Kuse had been matched up with Asa Ten Pow, then Anvar Boynazarov, only to end up booked opposite Virginia-based Cody Jenkins on a day’s notice. Only for that fight to fall through, resulting in Jamal Johnson, originally expected to fight on the prelims, stepping into the main event.

Sporting an undefeated record, Goat Shed fighter Kuse was looking to claim win number six as a pro — and notably, four of his five wins prior to Titan FC 74 had come inside the distance.

The co-main event of the evening, meanwhile, featured BKFC veteran Ulysses Diaz entering his second professional mixed martial arts bout. Holder of a record-setting three-second knockout in bare-knuckle, Diaz was competing in mixed martial arts for the first time since 2019.

Titan FC 74 takes place Friday, March 4, 2022 with the main card streaming live on UFC Fight Pass, following early prelims available on the promotion’s official Facebook page. Full results can be found below.

Titan FC 74 Results:

Main Card

Ryan Kuse def. Jamal Johnson by TKO, Round 1, 3:49
Uly Diaz def. Lazaro Perez by submission (guillotine choke), Round 1, 1:56
Adrian Garcia def. Gaston Manzur by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Makoa Cooper def. Ratavious Thrasher by KO (right hand), Round 1, 0:09
Gus Villamil def. Chris Johnson by TKO (injury), Round 1, 0:52
Lazaro Dayron def. Malek Mahmoud by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Preliminary Card

Yoanse Mejias def. Ryan McIntosh by TKO, Round 1, 0:29

The post Titan FC 74 Full Results 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.

Titan FC 73 | Thursday | US

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 as 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 Sal Guerriero (4-1) who is a decent step up.

Welterweight, Dilano Taylor (5-1)

Why is Taylor’s nickname The Postman? That’s because he delivers. A product out of Sanford MMA, Tayor is someone I have high praise for. With one sole loss as a pro, it was to Bellator’s Roman Faraldo so no shame in that. On the feet, Taylor fights long very well and the striking he has is really crisp. He’s a big strong welterweight slinging and powering guys down to the mat. Taylor has some solid ground and pound and a good ground game all around. His only concern is his takedown defense and fighting off his back but at 24 the sky is the limit. He fights Marcus Edwards (13-5).

ACA 134 | Russia | Thursday

Featherweight, Islam Omarov (10-0)

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 Dzhikhad Yunusov (19-5).

Lightweight, Pavel Gordeev (19-2)

Gordeev has shown he is a promising prospect, beating four undefeated fighters, former UFC fighter Mickael Lebout and Shane Campbell, and other solid competition. Gordeev is mainly a striker who loves to use the jab often. The Russian has good long straight punches and his speed can be a real factor. Gordeev has also shown the ability to land at a high rate as well. His wrestling is decent enough to be effective with good scrambles and an active ground game. He fights Mukhamed Kokov (16-7).

ONE Championship | Singapore | Friday

Featherweight, Stephen Loman (14-2)

With a winning streak over the likes of Mark Abelardo, Gary Mangat, Frans Mlambo, Felipe Efrain, Louie Sanoudakis, and Elias Boudegzdame, Lomas has certainly proved impressive. Loman has a background in Wushu Sanda. On the feet, he isn’t too effective but he has power and timing. He has excellent level changes and once on the mat, he is in his world. He thrives in transitions and his seven decision wins prove he can fight his fight for three to five rounds. He fights Yusup Saadulaev (20-5-1).

CFFC 104 | US | Friday

Flyweight, Phumi Nkuta (4-0)

Nkuta is only 4-0 in his pro career but has looked apart and his wrestling, grappling, and cardio are the reasons for his career thus far. Longo And Weidman MMA has refined Nkuta into such a good fighter. He defends his flyweight title against Jason Eastman (7-3).

*Also, for the CFFC 104 card keep an eye on Miles Lee, Blake Bilder, and Earl Small. All young pros with a lot of potential.

RCC 10 | Russia | Friday

Middleweight, Arseniy Smirnov (11-1)

Smirnov is a dangerous guy who is well-rounded. On the feet, he’s technical with his hands always throwing in twos with big power. He will throw combinations up to four strikes. Smirnov is always throwing a lot of output and has multiple weapons including front kicks, body kicks, knees, and elbows. Everything he throws is with fight-ending intention. Smirnov has strong wrestling and smashing ground and pound on top. He fights Yasubey Enomoto (22-12).

Lightweight, Kyung Pyo Kim (10-2)

In the last few years, Kim has only lost one fight. That loss was to now current UFC fighter Arman Tsarukyan. Now Kim is on a four-fight win streak. His sole game plan is to get the fight to the mat and to do so he cuts off the cage well and executes some good wrestling. In the grappling department, he is tactical using submissions to move to dominant positions. Kim is a good submission threat and has fight-ending ground and pound. He fights Timur Nagibin (18-6).

Heavyweight, Kirill Kornilov (11-0-1)

Kornilov has a kickboxing background but in his MMA career, it’s the hands that he has got the job done with. He has a really good jab and uses a lot of feints to produce openings for him to exploit. Where he is most effective is when his opponents come forward, catching them as they come in. He’s a dangerous guy off his back foot, so not someone you want to advance on carelessly. He fights Sultan Murtazaliev (8-4-1).

Heavyweight, Aleksandr Maslov (8-1)

Maslov is a dangerous athletic striker who has a lot of pop behind his punches. He’s also very fast with his output and overall has good hands with a key uppercut he loves to throw. His takedown defense is a concern but age is on his side and he’s been fighting good solid fighters. Maslov hasn’t fought anyone with a losing record to date. He fights Eder de Souza (19-7).

Venator FC 9 | Italy | Saturday

Flyweight, Giacomo Santoro (6-0)

Santoro from Roma, Italy is an IMMAF European silver medalist. He’s one of the most promising prospects out of Italy. He’s a submission grappler with a strong wrestling base. He hasn’t turned the corner yet in his career needing a step up in competition. He fights Oleksii Kryvets (3-0).

KSW 65 | Poland | Saturday

Middleweight, Roberto Soldić (19-3)

The Croatian has beaten some stiff competition over the years. For a long time now Soldic is considered as one of the best welterweight prospects outside the major promotions. Soldic is always coming forward and always looking for the finish. He has heavy hands and a very accurate head kick, which he has dropped so many opponents with. It’s the constant volume he throws that allow him to do so well. He’s always throwing punches behind kicks and vice-versa. Soldic is the real deal. He will fight champion Mamed Khalidov (35-7-2) in an attempt to become double champ.

Featherweight, Salahdine Parnasse (15-1-1)

Parnasse is an amazing talent who has a bright future in MMA at only 24-years-old. Parnasse would prefer to keep the fight on the feet where he can use his effective movement and a good kickboxing base. On the feet, he does a good job of moving in and out and really loves to attack with leg kicks, which set up his strikes better. One of his best attributes is his cardio as he can fight at the same pace for three rounds, which often puts him above his foes. Parnasse has five wins by submission, all coming via choke, so he is well-rounded in all areas. He fights Daniel Torres (12-4) who he lost to before.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrhFwFyHcig&ab_channel=KSW

Lightweight, Mateusz Legierski (7-0)

Legierski is well-rounded but is better on the feet. He has a heavy right hand throwing the overhand and right cross. He fights in bursts exploding forward with three-strike combinations usually. He throws a good right kick to the midsection and is good at attacking the legs of his opponent. Legierski has some background in kickboxing too which explains the commitment to his kicks. He really doesn’t have much wrestling technique but has the strength to just bully guys down. He fights Roman Szymański (14-6).

Brave CF 56 | Serbia | Saturday

Light heavyweight, Jakob Nedoh (3-1)

Not an appealing record but since losing his debut Nedoh has won three in a row. Known as a submission specialist his last fight proved that he has some knockout power. Nedoh is a good wrestler and a strong submission grappler. There is still a lot Nedoh needs to prove though being so young in his career. He fights Zvonimir Kralj (7-4).

The post Weekly MMA Prospect Report: Heading into the Holidays appeared first on Cageside Press.

Welterweight, Mohammad Alaqraa (2-0)

Alaqraa wasted no time getting in and out of this fight with no issues. Outside of a good leg kick on the feet, Alaqraa got the takedown quick. Right away he transitioned to the back and was locked on. Alaqraa landed good ground and pound before locking in the RNC for the tap. It would’ve been nice to see the fight go longer so he could show a lot more.
Grade: C+

Welterweight Wisem Hammami (6-0)

Outside of getting taken down twice this fight was all Hammami. Even though he was taken down he got right back up. Noting big really stood out but Hammami fought smart and tactically. Hammami fought outside the jab, landed the one-two, and chopped away at the lead leg. The leg kicks were his best weapon but fighting at his preferred range won him the fight.
Grade: B-

Strawweight, Julie Mezabarba (9-2-1)

Making her ONE Championship debut, Mezabarba was thrown right into stiff competition fighting the 33-fight veteran Mei Yamaguchi. Mezabarba never let Yamaguchi get going taking control of the entire fight. She fought on the outside well and every time Yamaguchi came forward she got caught. That sneaky counter-right uppercut landed a few times. Mezabarba landed a superman punch a few times to close the distance. When Yamaguchi got Mezabarba it was Mezabarba beating her up in the clinch.
Grade: B

Bantamweight, Kevin Cordero (12-2)

Cordero fought Bellator veteran Ricky Bandejas who is very talented. A large portion of the fight played on the outside in kickboxing range. I’d like to say Cordero was getting better of the exchanges landing better with his kicks and throwing more frequently. At the end of the round, Bandejas got the takedown twice. Cordero off his back locked in the triangle and put Bandejas out cold in round one.
Grade: A

Featherweight, Hae Jin Park (9-1)

Soo Chul Kim, a top prospect in 2017, made his return to the cage off a four-year layoff. He was welcomed back with a loss but it was fun while it lasted. Both guys took it to each other right away. In close in a phone booth, these guys were throwing down. Kim was leaving space in the clinch and it was allowing Park to land uppercuts and punches over the top. Park tried to grab hold of the leg to get the takedown but Kim had none of it. As they were exchanging in the clinch Park clocked Kim with a left hand dropping him. Park jumped in on a guillotine and it put Kim out cold. Park took a lot of damage and was failing at a lot of takedowns which takes away from his overall performance.
Grade: C+

Lightweight, Seung Mo Park (3-0)

It only took 25 seconds for Seung Mo Park to move to 3-0. He began light on his feet bouncing around. He missed with a wheel kick but followed up with a left hand that buckled his opponent. He then dropped him briefly with an uppercut and swarmed with punches, dropping him again and sending the ref in.
Grade: C

Bantamweight, Hyun Woo Kim (3-0)

Kim started with a frantic pace bringing it right to his opponent just letting his hands fly. Kim landed a body punch that visibly made his opponent uncomfortable. He let loose going body head rapidly along the fence. Everything was landed all adding up dropping his opponent to his knees where the ref saved him.
Grade: B-

Flyweight, Jung Hyun Lee (5-0)

Lee impressed me in September with an excellent performance. He walked his opponent down peppering him with multiple jabs and finding his range and picking his shots. While walking forward he battered the inside leg kicking it over and over. Lee landed a right hook-left hook on the chin flooring his opponent. The follow-up punches stiffened his opponent and the fight was stopped. Beautiful knockout.
Grade: B

Light heavyweight, Vitor Petrino (6-0)

The young 24-year-old had a huge test in front of him in the form of 27-fight veteran and former UFC fighter Gadzhimurad Antigulov. The Russian Antigulov took Petrino down twice but he got right back up. Early round one Petrino dropped Antigulov with a beautifully timed uppercut. Petrino threw everything at Antigulov tagging him multiple times on the feet. He was finding his strikes as Antigulov came forward. Petrino landed elbows, punches knees, landed a big flying knee at a point before finishing the fight. In round two he landed a nasty left uppercut dropping Antigulov and he put him away.
Grade: A

Welterweight, Ramazan Kuramagomedov (9-0)

This was a blowout performance from Kuramagomedov. He got the takedown right away in round two and dominated top control. His opponent got to his feet at one point but went right back down. Kuramagomedov stayed active with short punches and won every scramble his opponent tried to create. In round two right away he took it right back down with a good double leg takedown. Kuramagomedov stayed busy with ground and pound making it uncomfortable for the guy on the bottom. He eventually transitioned to the back and won with an RNC with seconds left. Pure dominance from Kuramagomedov.
Grade: A

Lightweight, Rahmads Stromanis (2-0)

This was a scrap between two young pros. Stromanis dropped his opponent early with a counter right off a blind kick. He did have to fight through two armbars and got taken down briefly. Round one was close but Stromanis came out even stronger in round two. He dropped his opponent with a left hook. He kept throwing head shots nearly landing every time. It was an awesome superman punch that landed clean for the impressive knockout.
Grade: C+

Strawweight, Josefine Lindgren Knutsson (2-0)

Knutsson continues to impress in MMA staying undefeated. Being a kickboxer her takedown defense was tested. She defended every takedown and landed three brief takedowns of her own. Knutsson did well on the outside but it was in the clinch where she battered her opponent. She was relentless with knees and that’s what she landed in round two to stop the fight. Knutsson put on a one-sided beating over a more experienced MMA fighter.
Grade: B

Welterweight, Roberto Soldić (19-3)

Not the best performance from Soldic but he still looked good nonetheless. Soldic fought veteran Patrik Kincl who is always a tough fight for anyone. He dropped Kincl in twice with a counter punch. He did get taken down in round two and spent a little time off his back. In round three Soldic landed a combination to the body dropping Kincl. From there he got into mount and landed punches until the ref stepped in.
Grade: B-

Flyweight, Paris Moran (5-1)

Moran didn’t do anything spectacular in this fight but he continues to build his resume. Moran fought Contender Series and LFA veteran Nate Smith which was by far his toughest test to date. Smith is a pure wrestler and Moran completely neutralized him. Moran only was taken down once which was briefly. He kept Smith on the outside with his jab and the right hand when he tried to close the gap. Moran fought technical and showed excellent takedown defense. He could’ve pulled the trigger more but he fought smart.
Grade: B-

Heavyweight, Sergey Belostenniy (8-2)

It only took Belostenniy right under a minute to finish tough Brazilian fighter Roggers Souza. Belostenniy started off throwing a lot of hard feints keeping Souza guessing. He tried a little flash landing a spinning kick to the body. Belostenniy let his hands go landing a right-left stunning Souza. He went back throwing and a left hook dropped Souza. Extra grounded punches sent the ref in.
Grade: B+

Flyweight, Alisson Murilo (3-0)

Murilo looked great in this fight, which happens to be the first time I’ve watched him. His striking looked really good throwing frequent combinations. He knocked his opponent down with a slick duck under right to the body and left to the chin. As his opponent got back to his feet Murilo landed a perfectly timed double leg takedown. He quickly transitioned into the mount, landed ground and pound, took the back, and secured the RNC. Superb performance.
Grade: A

Flyweight, Roybert Echeverria (6-0)

Just another easy fight for the Venezuelan Echeverria. He walked his opponent down throwing feints looking for the opening. He threw a good spinning kick up high that was blocked. After a little over a minute, with the first punch he committed to, he knocked his opponent out with the right hand. A really easy fight for Echeverria but fighting a guy that was 0-2 it was expected.
Grade: B-

Bantamweight, Ryan Kuse (5-0)

This was a squash match beating a guy that was 1-12. His opponent rushed forward from the start right into a takedown. Kuse took the back as the guy was getting up and Kuse landed a beautiful high-impact suplex. Kuse stayed on the back threatening the RNC but unloading on the ground and pound until the ref stepped in. A one-sided beating and a fight that shouldn’t have been made.
B+

Flyweight, Victor Dias (10-2)

And still. Titan FC flyweight champion Dias defended his title in what was a good fight. He and his opponent threw heavy shots on the feet including some good kicks from Dias. Dias was taken down but threatened with a guillotine and scrambled to his feet. As the fight went on he got stronger and was driving in on the legs getting the takedown. In round three Dias transitioned nicely to an armbar and after some fight he finally got it extended and the guy tapped.
Grade: B+

Lightweight, Eddy George (4-0)

George was all business in this fight taking care of his opponent with no issues. He came out firing letting his hands go while landing leg kicks. He knocked him down twice with the left hand. Every time he knocked him down he backed off wanting the fight back on the feet. George yet again knocked his opponent down with the left hand and the ref had enough and stepped in.
Grade: C+

Welterweight, Maurice Abévi (4-0)

In my first time watching Abevi, he beat a guy who was on my radar in Kennedy Rayomba. Rayomba was pressing forward the entire time but the footwork and head movement of Abevi were beautiful. Abevi found his range throwing a lot of punches from different angles. He kept throwing that lead uppercut which was coming close at times. Abevi started to mix it up as he got a takedown in round one. He got a takedown in round two right away. The Switzerland-based fighter landed a lot of ground and pound that had Rayomba get up with his neck exposed. Abevi locked in a guillotine and got the win. A really solid performance from Abevi who is now on my radar himself.
Grade: A-

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

CFFC 100 | US | Thursday

Lightweight, Zulkarnaiyn Kamchybekov (5-1)

Originally from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan Kamchybekov has been living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His only loss is to current UFC fighter Matt Semelsberger; that went to a split decision. Kamchybekov is well-rounded and has the ability to be fighting for a big promotion at this time. On the feet, he fights very patiently picking his shots. He throws a lot of kicks from the outside and isn’t stingy as he goes to the legs, body, and head. Kamchybekov throws some nice straight punches and his immense power in his hands. Kamchybekov does a solid job punching his way into takedowns. He’s a capable grappler despite having the knockout finishes. It looks like he has a lot to use so watch out for this guy. Kamchybekov defends his CFFC title against Blake Smith (5-2).

Check out the CFFC 100 results here.

Bellator 266 | US | Saturday

Light heavyweight, Christian Edwards (5-0)

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bps5DI6pQiM&t=4s

Light heavyweight, Grant Neal (6-0)

After going 6-0 as an amateur Neal is currently 6-0 as a pro. Neal is a wrestler first. If he doesn’t finish the fight early he can dominate the fight with relentless takedowns. Once he gets his hands clasped he will dump you on your back in a big way. Neal stays busy with ground and pound and can throw at the same pace and pick it up later in the later rounds even. He fights Alex Polizzi (8-1).

Light heavyweight, Alex Polizzi (8-1)

Polizzi has the recipe to be a big prospect in the 205lb weight class. His only loss is to the surging Julius Anglickas. Polizzi was a D1 wrestler at Northwestern University from 2010-2015 and was a state champion. Polizzi needs work on his stand-up but his wrestling and athleticism will take him far. His ground and pound have been his best weapon to date. He fights Grant Neal (6-0).

Titan FC 72 | US | Friday

Bantamweight, Ryan Kuse (4-0)

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 as a wrestler as he is a striker. Kuse has been dominant on 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 Rob Fuller (1-12).

Rizin 30 | Japan | Sunday

Lightweight, Koji Takeda (12-1)

Takeda has one sole loss to former UFC fighter Damien Brown. Since then he’s got back on the board with four wins. Takeda is the former DEEP Impact lightweight champion with two title defenses. He’s well-rounded with submission wins and TKO wins, although he has gone the distance six times. On the feet, Takeda has an excellent jab and fights behind it very well. He doesn’t have the power, but it’s the accumulation of strikes he lands that is fantastic. He’s just so technical on the feet and is also a good wrestler/grappler and can do it the whole distance of the fight. He fights Yusuke Yachi (22-11).

The post Weekly MMA Prospect Report: Bellator, Titan FC and RIZIN appeared first on Cageside Press.

Bantamweight, Gamzat Magomedov (6-1)

This was a huge win for Russia’s Magomedov, handing Mochamed Machaev his first career loss. In an exchange, Magomedov caught Machaev with a right hand flooring him. Machaev rolled and as he got back to the feet he was still throwing, which is when Magomedov caught him with a left hand. That dropped him and the follow-up shots put him out cold. All that happened in under a minute and moved the win streak to four for Magomedov.
Grade: A-

Welterweight, Benoit Saint-Denis (8-0)

Saint-Denis blazed through his opponent with an easy first-round stoppage. He got a quick double leg takedown to start the fight. It was not long before Saint-Denis got into the mount to land some good ground and pound. The second time he got into mount he locked in an arm-triangle and his opponent tapped. One-way traffic.
Grade: A

Featherweight, Inglesson de Lara (4-0)

This was a frantic fight between Lara and his opponent Alex Sombra. Lara asserted himself right away landing a good combination. He was taken down but it wasn’t long before he got back up. Lara dropped Sombra briefly with a left hand as he got back up. When they separated Lara started to let loose. He landed a nice left hook to the body, a good right hand-knee combination, and a right-left that dropped Sombra. The follow-up shots put Sombra out.
Grade: C

Middleweight, Brunno Ferreira (4-0)

Ferreira took his opponent down with an outside trip. When he got the takedown, Ferreira landed right into side control. He transitioned into the mount, took the back, and sunk in the RNC for the submission win. Ferreira remains undefeated and still holds his 100% finish rate.
Grade: B-

Featherweight, Damon Wilson (2-0)

In round one Wilson showed a diverse attack landing a lot of combinations from a lot of angels. He took a lot of good shots but landed a lot of volume. In round two in only 18 seconds Wilson blitzed forward and a power right landed. It dropped his opponent and the follow-up punches sent the ref in. I was impressed with the striking and output of Wilson.
Grade: C+

Lightweight, Zac Pauga (4-0)

Despite being dropped and mounted in round one Pauga looked good. He got the takedown in each round but it was his striking that set him apart. Pauga landed a lot with his lead left hook and right hand. He landed that right hand many times with the hook, overhand, and the uppercut. He was landing everything from his right hand to a knee and in the clinch landed a few good elbows. Pauga looked good.
Grade: B+

Featherweight, Busurmankul Abdibait Uulu (14-3-1)

Uulu fought a tough opponent in Ruslan Yamanbaev, who fought behind in this fight for the most part. Yamanbaev was cruising on the outside throwing a lot of kicks going to the body and legs. He started to take over in round one before Uulu slipped a punch and countered with a right-left. That put Yamanbaev on skates and Uulu landed a lot of shots to the jaw. In round two it was still a competitive fight as both were throwing heat. A right hand from Uulu and a flurry sat Yamanbaev down. It was a weird ending but Uulu showed good composure and picked his shots.
Grade: C+

Flyweight, Mansur Malachiev (10-0)

Russia’s Malachiev fought another good prospect in Rashid Vagabov who won his last five fights prior to this one. Malachiev threw an overhand to grab a leg to chain to a double leg to get a takedown. He had his arm trapped in a modified omoplata but was able to spin out. In a scramble, he locked in a ninja choke for the dub.
Grade: A-

Featherweight, Abdurakhman Gitinovasov (8-1)

Opponent Viktor Mitkov fought pretty carelessly in this fight, shooting in blindly against a much better wrestler in Gitinovasov. Round one and two were easy for Gitinovasov as he just defended a takedown and dominated with top control. In round three Mitkov threw a sloppy spinning back fist and Gitinovasov took the fight down. Mitkov was able to get back to his feet but Gitinovasov used a trip to a double leg for a beautiful takedown. A dominant showing from Gitinovasov.
Grade: B-

Welterweight, Imam-Shapi Mukhtarov (10-0)

Mukhtarov let his hands go in this fight throwing with volume while going to the body and head. He kept up the forward pressure lunging forward with two punches at a time. He landed at the same rate with both his hands while mixing in some kicks as well. His opponent changed levels for a takedown in round three. He left his neck exposed and Mukhtarov sunk in a ninja choke. It was in there good and it put the guy out cold face first. Just a nasty finish to the fight.
Grade: B

Welterweight, Shakhban Alkhasov (5-0)

This fight was nothing but domination for Alkhasov. With his long reach, he pawed with straight punches, head kicks, and even a wheel kick before he closed the distance. He used a strong body lock to get the takedown. When he landed in half-guard that’s where he finished it posturing up and putting his opponent out cold with the von flue choke.
Grade: A-

Bantamweight, Jean Matsumoto (9-0)

Matsumoto who is the SFT flyweight champion, moved up to bantamweight and won that title as well in August. His opponent Wanderley Junior was the champ and this fight was a back and forth scrap. Both men had a knockdown in round one. Matsumoto was dropped with a punch and he dropped Junior with a head kick. Both landed tons of volume with leg kicks, bodywork, and head strikes. Both scored takedowns and had submission attempts. Matsumoto just had more moments.
Grade: B+

Bantamweight, Francesco Patron Manzo (8-0)

Manzo looked outstanding here to keep his undefeated record. He marched his opponent down chopping the legs and throwing punches in bunches. He let go with his offense and was landing a lot of volume. At one point Manzo almost secured a kneebar finish. Manzo landed a left hook to the body to a right leg kick putting his opponent down. He jumped on the back and from there locked in an armbar for the tap. Excellent and beautiful transition to a submission.
Grade: A

Strawweight, Tania Torres (5-0)

LUX held an eight-women strawweight tournament and in the end, it was down to Torres and Saray Orozco. This fight was a war that came down to determination and heart. Torres was dropped with a head kick in round two but survived and bit down on her mouth guard and fought back. Torres, when she let her hands go, was ripping combinations to the body and head. She found the target frequently with her hands and threw a lot of knees as well. On the other side she took a lot of damage but just had more bright moments herself.
Grade: C+

Bantamweight, Ryan Kuse (4-0)

Kuse showed a good skillset overall in a second-round stoppage. On the feet he maintained distance very well landing at will with kicks and long punches. He got a takedown in round one and dominated in top position. He got a takedown in round two and that’s where he found the finish. Kuse went between the mount and the back multiple times before the ground and pound sent the ref in.
Grade: B

Featherweight, Tom Pagliarulo (2-0)

The 6’0″ Pagliarulo is a real problem and he showed that in this fight. He had good movement and was snipping on the outside with his punches and landed two glancing head kicks. Pagliarulo was landing at will and picking his shots. His opponent threw a blind leg kick and Pagliarulo caught it and countered with a straight right. The initial shot put the guy out cold and the ref stepped in. Brutal finish and perfectly set up.
Grade: A

Lightweight, Eddy George (4-0)

His opponent came out with some type of jumping wheel kick which missed by a mile. George responded with a combination to an easy takedown. He quickly got into mount and unloaded with ground and pound. George unloaded with elbows and even though his opponent was covering up he wasn’t moving. The ref eventually stepped in.
Grade: C+

Welterweight, Andreeas Binder (3-0)

Binder breezed past his opponent with a first-round stoppage. He opened up with a few hard outside leg kicks and looping hooks. He used a body lock to get the takedown into side control. Binder got into mount and went off with smashing ground and pound. Some punishing short elbows sent the ref in. Dominant showing and showed a bit of everything.
Grade: C

Flyweight, Andres Luna Martinetti (11-0)

In under 30-seconds Martinetti took the fight down. From there he put his opponent through a lot. While staying busy with ground and pound at a point he was in the mount. When he got on the back he even attempted a suloev stretch. When that didn’t work in a scramble he landed a ground shot that had his opponent cover up. Martinetti went after the finish and landed big punches until the ref came in.
Grade: B

Lightweight, Elvin Espinoza (6-0)

Espinoza made his PFL debut and fought his toughest test to date in Hopeton Stewart. Espinoza didn’t treat it as his toughest test as he had a spotless performance. He quickly took Stewart down. He got right into mount and had the back but Stewart escaped. Espinoza used a throw to get the fight down again and an adjustment got him in top position. Right back into mount and on the back, he sunk in an RNC and put Stewart to sleep.
Grade: A

Welterweight, Michael Lombardo (12-2)

Lombardo is someone that’s pretty conservative in his fights but he went after it in this one. He fought another Contender Series veteran in Kyron Bowen. It was a competitive fight but Lombardo was landing more impactful shots. He was doubling up on the jab and coming through with the right hand. Lombardo was landing a few leg kicks that were visibly bothering Bowen. He sat Bowen down with a hard leg kick and again a second time. As Bowen threw another kick to the leg as Bowen was down he grabbed his leg in agony and the ref stepped in.
Grade: B+

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