Powell (4-0)

Powell is a wrestler with a heavy right hand. He doesn’t have any KO/TKO wins but has dropped people with his right hand. A lot of his striking is to close the distance. Powell is an excellent wrestler. Along with his setups, he’s a strong guy. His double leg is good and in the clinch, he will use the body lock to throw guys around. The Canadian, once he gets the takedown, shows really strong his top position. Transitioning is something Powell does smoothly. He does just fine at making the right moves and taking dominant positions. Powell can grind out wins and he can catch a neck. He fights Dario Sinagoga (4-0).

LFA 109 | US | Friday

Lightweight, Terrance McKinney (9-3)

McKinney had a rough end to 2019 losing on the Contender Series, with that followed by another loss. To his credit, those losses are to Sean Woodson and Darrick Minner who are both current UFC fighters. McKinney is an excellent wrestler and he usually gets right after it right away. He has solid grappling, smooth transitions, and good ground and pound. Still, more needs to be seen is his striking, and he needs more cage time. He fights Michael Irizarry Ortiz (12-3).

Bantamweight, Askar Askar (11-1)

When talking about a complete fighter being able to mix it up everywhere, Askar fits the bill. On the feet, Askar is super polished and technical. He fights with a textbook jab that snaps the head back of his opponents. He throws combinations and mixes up his attacks frequently. The power is there too, but it’s his technical ability that’s super impressive. Despite how good Askar is on the feet, he’s even better on the mat and with his wrestling. Askar is an excellent wrestler, flat out. From his set-up to his execution it’s all very well done. On the mat, his record only shows one submission but he’s more capable than that reflects. Askar is a solid positional grappler with all his transitions and ground strikes sought out. He fights Justin Wetzell (6-1), returning to the regionals after briefly flirting with the UFC.

Clan Wars 39 | UK | Saturday

Featherweight, Shem Rock (5-0)

Rock is still young in his MMA career but he has an extensive background in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Rock hasn’t shown a lot on the feet but he does like to kick with his long frame at 6’0″. The last fight he won with a head kicks. Rock’s grappling, though, is top notch. His best weapon is his back take, but on the mat, in general, is where he wants to be. Rock has a 100-percent finish rate and has even won by a rare python trap. He fights Neil Ward (3-3).

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

The post Weekly MMA Prospect Report: Brave CF, LFA, and BFL appeared first on Cageside Press.

Justin Wetzell Says June 4 LFA 109 Bout with Askar Askar is “Perfect Opportunity”

Connor Northrup — Mon, 24 May 2021 16:19:21 +0000

One door closes, and another opens for Justin Wetzell.

After falling short of making season 29 of “The Ultimate Fighter,” Wetzell meets fellow bantamweight prospect Askar Aksar at LFA’s event on June 4. Cageside Press confirmed the bout with both fighters.

The 29-year-old is not getting a direct shot at the UFC, but instead is facing someone who previously signed with the promotion.

“This is my chance to take his spot,” Wetzell said. “It’s a perfect opportunity for me, the UFC signed him, so they are going to be watching his fights since his recent departure from the UFC.”

Justin Wetzell jumped on chance to fight Askar Askar

Wetzell immediately agreed to fight Askar when presented with the match-up, mostly because of his past credentials. Askar signed with the UFC in February after winning 11 of his 12 professional fights.

He stepped in on late notice against Cody Stamann, but was pulled from the card due to pre-fight medical abnormalities. He was released by the UFC on Feb. 9.

Wetzell is 6-1 and currently on a five-fight win streak. He is yet to fight a UFC veteran, which makes his fight with Askar all the more intriguing to him.

“They are going to be watching his [Askar] fights and that means eyes on me too,” Wetzell said. “If I beat this guy, it is going to put me in [The UFC].”

My 27 Second KO at LFA 79. I'm ready for the show. Tell uncle @danawhite
#knockout #MMATwitter pic.twitter.com/7fwwtMiPKA

— Justin Wetzell (@JWetzellMMA) December 17, 2019

A challenge

Askar is a two-time LFA veteran. He most recently defeated Kevin Wirth by unanimous decision at LFA 92 last October. He rebounded after suffering his first professional defeat, a first-round knockout to Saidyokub Kakharamonov at HFC 42 in February 2020.

Askar is a skilled striker with six of his wins coming by TKO/ knockout. The Palestinian is a pressure fighter and Wetzell welcomes the challenge.

“He likes to put his foot on the gas right away,” Wetzell said. “It’s either going to be a first-round finish or it is going to be a long drag-it-out decision.”

Worth the Wait

The Elevation Fight Team product never anticipated taking seven months off after his last bout. Although he spent most of his time trying out for “The Ultimate Fighter,” he recognizes the next move in his career.

With a win over Askar, Wetzell is confident the UFC will be unable to deny him. He plans to make his next fight worth the wait.

“I think about this [expletive] every single day and it’s something I’ve been chasing for 10 plus years,” Wetzell said. “I want it.”

LFA 109 takes place Friday, June 4 at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The event airs live on UFC Fight Pass.

The post Justin Wetzell Says June 4 LFA 109 Bout with Askar Askar is “Perfect Opportunity” appeared first on Cageside Press.

Weekly MMA Prospect Report: Bellator Boasts a Stacked Undercard

Shawn Bitter — Thu, 20 May 2021 02:45:04 +0000

Bellator has proven adept at signing top prospects in MMA, and this Friday’s Bellator 259 features a stacked undercard full of up-and-comers. That and more in this week’s prospect report!

Babilon MMA 22 | Poland | Friday

Lightweight, Marcin Jablonski (9-2)

After a pair of consecutive losses in 2016, Jablonski has won his next six fights. Of the footage available he’s a wrestler with an overhand. His ability to drive in on the hips is very strong. Once he closes the distance he grabs a leg or both and just powers guys down. Jablonski has solid positional grappling and really strong control. On feet outside of having some power he struggles. His striking defense needs a lot of work. Overall I’m not fully sold but he’s worth a watch. Jablonski fights Alan Langer (11-7).

Invicta FC | US | Friday

Atomweight, Alesha Zappitella (8-2)

Zappitella started in wrestling before transitioning later into MMA. After a 2-2 amateur career, she has an impressive 8-2 record now as a pro. She stands at 4″11″ but has made up for that with her constant pressure getting into the clinch and fighting her fight. On the feet, she has some power in her overhands but she may struggle at range if she can’t close the distance. She is a fantastic wrestler who has been very impressive on top with her active movement and transitions. She defends her title against Jéssica Delboni (10-2)

Bellator 259 | US | Friday

Middleweight, Austin Vanderford (10-0)

Vanderford is a really strong wrestler who was a national amateur wrestling champion. He has excellent chain wrestling and once on top, he is very dominant. He doesn’t have much on the feet but he is growing and he does hold a lot of power in his hands. Vanderford is solid once he gets on top with heavy top control and heavy ground and pound. He fights Fabian Edwards (9-1).

Welterweight, Maycon Mendonça (11-4)

Not long ago, Mendonca was on a three-fight skid. Now he’s won his last five fights. He just had a Fight of the Year performance against Batsumberel Dagvadorj in a crazy war to win the LFA title. Wins against Dagvadorj, Bobby Lee, Devin Smyth, and Kassius Kayne all look good on his record. Mendonca is a Muay Thai practitioner that has fallen in love with Thai plum knees, which he’s very good at using. Throwing from the outside with long strikes and he likes to throw that spinning kick to the midsection. He does need work with his takedown defense but off his back he is dangerous. He’s really turned the tide in his career. Mendonca fights Jaleel Willis (14-2).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T7PttwYYm0

Welterweight, Jaleel Willis (14-2)

Jaleel Willis is quite athletic and a top-notch wrestler. On top, he has the control, the transitions, and the ground-and-pound to excel. Willis is everything you want in a fighter, especially in terms of wrestling. On the feet, he does hold a lot of power in his hands. Willis still has some things to learn but is a bright prospect. He fights Maycon Mendonça (11-4).

Light-heavyweight, Christian Edwards (3-0)

Edwards is only 4-0 as a professional but went 3-0 as an amateur as well. Edwards is one of the hottest prospects today coming out of Jackson-Wink MMA and is a sparring partner of former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones. A young kid but he has the attributes to go really far in this sport. Edwards has some sick Thai clinch work with nice knees and elbows. He lands often stepping in with strikes and finishes in the clinch with excellent work. Also mixing in a few takedowns while showing solid cardio. He’s also already gone three rounds and looked really good. He fights Ben Parrish (4-1).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bps5DI6pQiM

Light-heavyweight, Grant Neal (5-0)

After going 6-0 as an amateur Neal is currently 5-0 as a pro. Neal is a wrestler first. If he doesn’t finish the fight early he can dominate the fight with relentless takedowns. Once he gets his hands clasped he will dump you on your back in a big way. Neal stays busy with ground and pound and can throw at the same pace and pick it up later in the later rounds even. He fights Tyree Fortune (5-0).

Lightweight, Aviv Gozali (5-0)

Son of longtime fighter Haim Gozali, Aviv Gozali has looked fantastic in his short career despite being so young. All his wins have come by submission in the first round. Gozali is an aggressive grappler who excels in that department. There are questions about his striking but his jiu-jitsu is high-level. He fights Sean Felton (5-2-1).

Featherweight, Leah McCourt (4-1)

From losing her pro debut to winning her next four McCourt is a good prospect. She even has a win over UFC’s Manon Fiorot. Not much on the feet as her full intention is to get the fight to the mat. To get it to the mat McCourt has some wonderful judo she uses. Her grappling is good and getting into the mount and unloading ground and pound is something she does well. McCourt will fight Janay Harding (6-4).

Lightweight, Alexander Shabliy (19-3)

Shabliy, although violent, is an efficient counter fighter, reacting well to his opponents’ advances. His takedowns generally happen when his opponents try a takedown themselves, but he overpowers and throws them to the mat. On the feet, he is calm but he brings the heat when needed, and if he catches his competition then he will try his best to end the fight, whether that be with his strikes or knees. Shabliy is an intelligent fighter that makes very few mistakes. He’s one of the best prospects out of Russia. He fights Alfie Davis (14-3).

Lightweight, Alfie Davis (14-3)

Davis’ ground game has improved greatly throughout his career. He is dangerous off his back with submissions or just simply sweeping his opponent. Being on his back at times, he has never been in trouble and he always works his way back to his feet very quickly. On the feet, he is a treat to watch, as everything is set up with his sublime kickboxing. His kickboxing is very dynamic, always throwing a variety of kicks and attacks with every limb of the body, always feinting and switching stances, showing excellent footwork with crazy speed. Davis doesn’t usually box enough, but his kickboxing, staying on the outside and keeping his opponent guessing, is good enough. He fights Alexander Shabliy (19-3).

Bantamweight, Danny Sabatello (10-1)

Sabatello, with an impressive 9-1 record in MMA, made his name in wrestling. He’s a three-time NCAA Championships qualifier and a two-time 141-pound Big Ten Championship winner. He’s an insanely good wrestler with frantic forward pressure, and he has a high pace he puts on until the finish or a decision. He now a new Bellator fighter and I expect him to do well. He fights Brett Johns (17-2).

LFA 108 | US | Friday

Middleweight, Joshua Fremd (7-1)

Fremd is a product out of Factory X and someone that has a bright future. The only thing that worries me is his suspect cardio and maybe his takedown defense. At least offensively he’s finding finishes striking and on the mat. Fremd throws good output with tons of leg kicks and looping hooks in combinations. He’s also a strong wrestler and is a threat with chokes and ground and pound. He thrives in scrambles and is a fast big man. He has a good flow to his output and overall is someone that may be a breakout star in 2021. He fights Gregory Rodrigues (7-1) for the LFA title.

Catch our interview with Josh Fremd ahead of this one.

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

Flyweight, Mark Climaco (5-0)

Climaco is a scrapper 125er that is a treat to watch. On the feet, he’s like a firecracker that is firing on all cylinders. He throws a lot of output and from all angles. Climaco hits hard, he’s quick, and throws in volume very well. The young 22-year-old is already very well rounded so the wrestling and ground game is there. For a young flyweight prospect, he’s oozing with potential. He fights Rodney Kealohi (5-1).

Flyweight, Clayton Carpenter (3-0)

Carpenter was the USA junior National Muay Thai champion, a four-time Muay Thai National Champion, a junior Golden Gloves Boxing Champion, World junior Grappling and Pankration medalist, and an IBJJF World Champion in gi and no-gi. As expected with his experience across an array of sports, Carpenter puts it all together in MMA. He doesn’t do anything significantly better than the other, as he’s as well-rounded as they come for such a young fighter. Carpenter on the feet is a technical player, fighting behind forward pressure and leg kicks being highlighted. He mixes it up perfectly, lunging forward with knees and strikes, takes out the legs, and goes up top for the kill. Carpenter makes you think he is so comfortable striking and mixing it up, you might even forget about the takedown threat. He fights Nick Clem (3-1).

Heavyweight, Thomas Petersen (4-0)

Peterson came into his MMA career with a background as a wrestler. He was a high school Minnesota State champion and an NJCAA National champion at Iowa Central. Peterson has had no issue using his wrestling and land ground and pound to send the ref in. Outside of that, he does have a one-punch knockout win. It’s still hard to tell how good he really is. Peterson fights Richard Foster (5-4).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2ScHfhJraI

Open Fighting Championship 4 | Russia | Friday

Lightweight, Eduard Vartanyan (21-4)

Vartanyan has been fighting at a high level in Russia for quite some time. His losses have come primarily to good competition, and he’s also beat some quality opponents as well. He holds wins over Magomedrasul Khasbulaev, Sergey Khandozhko, Alexander Shabliy, and Alexander Sarnavskiy. Vartanyan is an excellent pocket striker, counter striker, solid wrestler, and is tough as nails. He fights Michel Silva (22-8-1).

NFC Series Preseason 1 | Germany | Saturday

Welterweight, Kennedy Rayomba (4-0)

Rayomba is a bright young prospect out of Germany who I’m very impressed with. There isn’t a lot of footage available so there isn’t much to go off of. From what I picked up he’s a really good intelligent striker. Rayomba fights at his preferred range landing nice straight punches. He’s really good at slipping punches and returning. He mixes it up to the body head and switches up his tempo mid-combination. Still, a lot needs to be seen but the skill is there. He fights Florim Zendeli (3-0).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUOWPFkVvyA&t=288s

GMC 25 | Germany | Saturday

Welterweight, Kerim Engizek (15-4)

Kerim Engizek has quietly flown under the radar but arguably has the best resume of all German prospects. He’s the current GMC welterweight champion who has defended his title three times. His last loss was in 2014 and he’s currently on an eight-fight win streak. On the feet, he a good counter striker slipping and coming over the top with his right hand. Engizek isn’t stingy as he goes to the body quite often mixing it up the way fighters should. He does have a ground game as well and while it is fine, he’s much better striking. He fights Milanko Puranovic (4-6).

The post Weekly MMA Prospect Report: Bellator Boasts a Stacked Undercard appeared first on Cageside Press.

Weekly MMA Prospect Report: Ritu Phogat Looks to Stay Undefeated

Shawn Bitter — Thu, 13 May 2021 11:13:15 +0000

Indian wrestler Ritu Phogat was already set to compete in the upcoming atomweight grand prix when she opted to take a fight at ONE: Dangal, which airs this week. She’s one of several MMA prospects in action over the next several days.

Titan FC 69 | Dominican Republic | Friday

Welterweight, Carlos Matos (8-0)

Matos is a big welterweight that is a promising 24-year-old out of the Dominican Republic. In 2019, Matos was a sambo Pan American Champion. His main trajectory is to get the fight to the mat. The wrestling isn’t as good as it should be as he uses his size to get the fights grounded. Of eight wins, he’s finished six of those by submission. From the moment it hits the mat Matos is attacking limbs working for submissions. He really dangerous in all areas grappling but taking the back and sinking in the RNC is where he excels. Matos fights Dilano Taylor (5-1).

Welterweight, Dilano Taylor (5-1)

Why is Taylor’s nickname The Postman? That’s because he delivers. A product out of Sanford MMA, Tayor is someone I have high praise for. With one sole loss as a pro, it was to Bellator’s Roman Faraldo so no shame in that. On the feet Taylor fights long very well and the striking he has is really crisp. He’s a big strong welterweight slinging and powering guys down to the mat. Taylor has some solid ground and pound and a good ground game all around. His only concern is his takedown defense and off his back but at 24 the sky is the limit. He fights Carlos Matos (8-0).

LFA 107 | US | Friday

Heavyweight, Alejandro Solorzano (9-2)

Solorzano does have an impressive record but so far he hasn’t blown me away so far. “Goliath” is a big man weighing in at the heavyweight limit at 265lbs and standing at 6’5″. Solorzano is purely a striker which is a reason he took a bare-knuckle boxing fight. He’s a technical boxer that keeps his hands high and picks his shots. He could be more active but is someone that counters well and puts it together nicely once he commits. Solorzano fights Vernon Lewis (8-4) which is a tough fight.

Bantamweight, Allan Begosso (5-0-1)

Born in Brazil, Begosso currently lives in the US in California and trains out of Team Alpha Male. Begosso isn’t active enough, only fighting once in the last three years. His level of competition hasn’t been great but has never fought anyone with a losing record. Due to the excitement level Begosso brings he’s a fun guy to watch for. He has a lot of power in his hands, is very explosive, and can finish the fight at any time. He fights Luciano Ramos (6-5).

ONE Championship | Singapore | Saturday

Strawweight, Ritu Phogat (4-0)

Phogat is still new to MMA, but is a former wrestler who won a gold medal in the 2016 Commonwealth Wrestling Championship. So far in her MMA career, Ritu hasn’t had a problem getting the fight down. Once on top, she has proven to have heavy top control and really active ground and pounds. She still has a lot to show but has looked dominant. She fights Bi Nguyen (5-6) in a previously taped bout, and will then compete in the atomweight grand prix later in the month.

Valor Fighting Challenge 82 | US | Saturday

Heavyweight, Tee Cummins (3-0)

Cummins is only 3-0. Although he isn’t experienced much in pro MMA, Cummins has also dabbled in some bare-knuckle boxing for BKFC going 2-0. In his most recent fight for LFA, he displayed technical ability, patience, and still earned a sick finish. That trifecta isn’t seen much at 205. A lot still needs to be seen from Cummins, but he’s looked really good recently. Watching his old fights he’s improved quickly. Moving up to heavyweight, he will fight Eric Olsen (1-3).

Gulf Coast MMA 10 | US | Saturday

Welterweight, Michael Lombardo (11-2)

Lombardo has been on the Contender Series twice and won his last time out. He was never awarded a UFC contract after that win because it was frankly a boring performance. That having been said, it was a very dominant performance from Lombardo. Wrestling comes first with the style of Lombardo. He does have really sound wrestling and has solid chain wrestling as well. Along with the wrestling, he has good grappling as well. Lombardo fights Omar Johnson (7-3).

Fury FC 46 | US | Sunday

Welterweight, Nikolay Veretennikov (8-3)

Veretennikov is from Kazakhstan and has good wins over tough regional guys like Austin Jones, Artenas Young, and Steve Jones. He also holds a win over current UFC fighter Charlie Ontiveros. I believe Veretennikov has competed in wrestling, boxing, and does have a background in Sambo. He stays pressure-heavy moving forward and cutting the cage in half. He has a slew of weapons including kicks, knees, hooks, and wrestling. When he puts it together he’s like a gnat on a summer day. He fights former UFC fighter, Anthony Ivy (8-4).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlzr46N8OII

Featherweight, Cameron Graves (9-3)

Graves have been fighting on the regional scene in Texas for his entire career. Graves is the former Fury FC featherweight champion which is the premier promotion out of Texas. Graves has also fought twice for LFA. Momentum is everything and as Graves is on a two-fight win streak — but it was his last performance that stood out. It was a beautiful head kick knockout he scored to retain his Fury FC strap. Graves fights Fernando Padilla (13-4).

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Weekly MMA Prospect Report: Reug Reug In Action Again

Shawn Bitter — Thu, 29 Apr 2021 00:33:19 +0000

For the second time in a month, “Reug Reug” (Oumar Kane) is in action for ONE Championship, leading the way for MMA prospects. Let’s get right to this week’s Prospect Report.

ONE on TNT 4 | Singapore | Wednesday

Heavyweight, Reinier de Ridder (13-0)

Don’t let Reinier de Ridder’s stand-up game fool you: ten of his twelve finishes have come by submission. He’s great in the clinch, and Ridder fights well at a distance as he has an excellent jab. When he lets his hands go, he is really accurate. de Ridder throws good long strikes and puts together strikes and kicks well. The mat is where de Ridder wants to be, as he is an expert jiu-jitsu practitioner — the sort who can time perfect double-leg takedowns. If de Ridder is in the clinch, expect him to get the takedown as his hips are excellent and judo tosses are his best weapon. On top, or even on the mat in general, Ridder is the one in control. He is always moving and searching for submissions and that’s why he has eight submission wins. He fights Aung La N Sang (26-11) who he recently beat.

Heavyweight, Oumar Kane (3-0)

Kane is an undefeated Senegalese Wrestling Champion and he has displayed just that in his MMA career. Kane is only 3-0 but has beaten experienced guys in his first two fights (his third opponent was a short-notice situation). So far, he’s blitzed through guys. He has problems on the outside but he’ll bull rush his way in with big powerful hands. Once Kane closes the distance he has a knack for suplexing guys to the mat in emphatic fashion. When he bullies guys to the mat a barrage of relentless ground strikes comes until the ref steps in. Still green but he’s looked the part. He fights Kirill Grishenko (3-0).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXLPaXQdeyg&t=449s

PFL #2 | US | Thursday

Welterweight, Nikolay Aleksakhin (25-5)

Aleksakhin is on the verge of shaking the prospect label. With thirty-one fights now on his record this will be the last time I consider him a prospect. His only loss is to high-caliber fighters, including Ben Askren. Now he is on a six-fight win streak with victories over Mike Graves, Dominique Steele, and Elias Silverio, who are all former UFC fighters. He also has a win over current UFC fighter Jesse Ronson. Aleksakhin is an excellent talent who is solid all around. He has superb timing with big power in everything he throws. The Russian does a great job throwing his strikes and kicks together and has proven that once he lets go, he’s dangerous in bursts. He fights Sadibou Sy (8-5-2).

Combate Global | US | Thursday

Strawweight, Criszaida Adames (3-0)

Going 4-0 as an amateur, Adames is only 3-0 as a pro but has looked good. Adames is a spitfire blitzing in and out with offense. She could be more technical but is active enough to create issues. Adames has taken down opponents as well as being able to mix it up on the feet. Her best aspects are her striking coming forward and her work rate. She’s still raw but has potential. She fights Karen Cedillo (4-1).

UWC Mexico 26 | Mexico | Thursday

Welterweight, Michael Morales (10-0)

Morales did all he could possibly do in 2020. The young 20-year-old secured three wins in the year and all three came with Morales finishing his opponent. In his last bout, he won the vacant EMMA welterweight title. Morales is a tall welterweight at 6’3″ using his length well. He throws good leg kicks and long straight strikes. He does hold his hands low but he’s comfortable with his distance control. Morales don’t have the power but does have the output and volume. He fights Romario Orozco (3-0).

Oktagon 23 | Czech Republic | Friday

Strawweight, Ewelina Woźniak (4-0)

At only 4-0, Wozniak has still had some solid experience. She had an impressive 7-2 amateur record. As a pro she hasn’t fought anyone with a losing record. Wozniak is the former Contender Norwich champion going five rounds. In her last fight, she beat Magdaléna Šormová who is a top prospect. On the feet, she has a good one-two and her right hand is like a cocked gun. She already has a highlight-reel right-hand knockout which was a sensational knockout. Wozniak has solid wrestling and holds her own in the grappling. Her takedown defense struggles but she scrambles well. She fights Elizabeth Rodrigues (4-2).

Bantamweight, Tereza Bledá (2-0)

Bledá is only 2-0 but prior to turning pro she took part in the Oktagon Underground tournament. Bleda won three fights in three months and was crowned as the Underground winner. In that tournament, she beat good prospects in Magdaléna Šormová and Lucia Szabová while also beating former UFC fighter Lucie Pudilová. Doing that with little experience is super impressive. Outside of some nice leg kicks she utilizes Bleda doesn’t have much to offer on the feet. Where Bleda excels is when using the excellent wrestling she has. Once she gets it to the mat she has nasty ground n’ pound and smooth jiu-jitsu. She fights Karoline Martins (7-3).

Lightweight, Leo Brichta (7-3)

Like Tereza Bleda mentioned above, Brichta is an Oktagon Underground tournament winner. Brichta is a very talented, skilled guy who is well-rounded. He’s a volume fighter throwing frequent combinations with his hands and has dangerous kickboxing. Brichta has solid wrestling and his best work is on the mat on top. He passes guard easily and transitions very well. He has ferocious damaging ground and pound with smashing elbows. If he doesn’t send the ref in to stop the fight he will create openings and take the neck for the sub. Brichta fights Kirill Medvedovski (12-8).

LFA 106 | US | Friday

Light-heavyweight, Joshua Silveira (4-0)

Living in Coconut Creek, Florida Silveira trains out of American Top Team under head coach and his father Conan Silveira. He’s only 4-0 but went 4-0 as an amateur so he does have experience. Not high-level experience but in the gym every day with some of the best at ATT. Silveira wrestled in College for Arizona State University and was a Florida high school state champ. With that wrestling pedigree always in his back pocket, he’s able to let loose on the feet. His shot selection is very on-point with his hands and his left high kick is very sneaky and dangerous. Silveira really checks all the boxes and is a major prospect. He fights Rafael Viana (6-1).

Heavyweight, Trevor Wallace (4-0)

There isn’t a lot of footage on Wallace but he has looked good in his last two fights. Though he did look good it’s tough to get a read off two finishes in under a minute. He comes from playing football and bodybuilding so the athleticism is there. Wallace also has competed in Muay Thai. Wallace throws heavy leg kicks and has big power in his hands. He still needs to show a bunch more but he may be a top prospect in the making. He fights Bubba Grant (7-6).

Don’t miss our interview with Wallave ahead of LFA 106.

FFC 45 | Ecuador | Saturday

Flyweight, Jose Ochoa (4-0)

Ochoa is extremely wild in his approach but he comes in like a tornado hitting from everywhere. Ochoa is all about output and will walk guys down and lunge across the cage with superman punches and switch knees. Ochoa does a nice job mixing in kicks and punches and hides kicks behind his punches well. If he settles down more he will be a threat in the coming years. He fights Franklin Grifo (2-3).

The post Weekly MMA Prospect Report: Reug Reug In Action Again appeared first on Cageside Press.

Weekly MMA Prospect Report: PFL is Back!

Shawn Bitter — Thu, 22 Apr 2021 21:24:28 +0000

After sitting out 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Professional Fighters League is back in a big way this week. PFL 1 of the league’s third season takes place Friday, and while it’s not the only game in town, the promotion has plenty of up-and-coming MMA talent to offer. LFA, KSW, and others are hosting events as well, so let’s get to his week’s prospect report.

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)

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.