We’re back at it again four years later, and once again, we’ve decided to bring in a few other opinions. This time out, we polled a few journalists and other respected minds in the MMA space for five prospects we believe are UFC-ready.

Up first is James Colwell, who is an excellent scout. I’ve been scouting and writing about prospects for years and James knows just as much as me if not more. His scouting ability is so good and I even think he does a better job than myself. Shoot him a follow on Twitter because he deserves way more respect.

When choosing my top 5, I tried to limit it to active fighters that the UFC has a realistic chance of signing, so no one currently under contract with ONE/KSW/ACA, though guys like Anatoly Malykhin, Adrian Bartosiński, and Islam Omarov certainly deserve honorable mentions and would make a big impact in the UFC rankings. I also excluded anyone who’s fought for Bellator or PFL to keep the focus on less-known prospects.

Shamil Gaziev: 10-0, Heavyweight

As we frequently see on UFC cards, HW is a very shallow division globally and it only
takes a few signature wins to get an opportunity at the highest level. Gaziev has the massive power in his hands one would expect from the big boys, but his wrestling ability and successful amateur career (9-2 for IMMAF including the 2019 world title) are what really make him stand out. Gaziev is massively muscular and has had to cut to make 265 in his career, but his ARES FC debut showed his cardio is sufficient to grind out three rounds of grappling. He took on Kirill Kornilov, who is an elite kickboxer and entered the fight 13-0-1, and Gaziev smartly committed to his takedowns early and often. It wasn’t the most thrilling fight, as there was lots of smothering top control at the fence base and short GnP, but he showed good technique with wrist rides, trapped his opponent’s legs, and generally used his size and weight to his advantage.

His most recent win showed a very different side to his game, as he took on UFC vet Darko Stošić (17-5) in an absolute brawl that lasted less than three minutes but was packed with power shots on both sides. Gaziev proved his chin can stand up to big power and scored a highlight knockout that is exactly what the UFC matchmakers love. I think he’d be an immediate threat to the top 15 rankings, as there are few other humans on this planet who have his combination of raw size, grappling technique, and heavy hands.

Murad Magomedov: 13-0, Bantamweight

Murad has compiled a very impressive record despite still being in his 20s, and he hasn’t
just been crushing cans like we sometimes see with undefeated fighters. His opponents have a combined record of 97-39-1, including four straight decision wins in top Russian promotion ACA, with all of those fights at flyweight. Magomedov then took a couple of years off before making his debut for UAE Warriors at 135 pounds, and he impressed by knocking down Alimardan Abdykaarov (16-1-1) in the second round then battering him with GnP until he opened up a chance for an RNC submission. His most recent fight was even more impressive, as he immediately doubled Javlonbek Tokhtaboev (10-5) over with a hard kick to the body, launched into the air for a flying knee that didn’t land flush but still did some damage, then transitioned quickly to a guillotine that forced an immediate tap and earned him a submission in just 23 seconds.

These wins for UAE Warriors have shown off his finishing instincts with submissions
and that he has the striking necessary to hurt his opponents, and he’s already proven he has the cardio and durability necessary to go three hard rounds during his time with ACA. He’s a smart fighter who doesn’t make many mistakes and is quick to exploit openings his opponents give him, and there really aren’t many holes that I’ve found in his game. His UAE fights have been on UFC Fight Pass, so there’s no way the matchmakers aren’t aware of him, and he’d be a great addition to the stacked UFC bantamweight division or could even drop back down to flyweight if he wants a quicker path to contention.

Losene Keita: 11-0, Featherweight

Keita is an explosive and dynamic wrecking ball who burst onto the international scene
with his Oktagon debut in December 2021 and has been running through top European
competition since. He was born in Guinea but moved to Belgium and went 3-0 as an amateur then 6-0 as a pro fighting nobodies for small shows mostly in the Netherlands before making the move to Oktagon for a big step up in competition. He proved he was more than ready for the challenge with a first-round KO of a decent prospect in Karol Ryšavý (9-3) followed by a beatdown of Ronald Paradeiser (13-7) where he won by decision purely because his opponent refused to be finished. That set up a lightweight title shot against Ivan Buchinger (39-7), one of the more under-rated fighters in Europe and someone I consider a real top-level gatekeeper. Keita passed that test with flying colors, overwhelming his opponent with aggression and athleticism while throwing powerful hooks for a one-sided round one KO. That was when I first thought he was ready for the UFC, but instead, he dropped to 145 pounds, continued to dominate great opponents, and just became a double-champ for Oktagon. His first fight at featherweight was a great test of his versatility, as he had mostly been known for his striking but was matched against an elite Muay Thai practitioner in Samuel Bark (8-1). Keita intelligently got an early takedown, took away some of his opponent’s explosiveness with wrestling pressure and GnP, then started to go to work with his own striking in round two, which included a knockdown to end the round. He showed off his cardio and killer instinct by swarming immediately and finished the job with vicious hooks after just thirty seconds of round three.

His willingness to keep risking his perfect record against top competition is admirable, as he was scheduled to challenge Mate Sanikidze (9-2) for the 145-pound title but happily accepted an interim title shot against Jakub Tichota (5-1) when his original opponent was forced out with an injury. Keita once again outclassed a good fighter pretty much everywhere and broke Tichota down before finishing him in round four with his patented power combos. There have been rumors that he was previously offered a short-notice UFC fight but nobody wanted to fight him, and with the ability he’s shown it’s hard to blame them. I expect him to feature on the next UFC card in mainland Europe, or even sooner if he can get a visa for the USA.

Eldar Eldarov: 14-1, Welterweight

Eldarov is the first guy on this list with a loss, but its aged about as well as humanly
possible as it came in his second pro fight, all the way back in 2009, against someone you may have heard of named Khabib Nurmagomedov. Eldarov then crushed a bunch of cans to build up a win streak before signing with Brave for their first-ever event in 2016. He’s 6-0 there with three finishes and three decision wins against much stronger opposition with an impressive combined record of 64-18, including future UFC fighter Mounir Lazzez, which has extended his win streak to thirteen straight. Sambo is his base and he’s clearly most comfortable when wrestling, but his BJJ has continuously improved, his GnP is naturally powerful, and his striking on the feet is good enough to present a threat.

Despite a nearly 15-year career, Eldarov is still just 31 and he stays in incredible shape, which translates into the cardio necessary to push a high pace for 25 minutes as he proved in his decision win over Lazzez for the 165lb super-lightweight title. The main things holding Eldarov back from UFC success are outside the cage, as I think he’d immediately be ready to challenge the top 15 if he were signed. He’s only fought once per year with Brave and didn’t fight at all during 2020 when the promotion stopped having events due to the pandemic. He’s able to fight so infrequently because he is the head coach for KHK MMA, a team sponsored directly by the rulers of Bahrain who also own Brave and have deeply entwined the promotion, country, and fight camp. I doubt they would want to see Eldarov go off to fight in the UFC, especially with the risk that he might lose and reduce some of his prestige as a coach, but if the UFC matchmakers can somehow make it happen it would be an incredible addition to an already deep 170lb division.

Makoto Takahashi: 16-1-1, Flyweight

I’ve got to give some credit to the UFC, as up until a few months ago this spot would
have been filled by one of the elite Kazakh flyweights Asu Almabaev or Azat Maksum, both of whom have been added to the roster recently. Takahashi is another elite prospect at 125lbs, and he’s the youngest of them at just 22 years old. He’s spent the majority of his career with long-running Japanese promotion DEEP after making his professional debut at just 15 years old. He quickly amassed a 6-0-1 record, with all of those fights going to a decision, before getting a title shot at just 17 years old against future ONE strawweight Tatsumitsu Wada. This turned out to be Takahashi’s only loss, again by decision, as he just wasn’t prepared to take on a 29-year-old in his physical prime who also had 4 times as many fights as him. He’s since put together a stellar 10-fight win streak including a title for DEEP in a second opportunity, a later defense of that title, a decision win for Bellator that was also one of the only times in his career that he’s missed weight, three wins for Rizin including one to start April 2023, and a dominant performance in November 2022 to claim the CFFC title and introduce himself to the USA audience. He’s fought some journeymen but most of his opponents during this run have been talented.

After getting a reputation for dull fights when his first twelve went to decisions, Takahashi has won four of his last 6 by submission as he’s grown into his adult strength and continued to improve his already excellent cardio. He’s shown creative and versatile BJJ with a particular knack for finishes from the front headlock by securing a guillotine, a ninja choke, a modified high-elbow guillotine set up by repeated horizontal rolls, and an arm triangle. He is a flexible and dynamic grappler who pushes a fast pace and can escape, sweep, and/or threaten submissions from anywhere on the mat. His striking is markedly improved every time he fights and he showcased some nasty GnP in his most recent fight, battering his opponent with grounded knees and slicing him with elbows to set up the round-one submission win. He’s always adding new elements to his game and at such a young age, the sky is the limit for Takahashi. I’ve heard rumors that he’s looking to set up big-name match-ups in Japan, but if he decides the UFC is where he wants to be, they’d be crazy not to give him a call. They might send him through DWCS because of his age, but I think Takahashi easily has the ability to be signed directly and join Tatsuro Taira in the new wave of exciting Japanese flyweight prospects.

The post MMA Prospect Roundtable 2023: Which Up-and-Comers Are UFC-Ready? appeared first on Cageside Press.

First off, a look back at last year’s list, where Anton Turkalj, Vitor Petrino, and Zac Pauga made the cut — and who are all new UFC athletes. Josh Silveira, meanwhile, signed on with the PFL.

Anton Turkalj
Josh Silveira
Vitor Petrino
Murtaza Talha Ali
Shamil Akhmedov
Bogdan Guskov
Rodolfo Bellato
Muslim Magomedov
Zac Pauga
Jakob Nedoh

Be sure to check out our 10 Heavyweight Prospects the UFC Should Sign in 2023 before you get started. Now on to the 205’ers!

The post 10 Light Heavyweight Prospects the UFC Should Sign in 2023 appeared first on Cageside Press.

For the most impressive prospects in March, read on!

Featherweight, Gabriel Alves Braga (7-0)

I wasn’t blown away by this performance, because in a way Braga had a chance of losing on the scorecards. He was walked down and his nose was busted up from the beginning. He did win 30-27 though. That’s because he was patient, picked his shots, and had the bigger moments. He landed a lot of front kicks to the body slowing his opponent down. Braga did drop his opponent briefly at a time but won this one being the more efficient fighter.
Grade: C+

Light heavyweight, Rodolfo Bellato (8-1)

Bellato fought a dangerous striker in Thiago Vieira so of course, Bellato won by submission. To get the fight down it was Bellato that threw a kick and slipped. His opponent followed him down and Bellato swept and got on top. After a takedown from him, he got into mount. Bellato landed big elbows and went for the armbar. The elbow was out but he transitioned to a triangle and with just seconds left Vieira tapped. Beautiful transition to the finish.
Grade: B-

Heavyweight, Eduardo Neves (5-0)

Neves proves again he’s a dangerous guy to trade with. He landed a left-right forcing his opponent to attempt a takedown. It didn’t work out and Neves landed big shots. It was a right hand that wobbled his opponent and another right hand that put the guy to sleep. All wins by knockout and the last three coming in the first round.
Grade: C+

Lightweight, Ismael Bonfim (17-3)

Not blown away with this performance either, but Bonfim dominated a good fighter. His takedown defense was tested a lot. It held up very well and the times he went down he was attacking with a guillotine. The boxing of Bonfim was on point picking away at his opponent. He also threw a lot of kicks and knees mixing it up. Bonfim was landing a lot coming forward and countering when his foe attacked. A clean showing but I feel he could’ve done more.
Grade: C

Welterweight, Gabriel Bonfim (12-0)

It didn’t take Bonfim long at all to win the vacant LFA welterweight title. He got right to it at the bell letting his hands go rapidly. He stunned his opponent twice with the right hand. Having his opponent in major trouble a scramble happened. In that scramble, Bonfim grabbed the d’arce and pulled guard and the opponent tapped. Amazing performance and finish by the new champ.
Grade: A+

Welterweight, Magomed Magomedov (8-0)

Magomedov dominated with wrestling and mostly top control. He got the takedown each round and never let his opponent up. Magomedov stayed busy with ground and pound going to the body and head. In round three he really picked it up with his output digging to the body. Not a finish but he was busy and dominated. With this win Magomedov won the Octagon welterweight title.
Grade: B-

Featherweight, Connor Matthews (5-0)

Matthews continues to do his thing getting in and out. He came out with a lot of volume. His opponent slipped to the mat off a kick. Matthews jumped on him to take the back and finish with the RNC. That’s now five first-round finishes and four of those came in under a minute. He needs a step up in competition.
Grade: C+

Welterweight, Billy Goff (6-2)

Goff and Garry Belletto fought for the vacant CES belt and Goff took it home. It wasn’t going good for Goff, getting dropped in the first minute. Still eating shots he walked Bellatto down and eventually got the takedown. From there it was savage mode from Goff. In the guard, Goff went off with elbows to the head and body. He cut Bellatto wide open and when they got back to the feet Bellatto even called it off and the ref called it off.
Grade: C

Featherweight, Damon Wilson (4-0)

Wilson stayed in his opponent’s face frequently switching stances and finding his right hand. He did eat a few good shots but nothing bothered him. As his opponent landed a left Wilson landed a right hand over the top. The right crumbled his opponent and a few extra left hands had the ref step in. Wilson has some big power in his hands finishing his last three fights with them.
Grade: B-

Lightweight, Thomas Paull (11-3)

In dramatic fashion Paull knockout out Cage Warriors veteran Perry Andre Goodwin. Early it was Goodwin that landed a right hand getting the attention of Paull. Goodwin pressed but Paull never wilted. A leg kick to a left-right-left landed from Paull and Goodwin was out before he even hit the mat. An awesome knockout that leads to a lightweight title victory.
Grade: B

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

Budo Sento Championship | Mexico | Thursday

Heavyweight, Jesus Navarrete (7-0)

Located in Maneadero, Baja California, Mexico, Navarrete is an underrated heavyweight prospect. Navarrete is a chubbier heavyweight but is talented enough to watch out for. The big man is a technical striker with a good jab and a lot of output. Navarrete will march forward throwing his hands and kicks. He’s got that Mexican toughness marching forward taking shots to give some. Not someone that’s going to knock the doors down right away, but he will put on some entertaining fights on the rise up. He fights Alejandro Solorzano (9-3).

Titan FC 74 | US | Friday

Bantamweight, Ryan Kuse (5-0)

Kuse is a young fighter with a lot of promise. On the feet, Kuse fights at distance with kicks and long punches. He’s just as good of a wrestler as he is a striker. Kuse has been dominant in top position and is smooth in transitions. His ground and pound is arguably his best weapon. He’s well-rounded but needs a step up in competition. Kuse fights Asa Ten Pow (1-0).

Flyweight, Victor Dias (10-2)

Brazil’s Victor Dias is the reigning Titan FC champion. It took a while before Dias hit his stride, winning by thin margins and losing close decision losses. It’s easy to tell that since training with American Top Team, he’s a more fearsome fighter. Dias is a black belt in BJJ and a national champion as well. A prospect with a high-level ground game is how you can sum up Dias. He fights Gaston Manzur (11-7).

Lightweight, Landon Quiñones (5-1-1)

Quinones fights for the first time after a year and a half layoff. He’s a good striker with a lot of good techniques. Quinones throws a good straight left. He mixes it up well using kicks going to the body and legs well. He’s shown solid TDD, which allows him to be more comfortable on the feet. He fights Myktybek Orolbay Uulu (6-1).

CES 66 | US | Friday

Welterweight, Billy Goff (5-2)

Despite a not-so-great-looking record, Goff is a bright prospect. Two years ago he lost two consecutively and now has won his last three. Goff can stand and bang, wrestle, grapple, and tough it out going three rounds. His toughness and grit is what’s usually unmatched. He hits hard and throws good output. Goff throws with a lot of weapons and can mix up his attacks. He could just be an action fighter but he does have some real skill. Goff fights Gary Balletto (7-2).

Featherweight, Connor Matthews (4-0)

Matthews trains out of Lauzon MMA with a ton of talented fighters. His first three pro fights he finished in under a minute. The longest he’s fought has been a little over two minutes. Matthews doesn’t waste time taking the fight to his opponent. Sometimes it’s even his foes coming forward and walking into a punch or knee from him. When Matthews gets it to the mat his ground and pound is really good and he has three submissions. Just still really green right now. He fights Christopher Piriz (7-7).

Cage Warriors 133 | US | Friday

Lightweight, Kyle Driscoll (12-3)

Driscoll fought and won on the Contender Series two seasons ago. He didn’t leave with a contract and this is his first fight since. I do worry that Driscoll is one-dimensional but his wrestling is really good. He can telegraph his shots but has the ability to chain wrestle which helps a lot. He has good ground and pound and an overall smothering ground game. I’m not sold on him but he’s on a roll for a reason. He fights Joshua Jones (11-5).

Featherweight, Damon Wilson (4-0)

Wilson is only 3-0 but his last two fights he’s impressed me a lot. Wilson is a good striker that throws a lot of output from a lot of looks. He throws a lot of combinations from different angles. Not just output because if he catches you slipping Wilson will shut the lights off. Wilson is still green but his striking to me has been so impressive. He fights Ryan Fillingame (6-4).

Naiza FC 37 | Kazakhstan | Saturday

Welterwight, Serik Razgaliev (7-1)

Since taking his sole loss in 2019, Razgaliev hasn’t lost since winning five in a row. Razgaliev is a better grappler than anything. To complement his ground game, he wrestles very well. Once he gets it to the mat, he’s a proven finisher. Usually, it’s his ground and pound that open up the submission spots. He fights Dhouglas Ribeiro (10-5).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOWFn6sgTag&ab_channel=FightSpace

EFC 92 | South Africa | Saturday

Bantamweight, Cameron Saaiman (3-0)

Saaiman is a young bright prospect who is a protege of UFC fighter Dricus Du Plessis. Saaiman is so comfortable on the feet with his creative striking and diverse kickboxing while having really light movement. He will make it seem like he’s only a kickboxer before changing levels for a takedown. Saaiman is a really talented grappler who constantly hunts to end the fight. His ground and pound and RNC is Jean Matsumotohis best weapon on the mat. Hew fights Roevan De Beer (4-4).

FPC 1 | Brazil | Saturday

Bantamweight, Jean Matsumoto (9-0)

Matsumoto is a well-rounded Brazilian who has looked great at the age of just 22. On the feet, his output/volume is a highlight. Jean is always throwing in volume usually throwing a one-two followed by a leg kick. Not just a one-two though — Matsumoto will fire hook after hook while ripping the body. Putting together punches, leg kicks, and body shots is something he does very well. With how good he is on the feet, he’s looked even better on the mat. Matsumoto only has three submissions but is a big threat always looking for them. Especially the anaconda choke, which is one of his go-to’s. He throws very good active ground and pound and that mixed in with solid jiu-jitsu makes him a huge threat. He fights Luan Matheus (13-6-1).

ACA 137 | Russia | Sunday

Light-heavyweight, Grigor Matevosyan (9-2)

Matevosyan is an underrated 205’er born in Armenia. He dropped his first two pro MMA fights and since then has won his next nine fights. Matevosyan will march forward with heavy attacks. He has good kickboxing with chopping leg kicks and will go high as well. He’s really good in the clinch and very good when breaking from the clinch. Matevosyan does need work with takedown defense but at least he’s always been able to fight his way back. He has a good gas tank which has made a big difference in his career. He fights Muslim Magomedov (10-0).

Light-heavyweight, Muslim Magomedov (10-0)

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 a good top position and his ground and pound is strong, active, and lands hard. He fights Grigor Matevosyan (9-2).

Featherweight, Mehdi Baidulaev (12-2)

Baidulaev is a volume striker on the feet but is a much better wrestler and grappler. His wrestling is really good. Being able to shoot in and cut the corner and get the body lock and throw guys around. Baidulaev has five submission wins – attacking the neck is what he does very well. If it’s in a guillotine, d’arce, and taking the back for the RNC he goes for the neck. He fights Walter Pereira Jr. (17-6).

The post Weekly MMA Prospect Report: All Over the Map appeared first on Cageside Press.

Light heavyweight has always walked a fine line between being one of the UFC’s most prominent divisions — and at times, one of its thinnest. That may be a result of Jones cleaning out the division (and Daniel Cormier being dominant there as well), but the reality is, the weight class, like heavyweight, is forever in search of fresh faces.

With that, here’s our call for 10 light heavyweight prospects the UFC should recruit in 2022.

First up, here’s a look at last year’s list, featuring current UFC roster members Azamat Murzakanov and Jailton Junior joining the UFC in 2021.

Acacio dos Santos
Anton Turkalj
Azamat Murzakanov
Jailton Junior
Joshua DaSilveira
Kaloyan Kolev
Laurynas Urbonavicius
Marhin Hamlet Nielsen
Muslim Magomedov
Nasrudin Nasrudinov

Be sure to check out our previous instalments of this series:

10 Heavyweight Prospects the UFC Should Sign in 2022

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

ACA 126 | Russia | Thursday

Light heavyweight, Muslim Magomedov (9-0)

Magomedov has only been competing in MMA for a few years but prior to that, he had experience in Combat Sambo. In his first fight as an amateur, he suffered his only defeat in MMA. That loss was to current UFC contender Magomed Ankalaev. Magomedov went on to have a successful amateur career winning the WMMAA 2018 European Championship. 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 a good top position and his ground and pound is strong, active, and lands hard. He fights Evgeny Egemberdiev (12-3).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2J_HiHGeJCE&ab_channel=BigoShow

ACM 103 | Russia | Thursday

Lightweight, Yusup Raisov (17-2)

Yusuf is a very technical striker as he throws a range of combinations from different angles. In combinations, Yusuf is usually throwing up to four strikes at a time which is sensational. He’s a pocket striker unloading tight punches from a short distance. He’s good at mixing in leg kicks in combinations mixing them at the end of punches and sometimes will throw punches after a kick. He usually picks his shots with his kicks but will throw with some flash using spinning kicks. When he spins he does usually connect and he has a finish from a spinning kick to the liver. The wrestling of Raisov is his best weapon by a large margin and that says something. Like a lot of Russian fighters, Raisov has high-level top-notch wrestling. Everything in this department Raisov does perfectly. If he doesn’t secure the initial takedown he’s good at chaining attempts together getting the fight to the mat the second time. He fights Alexey Makhno (25-8).

Featherweight, Azizkhan Chorshanbiev (6-0)

From Tajikistan, Chorshanbiev is a smart tactical fighter. He fights really patiently and picks his shots while still having a 100% finish rate. I believe he has some type of background in boxing and it really shows. Chorshanbiev has a quick snapping jab and laser straight punches. I’ve seen him taken down with little issue but he has swept guys and got top position. He has good movement along with quick hand speed. Still, a lot needs to be proven but he looks good. He fights Moris Boleyan (5-0).

SFT 27 | Brazil | Thursday

Lightweight, Manoel Sousa (6-0)

Sousa is a heavy-handed fighter who slings powerful right and left hooks. He does a good job going to the body and throwing kicks behind his strikes. He has good head movement and good footwork as well. The very athletic Sousa also has a strong wrestling attack and is a submission threat. He fights Brendo Bispo (17-4).

Lightweight, Brendo Bispo (17-4)

Bispo is a fearsome striker. He has the speed, technique, and power to be a real problem. The Brazilian is a tight-knit fighter with a high guard always keeping his hands up and staying with a very technical style. Bispo fights behind a textbook jab and throws with distinguished tight straight punches. The leg kick is a big weapon for Bispo. He puts everything into his hips when he fires them and when they connect you can tell he has a lot of power. You can really see the Chute Boxe style Bispo possesses. Billed as more of a striker, Bispo has some underrated wrestling. He has opponents worry so much about his abilities on the feet that when he shoots it catches them off guard. Bispo is nearly 100% when committing on takedowns. He fights Manoel Sousa (6-0).

 Armia Fight Night 10 | Poland | Friday

Featherweight, Mansur Azhiev (5-0)

5-0 as and pro and 5-0 as an amateur, this young man from Poland his a bright future. On the feet, Azhiev has a good jab, long punches, and solid kickboxing. Azhiev will kick the legs and go up top quite often. He excels more on the mat and his wrestling to get it there is pretty strong. Azhiev has glue-like grappling, controlling every movement. His ground and pound is his best weapon. He will unload with punches in any position and getting into the crucifix is something he’s liked to finish with in the past. He fights Adrian Kępa (8-5) for the promotions’ title.

Bellator 262 | US | Friday

Flyweight, Denise Kielholtz (6-2)

Denise Kielholtz is well-accomplished in other combat sports outside of MMA. She has a ton of experience in kickboxing (17-2) including winning the Bellator flyweight championship. Also, Denise has spent some time in Judo being a member of the 2008 Dutch Team Championships. Despite being well versed on the feet Kielholtz in her MMA career has three submission wins. She’s a good counter striker clipping her opponent coming in and finishing on the mat. Kielholtz has developed into an MMA fighter. She fights the champ, Juliana Velasquez (11-0) for the title.

Heavyweight, Tyrell Fortune (10-1)

Fortune has an accomplished background in wrestling, as an NCAA Division II champion, and a multi-time high school state champion. His stand-up is improving; he has some power, is pretty good in the clinch, and has a stunning straight right he throws. When Fortune does get the takedown, he’s shown he’s knowledgeable in the top position and possesses some very effective ground and pound, which is one of his best assets. He fights the well-known Matt Mitrione (13-8).

The post Weekly MMA Prospect Report: Come for Bellator, Stay for a Double Shot of LFA appeared first on Cageside Press.

BRAVE CF 49 | Bahrain | Thursday

Welterweight, Benoit Saint-Denis (6-0)

Saint-Denis is an undefeated fighter from France that has done quite well for himself in the Brave CF promotion. He’s more of a wrestler/grappler; while he does throw a lot on the feet he is just a little sluggish. Saint-Denis is a solid wrestler though and that’s his main go-to. One drawback, he’s a bit too comfortable going to his back. With that said he does a good job creating space and getting out from underneath. His grappling is arguably his best weapon. He can be a little over-aggressive but winning by four different submissions he’s always dangerous. He fights Luan Santiago (15-4) which is a tough fight.

Flyweight, Muhammad Mokaev (4-0)

Worldwide, Mokaev is one of the 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 Abdul Hussein (7-1).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hF_koymoV9M

Flyweight, Abdul Hussein (7-1)

Hussein won the 2016 IMMAF world championship gold medal in the bantamweight division. He is well-rounded being dangerous both on the feet and on the mat. On the feet, he will need to tuck his chin better and keep his hands up higher, mind you. He really picks his shots on the feet being very conservative with his energy but has good accuracy with everything he throws, mixing it up well. Hussein is a decent wrestler but his work on the mat is better as he has good jiu-jitsu and some brutal elbows in his ground and pound. He fights Muhammad Mokaev (4-0).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xb6FFQ1x-6E

Bantamweight, Bernardo Sopai (8-1)

Sopai is a product out of Allstars Gym Sweden which is a fantastic team. Crazy enough, Sopai is only 20-years-old and a complete fighter already. On the feet, he has a Muay Thai background. The Albanian is a solid striker with excellent kicks and slick short combinations. He doesn’t really have knockout power but does throw a lot of volume and gives a lot of different looks. I’ve been impressed with the wrestling from the setups, speed, and his ability to slam guys to the mat. Sopai has three wins by submission and overall his grappling could be where he’s best at. This kid is a major problem with a bright future. He fights Francesco Nuzzi (8-1).

Bantamweight, Francesco Nuzzi (8-1)

Nuzzi is an unknown prospect from Italy and is one of the country’s brightest up-and-comers. After his first five fights (as a pro and amateur) he was only 2-3. Now Nuzzi has won his last seven fights winning a regional title along the way. From a technical standpoint, his stance kind of resembles Stephen Thompson’s, keeping his opponent guessing what his next move will be and counter-striking with precision. Unlike “Wonderboy,” though, he’s not afraid to move forward, looking for an opening to put somebody to sleep. “The Berserker” is constantly improving on his wrestling while on the ground he’s getting close to being a polished product. He fights Bernardo Sopai (8-1).

Middleweight, Ikram Aliskerov (10-1)

Aliskerov is a two-time world combat sambo champion out of Makhachkala, Russia, along with other accomplishments. From what I’ve seen from Aliskerov, while he has the wrestling background, he likes to stand and trade with his opponents. He has a good jab along with some impressive accuracy and timing on both his strikes and level changes. A lot is still unknown about him, but with the power, speed, and accuracy he shows on the feet while being an accomplished wrestler, I like his future. He fights Miro Jurković (13-3).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdxE5bwIbzk

Venator FC 6 | Italy | Friday

Featherweight, Federico Pasquali (5-0)

There isn’t a lot of fight footage out there on Pasquali but on what’s available I’ve been personally impressed. He has a really good jab and a right he throws behind it. He does get hit a lot but has proved to have a good chin. Outside of being a dangerous striker he does have fair wrestling and knows what he’s doing on the mat. It seems as though he does need to work on his cardio, which is perhaps his biggest flaw. Still green but a lot of talent. He fights Luca Marzioni (2-1).

Babilon MMA 20 | Poland | Friday

Light heavyweight, Łukasz Sudolski (8-0)

There isn’t a lot of footage on Sudolski but there is some hype behind him. With an impressive record of 8-0 he’s got the fight done on the feet and on the mat. It seems like his grappling is his strong suit. He has some stopping power in his hands as well. Still, a lot needs to be seen here — but he seems solid. He fights former UFC fighter Joachim Christensen (15-8).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBo7vHGVLcw

Featherweight, Dawid Smielowski (7-0)

Smielowski is a highlight-reel fighter. He has a 100% finish rate with 5 KO/TKOs and two submissions. Among those wins, he has finished with a bulldog choke, a flying knee, and a head kick. Smielowski, being a tall, rangy fighter, is a solid kickboxer. And while he can be technical, he’s a showman, throwing caution to the wind always looking for the kill shot. His takedown defense does need work but even off his back he’s shown to be at least promising. Smielowski does have improved grappling and at only 24 he has a high ceiling. He fights Krzysztof Gutowski (8-0).

ACA 120 | Russia | Friday

Featherweight, Felipe Froes (20-4-1)

Froes is solid all around. In his stand-up, he throws a lot of kicks to keep distance but his hands are where it’s at. Froes has a very nice straight right hand that he lands more than anything but still throws with both. His wrestling is good as he can get the double leg or the trip in the clinch. On the mat, he has good ground and pound and is excellent at taking the back. He is always the one in control, the only thing he needs to work on is his takedown defense. He fights Magomedrasul Khasbulaev (32-8).

Featherweight, Bibert Tumenov (10-1)

Tumenov is a high-caliber striker/boxer. Tumenov is an in your face pressure fighter who throws nothing but fire in his hands. The left straight/hook, left hook to the body, left uppercut, and the jab is all money. He’s incredibly dangerous with both hands even though his left hand is his lead hand. Tumenov is never gun-shy; he is constantly letting his hands fly with combinations. He’s really good at cutting opponents off and landing strikes while headhunting. He’ll headhunt quite often but his bodywork and mid combinations do quite a number on his foes. Tumenov compliments his striking with wonderful head movement slipping and returning. As a striker Tumenov is high-level. He fights Islam Omarov (9-0).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H006h9Mk9iQ

Featherweight, Islam Omarov (9-0)

Omarov is an undefeated Russian that is all action from start to finish. He’s an excellent wrestler and he strikes well to wrestle. He’s always moving and always throwing to break his opponents down. Omarov has a solid gas tank and with the constant forward pressure, it’s very impressive. He fights Bibert Tumenov (10-1).

Light heavyweight, Muslim Magomedov (8-0)

Magomedov has only been competing in MMA for a few years but prior to that, he had experience in Combat Sambo. In his first fight as an amateur, he suffered his only defeat in MMA. That loss was to current UFC contender Magomed Ankalaev. Magomedov went on to have 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 a good top position and his ground and pound is strong, active, and lands hard. He fights Leonardo Silva (17-4).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-T497_Y4ZM

LFA | US | Friday

Bantamweight, Fernie Garcia (8-1)

Garcia is a product out of Fortis MMA, which has become a top camp. Garcia is primarily a wrestler whose stand up has improved, especially his boxing. He’s got solid wrestling and heavy top control. Once he gets the takedown with his heavy top control he can also easily takes the back. He holds three rear-naked choke victories in his career. Strong wrestling, good grappling, has a good pace, and improving striking. Garcia is someone to watch out for. He fights Isaiah Batin-Gonzalez (4-1).

Welterweight, Josh Quinlan (4-0)

Josh Quinlan only has four pro fights but did go 6-0 as an amateur. As an amateur, Quinlan was the Real MMA and the Tuff-N-Uff welterweight champion. Quinlan is a good striker throwing a lot of heat. He throws chopping leg kicks and has very clean hands. “The Renegade” is a prospect to watch for this year. He fights Dallas Jennings (3-1).

Nação Cyborg 8 | Brazil | Friday

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 José Rodrigo Guelke (22-19-1).

Oktagon 22 | Czech Republic | Saturday

Bantamweight, Javid Basharat (10-0)

Basharat is an excellent prospect to keep an eye on but the competition he has beat has been lackluster. Basharat is well-rounded as he has finished from both on the feet and off the mat. His footwork is quite advanced; the way he cuts angles and moves side to side is perfectly done and if I’m not mistaken he has a background in taekwondo. Basharat isn’t just a flashy striker he is also an excellent wrestler that has a strong submission game and does a great job at creating space and landing big ground and pound. He fights Luca Iovine (16-6).

The post Weekly MMA Prospect Report: Watch out for ACA appeared first on Cageside Press.

Jon Jones appears ready to finally move to heavyweight, and vacated the title in 2020. Daniel Cormier has retired. Corey Anderson and the returning Anthony “Rumble” Johnson have jumped to Bellator. Yoel Romero is finally moving to light heavyweight — but also for Bellator.

So what’s the UFC to do? Bring in some fresh faces. We’ve got 10 fighters who we think fit the bill.

Here’s a look at last year’s list, featuring current UFC roster members Jiri Prochazka, Modestas Bukauskas, and Tafon Nchukwi who all signed with the UFC in 2020. Alex Polizzi meanwhile signed with Bellator, and Timo Feucht was briefly signed by the UFC, only to be released before setting foot in the octagon due to reports of his involvement with a Neo-Nazi group.

Jiri Prochazka
Acacio dos Santos
Modestas Bukauskas
Tafon Nchukwi
Muslim Magomedov
Emillio Trevino
Ibo Aslan
Jamal Pogues
Alex Polizzi
Timo Feucht

Now on to this year’s list!

The post 10 Light Heavyweight Prospects the UFC Should Sign in 2021 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.

Who might the UFC call up as reinforcements at 205lbs in 2020? We take a look at ten fighters the promotion should sign. For a look at our heavyweight picks, check out our list here.

First up, here’s a look at last year’s list, featuring current UFC roster members Dalcha Lungiambula, Klidson Farias, Nicu Negumereanu, Ivan Shtyrkov, and Khadis Ibragimov, who all signed with the UFC in 2019:

Dalcha Lungiambula
Jiri Prochazka
Klidson Farias
Nicu Negumereanu
Ivan Shtyrkov
Alton Cunningham
Karl Albrektsson
Khadis Ibragimov
Karl Reed
Andy Clamp

It’s worth noting that while Ivan Shtyrkov signed with the UFC, he didn’t last long, thanks to a failed drug test.

Be sure to visit our other installments in this series (linked below):

10 Heavyweight Prospects the UFC Should Sign in 2020
10 Middleweight Prospects the UFC Should Sign in 2020
10 Welterweight Prospects the UFC Should Sign in 2020
10 Lightweight Prospects the UFC Should Sign in 2020
10 Featherweight Prospects the UFC Should Sign in 2020

Now on to our light heavyweight picks for 2020!

The post 10 Light Heavyweight Prospects the UFC Should Sign in 2020 appeared first on Cageside Press.