Champion Adrian Bartosiński was looking to make the fifth defense of his 170lb title in the night’s main event, which had him paired up with Madars Fleminas. After winning the title in 2023 against Artur Szczepaniak, Bartosiński had notched title defenses against the highly touted Salahdine Parnasse and Andrzej Grzebyk, among others.

Latvia’s Fleminas was getting the title shot after halting the five-fight win streak of Tymoteusz Łopaczyk.

Where to Watch KSW 116

Saturday, March 14, 2026 sees KSW 116 take place at the Arena Gorzów in Gorzów Wielkopolski, Poland. The action streams live on PPV via KSWTV.com starting at 1:30PM ET, 10:30AM PT. Full results from Saturday’s fight card can be found below.

KSW 116: Bartosiński vs. Fleminas

Welterweight: Adrian Bartosiński (c) def. Madars Fleminas by split decision (48-47, 45-50, 48-47) – for the KSW welterweight championship
Light Heavyweight: Damian Piwowarczyk def. Sergiusz Zając by TKO, Round 2, 1:32
Middleweight: Bartosz Kurek def. Tomasz Romanowski by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Light Heavyweight: Bartosz Leśko def. Bartosz Szewczyk by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-25, 30-26)
Women’s Strawweight: Eva Dourthe def. Ewelina Woźniak by submission (arm-bar), Round 2, 4:18
Lightweight: Kacper Formela def. Krzysztof Mendlewski by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Lightweight: Oleksandr Moisa def. Wojciech Kawa by TKO (injury), Round 1, 2:44
Middleweight: Damian Mieczkowski def. Maksymilian Kowalski by TKO (punches), Round 3, 1:58
139lb Catchweight: Andrzej Karkula def. Dominik Mazur by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 1, 4:27

The post KSW 116: Bartosiński vs. Fleminas Full Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

Which means, as always, there’s a good batch of MMA prospects to check out. So let’s get on with the show, starting with Kazakhstan, where the UFC will debut later this year.

ACA 104 | Friday | Kazakhstan

Light-heavyweight, Muslim Magomedov (6-0)

Muslim Magomedov had a successful amateur career winning the WMMAA 2018 European Championship. In only his fifth pro bout, he dominated former UFC fighter Chris Camozzi. Despite not offering much on the feet, Magomed is an excellent wrestler. His timing on his shots is fine and the way he shoots so low makes his execution near-perfect. The work he does on top is his best aspect. He has good top position and his ground and pound is strong, active, and he lands hard.

OFS 14 | Friday | Russia

Featherweight: Aliyar Sarkerov (36-3)

Aliyar Sarkerov is good everywhere. On the feet, he is very flashy with kicks and body attacks. His takedown ability is perfect, he sets up his entrances well, and he can use a variety of takedowns including trips, single legs, hip throws, and double legs. In general, his takedown ability is where it needs to be. On the mat is where he is spectacular. He is a great danger when it comes to grabbing the neck and putting the fight away. He fights Lucas Oliveira (20-6).

Invicta FC | Friday | US

Bantamweight: Lisa Verzosa (5-0)

Lisa Spangler Verzosa has toughness, heart, and tenacity and you can’t teach that to a fighter. She is exceptionally smart in the clinch attacking the body-head. She has strong wrestling she will use at times. Verzosa is just a really gritty fighter. She fights Julija Stoliarenko (8-3-1) who is 4-0 since her TUF run. This is for the Invicta FC bantamweight title (vacant).

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

LFA 83 | Friday | US

Welterweight: Matt Dixon (8-0)

Matt Dixon is a good boxer who displays a solid jab and a check left hook. He does a good job going to the body-head with his hands ripping with good placement. His striking wouldn’t be as good without his excellent kickboxing and vice-versa. On the feet, his kickboxing is arguably his best aspect. The wrestling from Dixon is his best attribute. Dixon has an excellent double leg takedown that he times so well. He will wait till his opponent comes in before he changes levels using their momentum against them to get the easy dump takedown. For more on Dixon check out my prospect of the month piece I did on him in February. He fights Justin Patterson (11-5).

Flyweight: Hailey Cowan (4-1)

Hailey Cowan has an extensive background in gymnastics and was very accomplished at Baylor University. She won a few tumbling national titles and is a two-time All-American. After coming up short in her pro-MMA debut, she then went on to win her next four fights looking impressive in the process. She’s a big and strong 125er who is well-rounded, holding a rear-naked choke and a highlight-reel head kick knockout. She fights Brittney Cloudy (2-1).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVIM4kb2CnM

Eternal MMA 52 | Saturday | Australia

Flyweight: Chelsea Hackett (2-0-1)

Chelsea Hackett comes from a Muay Thai background as she’s a two-time world Muay Thai champion. In her MMA career, the girls so far have tried mainly to put her on her back. However Hackett has shown good takedown defense and is the one getting takedowns herself. She is much better on the feet, notably in the clinch, with good kickboxing, and combos from the outside. She fights Rhiannon Thompson (5-3).

Lightweight: Josh Togo (8-3)

A few years ago, Josh Togo was on a three-fight skid. Now he’s won his last four fights (also a NC) and is the current Eternal MMA lightweight champ. Togo doesn’t have a lot of power but has the technical ability on the outside to work opponents. He will pick his foes apart with lead leg kicks, lead uppercuts, and jabs mixing it up. He fights former UFC fighter Ben Wall (10-7-1).

Thunderstrike Fight League 20 | Saturday | Poland

Middleweight: Cezary Kesik (11-0)

Cezary Kesik is very underrated and is one of the best, if not the best, Polish prospects out there. Kesik is exciting, bringing an aggressive kickboxing style with a lot of power in his hands with seven finishes by way of KO/TKO. If needed, Kesik will take the fight down where he is really talented with position control and transitions. He fights Georgi Lobzhanidze (10-4) who is a good test of Kesik’s abilities.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MXMT0UJRXo&t=493s

Cage Warriors 112 |  Saturday | UK

Bantamweight: Jack Cartwright (7-0)

Jack Cartwright had a huge 2019 getting four wins, signing with Cage Warriors, and winning the Cage Warriors title. Cartwright has been wrestling since the age of five and has a background as a former ABA boxer. Cartwright just recently began showing his striking; with his power and timing he’s just as good as he is as a grappler. The Brit is a good wrestler and more of an exceptional grappler. He’s got a very dangerous guillotine and d’arce he’s finished with a few times. He fights Manuel Bilić (15-6).

Welterweight: Madars Fleminas (7-0)

Madars Fleminas on the feet is really good, especially in the clinch with his knees. Still, you might expect him to be better since he has a long-range at 6’2″ — but he is getting better. He’s superb on the mat in top position with active ground and pound. Fleminas has solid cardio as well and shows improvement in each fight. He could have a bright future if he learns how to put it all together. He fights Adam Proctor (11-1).

Welterweight: Adam Proctor (11-1)

Adam Proctor is still an unknown prospect and part of that is because he still hasn’t had that one big statement win. He’s beat good fighters but I think his lack of killer instinct has canceled that out a bit. Proctor is well-rounded being able to strike and wrestle. He’s a better wrestler who times takedowns well. He could be more aggressive on top though. Proctor has good distance management with a laser right hands and good kicks. He has the skills to go a long way but needs some sharpening around the edges. He fights Madars Fleminas (7-0).

Lightweight: Paul Hughes (4-0)

Paul Hughes has looked stellar in his pro career and although he only has four fights he has the skills of a established fighter. Hughes has two TKO’s and two submissions as he’s very well-rounded. On the feet, Hughes has good boxing. The accuracy and shot selection is there and so is some big power. He’s an even better wrestler and has exceptional grappling. Hughes looks like the real deal. He fights Youri Panada (4-1).

GMC 24 | Saturday | Germany

Featherweight: Saba Bolaghi (10-1-1)

Saba Bolaghi is a decorated wrestler listing achievements such as the youth German Freestyle Wrestling Championship, Junior World Championships, and the Bronze medal at the Adults European Championships. He is very physically strong and executes his level-changes well. When he gets the fight to the mat, he is dangerous with his chokes having won four that way. His striking isn’t much but he makes up with for it with speed and once he is in the distance, the takedowns come naturally. He fights Felipe Maia (9-3).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfQx2Bioo4k&t=2s

Summit FC 34 | Saturday | US

Welterweight: Jaleel Willis (11-2)

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  James Horne (4-3)

The post Weekly MMA Prospect Report: Top Prospects From Around The World appeared first on Cageside Press.

The PFL was back in action, Bellator had a big weekend in Connecticut, and the regional scene was busy as always. Here’s a look at who stood out in October, as we’re back for another installment of the MMA Prospect Watch.

Featherweight, Brendan Loughnane (18-3)

Making his PFL debut, Loughnane dominated a credible guy in Team Alpha Male’s Matt Wagy. Loughnane started off tactical in round one just with his kicks, mainly some hard leg kicks. He started to pick it up more as the fight went on, using his hands more. He never let Wagy really find his range due to superior range control and footwork. The Englishman picked it up in round three forcing Wagy to curl up, with Loughnane finding home with his right hand.
Grade: B

Welterweight, Nikolay Aleksakhin (25-5)

An excellent performance from the Russian taking out a former UFC fighter and vet, Jesse Ronson, in the first. Both started off trading early and Ronson maybe was getting off the better strikes early. Aleksakhin was throwing a lot more how, up to combinations of two to four strikes. Aleksakhin with his rapid combos was just too fast for Ronson. The finish came as soon as the Russian got the thai clinch to land the knee on the jaw of Ronson. The end came shortly after when the ref saved Ronson.
Grade: B+

Strawweight, Casey O’Neill (3-0)

O’Neill would make it 3-0 inside the Eternal cage and though the title was on the line (to reclaim) she did miss weight. In round two the biggest moment was when she dropped Motono with straight punches. The fight mainly took place on the mat and it usually started with O’Neill on her back. It was not the takedowns from Motono but the jiu-jitsu of O’Neill that set the pace. From her back, O’Neill used kimuras, triangles, and armbars to transition to the back. Once O’Neill got top position she stuck there with good control and active ground and pound. Only 3-0 so she’s still green but is talented.
Grade: C+

Welterweight, Jack Della Maddalena (7-2)

In October, Jack Della would defend his Eternal welterweight title for the second time. Della’s original opponent pulled out and Kevin Jousset would step in on short notice. Jousset would just become another casualty to Della and would become the fourth undefeated fighter he took out. Della made this a gritty fight using short strikes to the body and head in the clinch. He also mixed in some trip takedowns. Della in the second round would curl up Jousset with a left hook to the body and a right to the jaw. His ground and pound was his biggest weapon in the fight using slicing elbows. One of those elbows cut Jousset around the right eye and the doctor called the fight off after the second round.
Grade: B-

Middleweight, Isi Fitikefu (6-0)

What was more impressive than his performance was the fighter Isi Fitikefu beat in Kitt Campbell. Campbell was a top prospect and close to the UFC but Isi dominated him en route to a decision win. Nothing was spectacular about the performance but Isi dominated with top control. Fitikefu at the start of each round took Campbell down with the single leg. At no point did Isi come close to finishing but held position and stayed active enough.
Grade: C 

Flyweight, Rasul Albaskhanov (10-3)

Albaskhanov started off aggressive with a heavy kicking attack. He was taken down pretty early, that being his one downfall. His opponent was Jose Maria Tome, a veteran and former UFC fighter. Tome is very skilled on the mat but Albaskhanov was excellent off his back and kept Tome in his guard. Albaskhanov used a guillotine to reverse to get on top in a beautiful transition. Shortly after he tapped Tome to an arm triangle.
Grade: C+

Flyweight, Mariya Agapova (8-1)

A battle between two 2019 contender series fighters, Agapova easily beat Marilia Santos. Using her reach, Agapova used a lot of straight strikes and body kicks to keep the distance. Santos, once she got the clinch pulled guard and that was the beginning of the end. Agapova had to fight through an armbar and using her long length she landed some huge unanswered elbows until the ref stepped in.
Grade: B-

Middleweight, Anatoly Tokov (29-3)

Even though Darpinyan was four years the elder of the Russian, Tokov big-brothers him in this fight. Tokov was using foot sweeps and catching kicks to get the fight down where he was very dominant. He was constantly throwing leather in all positions on top as he was heavy but still floating on top. Tokov as soon as he passed to side control got the crucifix position as he had in rounds one and two. Once in that position in round two, Darpinyan was stuck and took a few elbows before the ref stepped in.
Grade: A-

Former ACB champ Anatoly Tokov (29-2) keeps pace in the MW title picture, outclassing Mousasi stablemate Hracho Darpinyan en route to a second-round, crucifix TKO. Fedor's protégé is 22-1 in his last 23 (5-0 in Bellator). He has stopped 23, 16 by knockout. #Bellator229 pic.twitter.com/O4kZYwb7XF

— Kyle Johnson (@VonPreux) October 5, 2019

Welterweight, Joey Davis (6-0)

Not much happened before the finish but the evolution of “Black Ice” has been awesome. Davis came into Bellator known as a wrestler but has three highlight-reel finishes on the feet. Being a wrestler his opponent expected him to shoot but it was a flying knee to the face knocking the dude out cold. It was his biggest test to date in a 16-fight veteran in Jeff Peterson but it’s time for some top competition.
Grade: A-

https://twitter.com/WhatsUp_MMA/status/1180330623900278784

The post MMA Prospect Watch: The Most Impressive Fighters from October appeared first on Cageside Press.

Ed Ruth. Steve Mowry. Mandel Nallo. Patrick Mix. These kids are alright. Well, maybe it’s a stretch to call some of them “kids.” Still, Bellator has plenty of prospects in action between Bellator 231 and Bellator 232 this weekend. With ONE Championship’s Dawn of Valor this Friday, a CES show, and more, there are lots of fresh names to look over.

And so once again, here’s our Weekly MMA Prospect Report.

One Championship | Friday | Indonesia

Bantamweight, Muin Gafurov (16-2)

Gafurov, born out of  Tajikistan, is a solid prospect at only 24-years-old. Gafurov is a 2014 Pankration and Grappling Champion and a 2013-2017 Combat Sambo World Champion. He’s well-rounded, and on the feet he has a flashy style, but he is quick and mainly relies on his athleticism. He’s better with his wrestling and on top, he has good jiu-jitsu. Most impressively, he has a 100% finish rate. He fights former UFC standout John Lineker (31-9). Gafurov is a huge underdog in this fight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zc-2XVl6jiE

Welterweight, Tony Caruso (7-0)

We’re not too sold on Caruso but he has the well-roundedness to improve to a better fighter. He has a boxing background as a pro who is currently 4-1-1 and some experience in BJJ. Despite glimpses of his striking, Caruso has really got it done with his wrestling in his MMA career. He executes single-leg takedowns very well and on top he is heavy. He fights Pieter Buist (15-4) who does have a problem with his TDD.

CES 59 | Friday | Rhode Island

Light-heavyweight, William Knight (5-0)

Knight lacks technique but is super athletic and has a lot of power. He also lacks takedown defense, but is that guy who lands on top and becomes a nightmare with his ground and pound. He won his last fight on the Contender Series and earned a development deal so all eyes are on him. He did have a lot of issues, so it will be interesting to see how much he has improved. He fights Marvin Skipper (4-2) who he should beat.

Bellator 231 | Friday | Connecticut

Light Heavyweight, Karl Albrektsson (9-2)

Karl Albrektsson has only two losses in his career, both to stellar prospects Valentin Moldavsky and Jiri Prochazka. He has also beaten good competition such as former UFC fighter Josh Stansbury and top Bellator contender Vadim Nemkov. “King” has a background in BJJ and in Sanshou, in which he was the 2014 European champion. He isn’t too good on the feet, often fighting too stiff. He excels on the mat though, looking better in each fight. He fights the former champ Phil Davis (20-5) who is a big favorite to win this fight.

Welterweight, Jason Jackson (10-3)

Jackson’s three losses are to former UFC fighter Hayder Hassan and current UFC fighters Kyle Stewart and Colby Covington. He has a win over current UFC fighter Dhiego Lima. Jackson is a good striker who is technical with an excellent jab and a crushing right hand. This product out of the former Blackzilians gym is a very good wrestler as well being very well-rounded. He’s super athletic and at only 28, he’s got a high ceiling. He fights Ed Ruth (7-1).

Welterweight, Ed Ruth (7-1)

Ruth is a very accomplished wrestler. His accolades include 2012, 2013, 2014 NCAA D1 Wrestling Champion, a 4x All-American, and a 4x Big Ten Champion. With his wrestling background and training with top camp Jackson-Wink MMA, Ruth has really developed into a promising prospect. He has dominated in all of his wins as well, getting the easy takedown and the mount along with controlling the back position, showing off his BJJ skills. Ruth has also shown finishing ability with heavy ground n’ pound, and the wrestler has even scored a knockout by a punch and by a knee while he has been improving on the feet. He fights Jason Jackson (10-3).

Heavyweight, Steve Mowry (6-0)

Standing a 6’9″, Mowry has all the tools to be a dangerous guy at Heavyweight. Training out of Hard Knocks 365 the 27-year-old has plenty of time to develop into a more complete fighter. Though he’s only 6-0 as a pro, Mowry went 7-0 as an amateur with six wins by submission. He has some things to work on including his striking, which is improving, but overall he does a good job and stays long. Still, he is more effective in the clinch with knees. He has solid wrestling, being at his best once on the mat. And once there he has good jiu-jitsu for a big guy. He fights Gokhan Saricam (4-0) who lacks footage.

Lightweight, Mandel Nallo (7-0)

On the mat, Mandel Nallo is very slick with his grappling, allowing him to snatch up chokes easily as all four of his submission wins have come that way. Nallo’s standup isn’t bad, his striking isn’t great but his kicks are sound, he throws very hard and dangerously up through the middle or above the shoulder. It would be nice to see more of him, as he’s been very inactive. He fights Killys Mota (11-1) who is a good test.

Cage Warriors 109 | Saturday | UK

Lightweight, Jai Herbert (9-1)

Herbert has decent wrestling and good jiu-jitsu to fall back on but he is much more talented on the feet. He does a great job fighting long with an excellent tool set of kicks, punches, knees, and elbows. Herbert is dangerous in all aspects on the feet but his right hand is his money shot. Herbert really needs to work on his takedown defense as that is his biggest weakness. He fights former UFC fighter Chris Carrizosa (11-3) who has won his last five.

Welterweight, Madars Fleminas (6-0)

Only 6-0 as a pro, Fleminas went 9-1 as an amateur and won three titles. Fleminas on the feet is really good in the clinch with his knees. Still, you might expect him to be better since he has a long-range at 6’2″. He’s superb on the mat in top position with active ground and pound. Fleminas has solid cardio as well, and shows improvement in each fight. He could have a bright future if he learns how to put it all together. He fights George Hardwick (4-0) who is a solid litmus test.

Bellator 232 | Saturday | Connecticut

Lightweight, Robin van Roosmalen (2-0)

Robin van Roosmalen is a Dutch kickboxer who is a former Glory featherweight and lightweight champion. Roosmalen has a kickboxing record of 51-18. So far in his short MMA career, his takedown defense has been tested. He’s been taken down twice but in his second fight, it improved a lot. RVR is obviously dangerous on the feet showing one-punch knockout power, heavy kicks, and excellent shot selection. He fights Cris Lencioni (5-2) who is a good test at this point.

Bantamweight, Patrick Mix (11-0)

Undefeated as a pro, Mix also went 11-0 as an amateur. Mix is all about pressure and he is always moving forward, walking his opponent down. Mix has seven submissions with five rear-naked chokes showing he is more comfortable on the mat, but now, training out of Jackson-Wink MMA, he’s been improving every step of the way. He fights Isaiah Chapman (9-3).

The post Weekly MMA Prospect Report: Bellator’s Kids Are Alright appeared first on Cageside Press.

There’s plenty of MMA action going down this weekend. The UFC is in Phoenix. Bellator MMA has back-to-back shows in Uncasville, Connecticut. Invicta FC heads to Kansas, and that’s just scratching the surface. What up-and-comers should you keep an eye on? We’ve got you covered in the latest Weekly MMA Prospect Report!

Invicta FC 34 | Friday | Kansas

Flyweight, Tracy Cortez (4-1)

On the feet, Cortez is good in the clinch but is better once she gets the fight to the mat. She has some solid chain wrestling and her grappling is solid as well. At times, she loses position but has shown that she can scramble well and take the back while doing so. We featured Cortez among the 15 women the UFC should sign this year in this article. She fights Erin Blanchfield (3-0) at Invicta FC 34. Giving Blanchfield her first loss would be a huge step toward the UFC for Cortez.

Flyweight, Vanessa Porto (20-8)

Porto has fought some of the best women in MMA including a loss to Cris Cyborg and Amanda Nunes but holds wins over Germaine de Randamie, Tonya Evinger, Jennifer Maia, Kalindra Faria, Roxanne Modafferi, and many more. Porto is well rounded but the veteran has eleven submissions so the mat is where she wants the fight. She fights former UFC fighter Pearl Gonzalez (9-3) who is 3-0 since her release. She was another inclusion among the 15 women the UFC should sign this year article.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIobQpk68A0

Bellator 215 | Friday | Connecticut

The post Weekly MMA Prospect Report: Bellator, Invicta, ONE All In Action appeared first on Cageside Press.