Beleaguered. Besieged. And frankly thin on paper. Any way you wanted to look at it, UFC Vegas 15 was a card that struggled to capture the imagination of fight fans, especially going down on the same night as the Tyson vs. Jones PPV spectacle.

But to those fighting on the card, none of it really mattered. After weeks and month’s worth of preparation, all that really mattered was the task at hand. For Luke Sanders and Nathan Maness, that task was to build win streaks (or in Maness’ case, extend one) in the night’s curtain-jerker.

Sanders opened the fight with some kicks, throwing to the body and to the legs of Maness. Maness landed a hard right hand as Sanders was coming in, and then a hard leg kick. Sanders shot in to get into the clinch but ate a couple of hard hooks to get there, and Maness shrugged him off and reversed position. Sanders responded with a brutal calf kick that briefly buckled Maness, and he followed up with another clinch attempt that was shrugged off. However Sanders was aggressive with his clinch attempts, and he worked on another but was thrown down by Maness. Maness briefly got Sanders back but he quickly got up and separated. The round ended with a big flurry from Sanders that appeared to hurt Maness before the bell.

Round two opened with a very aggressive Sanders, who shot in for a quick flurry and was actually rocked with a hard shot from Maness. Sanders wasn’t deterred, however, and he landed a huge combination that seemed to rock Maness. Maness stayed calm and measured and soon rocked Sanders once again. Maness dropped him with a straight right hand, and despite Sanders getting back to his feet, he was taken down and quickly submitted after Maness got the back and locked in a rear-naked-choke.

https://twitter.com/ufc/status/1332857423984549890

An absolutely impressive comeback win for Nate Maness.

Official Result: Nate Manes def. Luke Sanders by submission (rear-naked-choke), Round 2, 2:29

The post UFC Vegas 15 Results: Nathan Maness Survives, Finishes Luke Sanders appeared first on Cageside Press.

Johnny Munoz vs. Nathan Maness at UFC Vegas 5 was a battle of newcomers that had started as a fight putting the spotlight on Ray Borg.

After falling to Ricky Simon in May, Borg was looking to make his third trip to the octagon this year, something nearly unheard of in his troubled UFC career. Instead, he was out of his second fight of 2020, withdrawing from the event Friday for undisclosed reasons.

Original opponent Maness was give a new name with little more than 24 hours to go, with Johnny Munoz stepping up. For his part, Munoz was a perfect 10-0 heading into the fight, having most recently competed for KOTC. In fact, he’d competed exclusively for them.

Nathan Maness was lively with his combinations to start the fight, but got his first true connection at the one minute mark with a stiff jab. Johnny Munoz forced the clinch, then kneed Maness below the belt. Action paused for a moment, then once it resumed, Munoz connected with a kick below the belt for a second time. The referee didn’t take a point and Munoz went back into the clinch after landing a kick to the body. After a couple of efforts, Munoz was able to drag Maness down and quickly passed to side control. Munoz began looking for the kimura, stepping over the face of Maness. He quickly let go of the submission, delivering hammerfists and taking the back of Maness. Munoz peppered Maness with ground and pound to ride out the round.

Maness looked solid to start the second round, stuffing a pair of takedowns. Munoz turned it into a clinch against the cage, but that did not last. Munoz was persistent with the clinch, but Maness got a sneaky shot in that cut Munoz’s forehead. Munoz continued to press forward and picked up Maness, slamming him to the canvas and riding out the round in half guard.

A THIRD shot below the belt by Munoz started the final round and the referee finally took a point away. Munoz clinched up with Maness against the cage. Maness landed a series of body shots as Munoz held onto a body lock. Munoz wasn’t exactly pushing for a takedown and the referee separated them. Maness fired off a combination and back to the clinch we went. Again, Maness landed shots to the body as Munoz continued to hang on. He dipped down for a single leg, but Maness was the one who got a takedown. Munoz threw up his leg for a triangle, and as Maness stepped away, Munoz switched to a calf slicer. A lot of effort was exerted by Munoz, but the final bell rung.

Nate Maness def. Johnny Munoz by Unanimous Decision (29-27 x3)

The post UFC Vegas 5 Results: Nathan Maness Wins Grueling Decision Over Johnny Munoz appeared first on Cageside Press.

Nathan “Mayhem” Maness
5’10″
Featherweight
29-years-old
Henderson, Kentucky, US
TAG MMA
11-1
4 KO/TKOs
2 Submissions

How will Maness fare in the UFC:

Even though he’s from Kentucky, Maness does have a few solid wins. Being quite well rounded he’s first and foremost a striker. He’s got some good boxing fundamentals using a good jab, nice bodywork, and throwing good combinations. Despite being a sharp striker he has problems biting on feints often and overreaching. The Kentuckian is a good clinch fighter using upper body control, not throwing much damage but more so controlling position.

Maness doesn’t use much in the way of wrestling but on the ground, he’s at least going to be a threat setting up chokes. Maness doesn’t really have a lot of output but he stays busy throwing even if he’s not as accurate. As the fight goes on his punches become more labored and it becomes easier for his opponents to read him. He frankly holds his chin a bit too high but has shown to be tough and can take a solid punch. It’s a good signing and you may see him trade wins and losses to start. Maness is going to be competitive with anyone he steps in the cage with.

Johnny “Kid Kvenbo” Munoz Jr.
5’9″
Bantamweight
27-years-old
Norco, California, US
CQuence Jiu-Jitsu Norco
10-0
2 KO/TKOs
6 Submissions

How will Munoz fare in the UFC:

Munoz is a well-accomplished grappler earning a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt by the time he was 20-years-old. He comes with a list of accolades, including being a ten-time NABJJF Gold Medalist, Grapplers Quest Advanced Champion, and a three-time No-Gi World Champion/IBJJF (Blue, Purple, Brown).

In MMA Munoz has six submission victories as a professional. A lot of time with a BJJ ace their wrestling struggles in MMA. While that’s not fully the case with Munoz he’s not exactly where he should be at. Munoz does transition to the back standing well and is capable of dropping levels. Striking his way into the clinch of his opponents is a bit of a problem, as he doesn’t cut angles but rather just walks straight in.

Once on the mat, Munoz is extremely dangerous having finished fights via various methods such as ground and pound, heel hook, rear-naked choke, and an armbar. Munoz has seamless grappling easily transitioning and getting dominant . The Hawaiian is one-dimensional being solely a grappler with next to nothing on the feet. Munoz has a decent job but plodding movement and a low stance which means he’s easily hit. Munoz is always dangerous throughout the fight but has shown his gas tank isn’t all that deep. In my opinion, he should have gone the Contender Series route, as quality of competition is a concern, and he’s yet to be truly tested. If he was to improve in the striking department just a bit, however, he could evolve into a legit 135lb’er. Right now I see him more as a 50/50 fighter. Still a lot of talent with a somewhat high ceiling.

How they match up:

This a striker vs grappler fight. Maness hasn’t really been tested by a good wrestler but that’s not Munoz. Munoz reminds me of Jesse Arnett, a not-so-great wrestler with excellent grappling/submissions. Perhaps a tad better even. If Munoz somehow gets the fight down in the first I think he submits Maness. I don’t see that happening and the significant striking advantage of Maness is the clearest path to victory. Munoz also took this on extremely short notice.

The post Welcome to the UFC: Nathan Maness and Johnny Munoz Jr. appeared first on Cageside Press.

PFL 2 2019 | Thursday | New York

Featherweight, Alex Gilpin (12-1)

Gilpin is very sound when the fight hits the mat, leveraging impressive movement and strong control while also possessing the ability to smoothly take the back. Gilpin has a solid wrestling base and displays crafty trip takedowns and slams to get his opponent down. On the feet, Gilpin has speed, movement, and an accurate rate hand. He fights 2018 tournament winner Lance Palmer (12-1) in a fight where he’s the underdog.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mc2r3KUIixY

Lightweight, Nate Andrews (15-1)

Being 35-years-old in the lightweight division, he’s not really considered a prospect to many, but Andrews’ record and his abilities can’t be ignored. Andrews’ best weapon is his choke as he holds 10 submission wins finding the neck. Nearly all his fights include Andrews threatening the choke at some point. Andrews is susceptible to being taken down but he has good defense off of his back and solid jiu-jitsu threatening submissions from the bottom. On the feet, Andrews has long punches he uses at range and mixing in solid kicks. Andrews even holds a head kick knockout. Overall, a really fun fighter to watch with a perfect finish rate. He fights former UFC fighter Chris Wade (14-5), who I think he will have problems with.

Lightweight, Akhmet Aliev (17-4)

Aliev prefers to stay on the feet where he is quick, explosive, and diverse. Aliev loves to spin, sometimes too much, but it is effective to keep range. Aliev has a good kickboxing base with body kicks and leg kicks, but when he puts it behind his combinations is where he shines. Combinations and output are what Aliev is best at as he throws three to four strikes at a time with good speed and a bit of power. The footwork is also sound moving in and out, once again illustrating his quickness. He fights Carlao Silva (11-1), who lacks footage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uzmsgdJQhM

Lightweight, Islam Mamedov (16-2)

A top-level wrestler, Mamedov finds the takedown naturally, and on top, he is as good as it gets. He sticks like glue, he moves well and is even excellent at taking the back. His ground-and-pound is very solid – not heavy strikes but constant strikes. Once Mamedov gets the separation, he has a good submission game. On the feet, he is explosive, and he lunges forward with hooks and flying knees. He has power but his ground game is where he is best. He fights Ylies Djiroun (16-4), whose takedown defense should fail him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-tdlUPsEKw

Featherweight, Movlid Khaybulaev (13-0)

Movlid is a very solid fighter all around, he is really technical in his stand-up he throws a lot of spinning attacks, not overdoing it, but that is a good thing. Movlid uses the flying knee often with which he knocked an opponent out. With that, 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. Movlid can usually get the fight down multiple times in a fight and from the fights I’ve seen, I see no weakness yet. He fights former UFC fighter and former LFA champ Damon Jackson (16-2-1). This is a fun and tough fight for both.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKGnlZH1Mwo&t=2s

TKO 48 | Friday | Canada

Heavyweight, Cyril Gane (2-0)

2018 put Gane on the map when he took the TKO title from a top prospect in Adam Dyczka, who was on the UFC’s radar. Gane has experience in other combat sports such as Muay Thai and kickboxing, going 10-0 in both combined while winning two titles (Muay Thai) in France the process. The Frenchmen is a scary fighter with an assault of power shots to put his opponent away. He isn’t just a power puncher as he is very diverse with an unorthodox striking attack at times. He fights Roggers Souza (8-1), who is coming off a loss but is a big test for Gane.

Bantamweight, Nathan Maness (10-0)

Maness made a name for himself when he beat top Canadian prospect Jesse Arnett for the TKO strap last September. He is a wrestler first who has good hips and a solid jiu-jitsu base. His striking is coming along nicely, but once he gets it to the mat he’s been dominant. He fights former UFC fighter Taylor Lapilus (14-3), who is the biggest challenge to date for Maness.

Flyweight, Jade Wong (3-0)

Wong is still young in her MMA career at only 3-0 as a professional and is certainly a prospect on the rise. She has experience in Muay Thai, wrestling, kickboxing, and began boxing when she was 13-years-old. Jade is still green, which is expected with only three pro fights, but I like where she’s at. Wong wants to keep the fight standing where she can let her hands go. She is aggressive, rapid, and she has a beautiful dip to the right hand she throws. Jade’s striking has shown to be crisp with combinations. She fights Mandy Bohm (5-0), who lacks footage.

Future FC 5 | Friday | Brazil

Strawweight, Ariane Carnelossi (11-1)

In 2014, Ariane made her pro debut and lost to current UFC fighter Amanda Ribas. Since then, Ariane won her next 11 fights to date. Along the path, she has eight finishes and won a few regional titles. “Sorriso” is a pitbull, stomping forward constantly throwing big looping hooks. She is very good in the clinch with her knees and just her strength controlling the fight. She has some wrestling/grappling but relies on her pressure and power. She fights Ketlen Souza (8-1), which should be a good fight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgz-YfiglVs

Unified MMA 37 | Friday | Canada

Middleweight, Teddy Ash (13-4)

Ash hardly has any footage available but he has a solid resume on the Canadian scene. He holds titles in the middleweight and the light heavyweight divisions. Ash also has a win over former UFC fighter Seth Baczynski. He had a loss to former UFC fighter Dominque Steele but last March, he beat Steele in a rematch. He fights Neil Berry (8-8) whose record speaks for itself.

LFA 67 | Friday | Missouri

Lightweight, Dakota Bush (6-1-0)

Bush has a background in wrestling who has wrestled all four years in high school, and one year in college. Bush is a good wrestler where the takedowns come naturally. The control on the mat is excellent and is a threat at both the TKO finish and the submission. He fights Jaleel Willis (9-2), who is coming off a loss but is a good prospect as well.

CFFC 75 | Saturday | California

Strawweight, Miranda Granger (5-0)

Granger has been in martial arts since a young age capturing a black belt in Tae Kwon-do before transitioning over to MMA years later. Granger is still green, but at 5-0 she has a perfect finish rate and against more experienced fighters. She has four submissions and as she has winded up on her back at times but has solid jiu-jitsu. She still needs work on the feet but she has good leg kicks and decent movement. At only 27, she still has time to develop. She fights Heloisa Azevedo (4-1), who has good jiu-jitsu as well.

The post Weekly MMA Prospect Report: PFL Takes Center Stage appeared first on Cageside Press.

Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series was recently confirmed as returning for a third season, not that there was ever any question. As an entry path into the UFC, the show has proven popular thus far. The third season will kick off in June or July, and interest should be high.

In this piece, we feature 25 prospects believed worthy of a spot on the Contender Series Season 3. Left out will be fighters that fought on the previous two seasons, though some may return.

Raufeon Stots

Bantamweight | 30 | West Allis, Wisconsin | 11-1 | Win Streak: 3 | 3 KO/TKO, 3 Submissions

It’s seems crazy that Raufeon Stots isn’t on the big stage yet because he is simply too good for the regional circuit. Stots is now signed with LFA and is not even fighting for their title. Fighting for a brand like LFA though will only increase his shot at making it on this season. His only loss is to UFC fighter Merab Dvalishvili, but in his own right, he has some good wins over tough regional competition. Stots is a former NCAA Division II wrestling national champion at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. He’s well-rounded and one of the best bantamweight prospects in the US. “Supa” is also training out of a top camp in Roufusport MMA.

Miles Johns

Bantamweight | 24 | Dallas, Texas | 8-0 | 2 KO/TKO, 2 Submissions

Miles Johns is a product out of the rising camp that is Fortis MMA. Johns is another LFA fighter who is 5-0 with the promotion including Legacy FC fights. Accurately labeled as a boxer/wrestler, Johns is very well-rounded. How great would it be to have Johns fight Raufeon Stots headlining a Contender Series episode? Check out a more in-depth preview on Johns from when he was 7-0 here.

Christien Savoie

Welterweight | 26 | Rothesay, New Brunswick, Canada | 7-0 | 5 KO/TKO

Christien Savoie was contracted to fight on the Contender Series last season, but an injury held him back. Since then, Savoie has won a title for the Elite 1 MMA promotion. Savoie is mainly a grinder who will push the pace in close quarters. He wants to take the fight to the mat where his ground-and-pound is excellent, landing good shots at a solid rate from a short distance.

Josh Harvey

Featherweight | 28 | Bangor, Maine | 6-0-1 | 2 KO/TKO, 4 Submissions

Josh Harvey has only one fight that went the distance on his record, which came against TUF 27 finalist Joe Giannetti. The fight was scored a draw, but many thought Harvey easily won 29-28. Harvey has spent a lot of his time on the feet, and has shown some promise despite being pretty green. He’s better once the fight gets to the mat since his wrestling is better than that of most fighters. He has good timing on his shots, so getting takedowns isn’t usually an issue.

Phil Caracappa

Bantamweight | 26 | Freehold, New Jersey | 8-0 | 2 KO/TKO

Phil Caracappa started wrestling at a young age all the way up to high school and later transitioned into MMA. He is now undefeated as a pro and is the Ring of Combat champion. He also has a big title defense against former UFC fighter Louis Gaudinot. While wrestling would be his best aspect, on top of that, he brings good top control with solid jiu-jitsu. His stand-up is still a work in progress but he has steady volume and solid technique. Caracappa has three title defenses and has shown he is worthy of a spot on the Contender Series.

Troy Lamson

Welterweight | 27 | East Lansing, Michigan | 12-2 | Win streak: 6 | 4 KO/TKO, 6 Submissions

Troy Lamson has a lot of experience with 14 pro fights and 17 amateur fights (17-0). In 2016, Lamson would drop two fights in a row, but to his defense, they were against two solid regional prospects in Justin Jaynes and Nick Browne. Since the two losses, Lamson has won his next six fights, winning a regional title in the process. Lamson is an excellent wrestler having wrestled at Michigan State University. The wrestling has translated nicely to MMA thus far. Lamson doesn’t tend to strike much but he holds power. He finds it much easier to get the takedowns, get the back, and unleash ground-and-pound.

Nathan Maness

Bantamweight | 27 | Henderson, Kentucky | 10-0 | 3 KO/TKO, 2 Submissions

Nathan Maness became a prospect to watch last September when he beat highly-touted prospect Jesse Arnett. In that fight, he would become the TKO champion. He is currently signed with TKO but only has one fight left on his contract, which lines him up perfectly to take a Contender Series fight. He’s an excellent wrestler who has been improving in each fight.

Kyle Daukaus

Middleweight | 26 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 6-0 | 6 Submissions

Daukaus is only 6-0 but it was his fight last February when he beat Jonavin Webb. Webb was a former UFC fighter who was on a 4-fight win streak before losing to Daukaus. He has a 100% finish rate with all his stoppages by submission, all by a choke. Daukaus is a good striker and an even better wrestler/grappler. He’s a no-brainer for the contender series.

Pat Sabatini

Featherweight | 28 | Pennsylvania | 10-2 | Win streak- 2 | 8 Submissions

Sabatini has two losses but they are to Robert Watley and Jose Mariscal who are two top prospects. Last December he won the CFFC title and looked better than he ever did. Sabatini does have a background in grappling, competing in competitions like No-Gi, and has experience in combat sambo as well. Sabatini is clearly dangerous on the mat with eight finishes all coming by submission.

The post Scouting Prospects for the Contender Series Season 3: Part 1 appeared first on Cageside Press.

First up, last year’s list, with both Nathaniel Wood and Ricky Simon making it to the big show. Now on to 10 bantamweights we should see in the UFC by year’s end!

• Demarte Pena
• Jesse Arnett
• Nathaniel Wood
• Ricky Simon
• Ricky Bandejas
• Rustam Kerimov
• Grigory Popov
• Alexander Keshtov
• Raufeon Stots
• Patrick Mix

Patrick “Patchy” Mix

25 | 5’11” | Buffalo, New York | 9-0 | 3 Finishes | 3 Submissions (Rear-Naked Chokes) | Combined Opponents’ Record: 62-32 | Best Win – Andre Ewell (9-3)

Mix was on the list last year and it seemed like he was a shoo-in. Now 9-0 with two more KOTC title defenses, and also signing with manager Ali Abdelaziz, this should be the year. Mix is all about pressure and he is always moving forward walking his opponent down.

Mix has twelve career submissions (counting his amateur days), showing he is more than comfortable on the mat. As he’s now training out of Jackson-Wink MMA, he’s been improving every step of the way. At 20-0 including his amateur bouts, Mix is more than ready for the big leagues.

Nathan “Mayhem” Maness

27 | 5’10″ | Henderson, Kentucky | 10-0 | 5 Finishes | 3 KO/TKO, 2 Submissions (Rear-Naked Choke, D’Arce Choke) | Combined Opponents’ Record: 62-24 | Best Win – Jesse Arnett (15-4)

Being from Kentucky myself, I’ll be the first to say that talent has been lacking around here lately, but Maness is on a different level. This talented bantamweight has carried Kentucky on his back proudly. Jesse Arnett was a fighter I had on my list last year, one who was a major prospect and ready to knock on the UFC’s door. That was until he ran into Maness last September, who finished Arnett in round two.

Maness has served up the first career loss to a total of four other fighters. He is a wrestler first, has good hips and a solid jiu-jitsu base. His striking is coming along nicely, but once he gets it to the mat he’s been dominant.

Jack “Tank” Shore

23 | 5’9″ | Abertillery, Wales | 10-0 | 9 Finishes | 4 KO/TKO, 5 Submissions (4 Rear-Naked Chokes, Armbar) | Combined Opponents’ Record: 50-31 | Best Win – Vaughan Lee (14-13-1)

If Jack Shore keeps winning, even just one more when he defends his Cage Warriors title, it would be unthinkable if he were not signed by the UFC this year. Shore has made some good strides in his striking with impressive output, combinations, and fight-ending knees in the clinch. He is a slick wrestler with excellent timing on his takedowns. If he can’t get it down the first time, he has shown the ability to adjust and chain-wrestle his opponents.

In top position, he is a nightmare opponent. Shore is a pro at passing into better positions, scrambling well and hunting submissions. Shore’s ground-and-pound is a big fight-changer as well. He loves to throw vicious elbows often. He’s beaten good prospects along the way and holds a win over former UFC fighter Vaughan Lee.

Raufeon “Supa” Stots

30 | 5’9″ | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | 11-1 | 6 Finishes | 4 KO/TKO, 2 Submissions (Rear-Naked Chokes) | Combined Opponents’ Record: 97-55 | Best Win – Levi Mowles (10-3)

Raufeon Stots is a former NCAA Division II national wrestling champion at the University of Nebraska. The only loss on his MMA record came to current UFC fighter Merab Dvalishvili. Since that defeat, Stots got back on board with two wins and is one of the best bantamweight prospects today.

Stots is a fantastic wrestler and his stand-up has come along nicely. Along with some great movement, his skills have turned him into the total package. He’s currently with LFA, which is the number one “feeder league” to the UFC in North America. There are many good tests for Stots in LFA, but you can expect to see him on the Contender Series this Summer.

Glyan Alves

24 | 5’7″ | Minas Gerais, Brazil | 13-3 | 9 Finishes | 8 KO/TKO, 1 Submission (Heel Hook) | Combined Opponents’ Record: 43-8 | Best Win – Pedro Falcão (11-2)

Alves is the current Shooto Brasil and Jungle Fights champion. Alves is a super fun and promising fighter to keep in eye out on. The Brazilian is well-rounded being both good on the mat and on the feet, but more so the feet, where he is very dangerous.

He’s really explosive and dynamic with his offensive output including spinning attacks, flying knees, and many other flashy strikes. He isn’t just a flashy fighter though, as he can be very technical and holds a lot of power in his hands. Alves does have good wrestling to fall back on, but he’s not too effective once on the mat.

Miles “Chapo” Johns

24 | 5’7″ |  Dallas, Texas | 8-0 | 4 Finishes | 2 KO/TKO, 2 Submission (Arm-triangle, Guillotine) | Combined Opponents’ Record: 38-12 | Best Win – Caio Machado (11-3)

Labeled as a boxer/wrestler, that’s exactly how well-rounded Johns is. The first thing you notice when watching the Fortis MMA product is the wonderful jab he throws over and over and the one-twos he uses when the opportunity there. Sometimes Johns can be a bit wild and throws some wide hooks, but he does make up for it with speed and footwork, moving in-and-out. He loves to throw the big overhand right and at times he connects.

Johns loves to stand and trade and put on a “controlled chaos” performance but guys forget about how good he is with his wrestling. The timing, the level changes, and the execution are perfect. He is also signed with LFA, so we could very well see him fight Stots for the promotion’s title.

Alexander “AK-47” Keshtov

31 | 5’8″ | Krasnodar, Russia | 9-0 | 5 Finishes | 4 KO/TKO, 1 Submission (Armbar) | Combined Opponents’ Record: 42-24 | Best Win – Azamat Gashimov (5-0)

Keshtov is an undefeated fighter out of the amazing camp K-Dojo Warrior Tribe training with some UFC fighters and other top prospects. Keshtov is an excellent prospect as he is super diverse, throwing many different attacks both with his striking and kicks and he puts them all together perfectly. While his wrestling hasn’t been on display much, he owns solid takedown defense. He definitely looks like a future UFC fighter.

Keshtov is the former Ring of Combat champion and the current CFFC champ. He was contacted by the UFC to step in on short notice against Tim Elliott in Canada in last year but visa issues held that back. Look for Keshtov to be in the UFC this year with another win.

Phil “The Hitman” Caracappa

26 | 5’8″ | New Jersey | 9-0 | 1 Finish | 1 KO/TKO | Combined Opponents’ Record: 21-13 | Best Win – Louis Gaudinot (8-4)

Caracappa started wrestling at a young age all the way up to high school and later transitioned into MMA where he is now undefeated as a pro and is the ROC champion. He is a solid wrestler due to his background, which has transferred over into his MMA career to become his best aspect. He also brings a good base in top position with solid jiu-jitsu.

His stand-up is still a work in progress, but he has good volume and technique. He has a key win over former UFC fighter Louis Gaudinot, proving he is a top prospect. He’s definitely a possibility for the Contender Series this Summer.

Tony Gravely

27 | 5’5″ | Radford, Virginia | 17-5 | 8 Finishes | 7 KO/TKO, 2 Submissions (Rear-Naked Chokes) | Combined Opponents’ Record: 78-31 | Best Win – Bruno Ferreira (8-0)

Before transitioning over to MMA, Gravely was a standout wrestler in high school who was All-State four times, an All-American three times, and a two-time state and regional champion. He also became a two-time conference champ at Appalachian State University. Gravely has five losses but they are to top Bellator contender Ricky Bandejas, fellow top prospects in Patrick Mix and Pat Sabatini, and UFC fighters Manny Bermudez and Merab Dvalishvili.

He is a wrestling-first type fighter. That wrestling is solid as he shows a lot of quickness and athleticism when he shoots in for takedowns with a near-perfect takedown percentage. On the mat, he is at home as he has perfect control and is always in the right place when there are scrambles. On top of that, his ground-and-pound has fight-ending capabilities. He is a bull on the feet pressing forward and as he doesn’t have a knockout in his career he does possess heavy hands but uses it more so to close the distance.

Victor “La Mangosta” Henry

31 | 5’7″ | Los Angeles, California | 16-4 | 10 Finishes | 4 KO/TKO, 6 Submissions (2 Guillotines, 2 Armbars, Kneebar, Rear-Naked Choke) | Combined Opponents’ Record: 168-97 | Best Win – Anderson dos Santos (17-5)

Henry came into 2018 with a 1-3 record in his last four fights, but ended up going 4-0 for the year. He has never looked better and has key wins over current UFC fighter Anderson Dos Santos, and good prospects in Kyler Phillips, Denis Lavrentyev, and many more.

Henry has shown he’s well-rounded to go along with his a successful background in catch wrestling. He thrives in scrambles and hunts for submissions actively, being well-versed on the mat. His striking is getting better with a solid base of kickboxing. Henry is marketable and overall would be a good signing for the UFC.

Magomed “Tiger” Magomedov

27 | 5’7″ | Makhachkala, Russia | 16-2 | 11 Finishes | 4 KO/TKO, 7 Submissions (4 Guillotines, 2 Armbars, 1 Rear-Naked Choke) | Combined Opponents’ Record: 130-30 | Best win –Petr Yan (5-0)

This is a bonus pick, so yes, you are counting right. Magomed has been a dominant force in the last seven years with only one loss since 2012, which came against UFC contender Petr Yan. Magomedov is a veteran of ACB (now known as ACA), performing there for his last eight fights. His contract must be coming to an end soon and some big wins, including a victory over Yan in their first meeting, should earn him a contract.

At only 27, Magomed is at his prime and, in my opinion, one of the best of many Russian prospects. He’s a tiger in the cage as he is all pressure with excellent wrestling and cardio. Magomedov is always working on top with guard passes and ground-and-pound and can fight at a solid pace the whole fight. Magomedov would be a nightmare to the UFC’s 135-pound division.

The post 10 Bantamweight Prospects the UFC Should Sign in 2019 appeared first on Cageside Press.