On Friday, MMA management group Iridium Sports announced that their client, Saidyokub Kakhramonov, will fight Ronnie Lawrence on July 9 at a yet-to-be-announced UFC event. A source confirmed the bantamweight match-up to Cageside Press.

🚨 #TeamIridium Fight News 🚨

Our man @SaidYokubMMA tries to climb to 2-0 in the @ufc vs. Ronnie Lawrence on July 9 ✍🏾 #TheDarkside pic.twitter.com/wFz8YFGbpl

— IridiumSportsAgency (@TeamIridiumISA) April 8, 2022

Kakhramonov (9-2) won his UFC debut when he stepped in on less than a week’s notice to fight Trevin Jones last August. He ended up putting Jones to sleep in the third round. Kakhramonov is riding a three-fight win streak and was the CFFC bantamweight champion before vacating the belt to join the big show. The 26-year old was scheduled to face Brian Kelleher in January; however, he tested positive for COVID-19 the week of the fight.

Lawrence (9-1) has been perfect thus far into his UFC career, but he did run into some trouble late in his last fight against Mana Martinez; “The Heat” would survive a late onslaught and win a unanimous decision. In his UFC debut, he dominated Vince Cachero and finished him in the third round. Lawrence is riding a five-fight win streak.

The UFC’s July 9, 2022 event does not yet have an official location, venue, or broadcast plan announced. No other fights have been announced.

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Already having lost Michel Pereira vs. Muslim Salikhov Andre Fialho, plus Gabriel Benitez, the hits kept coming on Wednesday. Per a report by My MMA News, Saidyokub Kakhramonov has dropped out of the event.

No reason was given for Kakhramonov’s withdrawal. However, with the number of fights on the UFC Vegas 46 card dwindling, Kevin Croom has stepped up as a short-notice replacement. Croom’s involvement was first reported by MMA Fighting.

Croom (21-13, 1NC) will be looking for his first official win inside the octagon should all go according to plan this weekend. The fighter previously known as “The Hard Hitting Hillbilly” joined the UFC on short notice against Roosevelt Roberts in September 2020, earning a Performance of the Night bonus for his guillotine choke finish. However, a positive for marijuana on his drug test resulted in the win being overturned by the Nevada Athletic Commission.

After being hit with an $1800 fine and a short suspension, Croom returned last February, losing a unanimous decision to Alex Caceres. He has not fought since.

Kelleher (23-12) won a unanimous decision back in August against Domingo Pilarte. “Boom” was 1-1 overall in 2021, with a loss to Ricky Simon starting his year on a down note.

UFC Vegas 46 on Saturday, January 15, 2022 is currently set to move forward with ten fights:

Calvin Kattar vs. Giga Chikadze
Katlyn Chookagian vs. Jennifer Maia
Brandon Royval vs. Rogério Bontorin
Jake Collier vs. Chase Sherman
Bill Algeo vs. Joanderson Brito
Jamie Pickett vs. Joseph Holmes
Court McGee vs. Ramiz Brahimaj
Charles Rosa vs. T.J. Brown
Dakota Bush vs. Viacheslav Borshchev
Brian Kelleher vs. Kevin Croom

The post Kevin Croom Steps Up on Short Notice Against Brian Kelleher at UFC Vegas 46 appeared first on Cageside Press.

MMA DNA was first to report the news that Brian Kelleher will fight Saidyokub Kakhramonov on January 15 at a yet-to-be-announced UFC event. A source close to the situation subsequently confirmed the fight to Cageside Press.

Kelleher (23-15) got back into the win column in his most recent bout, in August. He defeated Domingo Pilarte via unanimous decision. Before that, he lost a unanimous decision to Ricky Simón at UFC 258. “Boom” went 3-1 in 2020, picking up two Performance of the Night bonuses, as well as a Fight of the Night bonus. Kelleher was calling for a fight with Sean O’Malley before getting this one.

Kakhramonov (9-2) won his UFC debut when he stepped in on less than a week’s notice to fight Trevin Jones. He ended up putting Jones to sleep in the third round. Kakhramonov is riding a three-fight win streak and was the CFFC bantamweight champion before vacating the belt.

No location, venue, or broadcast plan has been officially announced for the January 15 UFC event.

The January 15 card currently breaks down as follows:

• Brandon Royval vs. Rogerio Bontorin
• Kay Hansen vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius
• Bill Algeo vs. Joanderson Brito
• Zarrukh Adashev vs. Kleydson Rodrigues
• Brian Kelleher vs. Saidyokub Kakhramonov

The post Brian Kelleher vs. Saidyokub Kakhramonov Set For January 15 UFC Event appeared first on Cageside Press.

To date, Jones’ wins in the UFC (never mind that no contest for a marijuana suspension that would no longer be an issue today) had been the come-from-behind variety. Meaning Kakhramonov was not going to be able to step off the gas for long in this one.

Both fighters tied up quickly and Kakhramonov hit a beautiful outside trip. Jones got back to his feet but Kakhramonov pulled guard for a guillotine. It was tight but Jones somehow escaped and got back up. They jockeyed for position in the clinch for a pretty good while. After a frantic start from Kakhramonov, he ended the round with his back against the cage.

How'd he get out of that one?! 😳 @SaidYokubMMA bringing the pressure early at #UFCVegas34. pic.twitter.com/CvV3CTKCdD

— UFC (@ufc) August 22, 2021

Finally separating to start round two it didn’t take Jones long to catch a leg and press Kakhramonov against the cage again. Kakhramonov was able to escape and landed a crisp combination landing clean before Jones tied back up. Kakhramonov broke away and went off with output trying to finish Jones. Jones was tired and grasping for air, while Kakhramonov was letting loose wildly— and soon Jones was curling up. Jones regained his bearings and was able to take Kakhramonov down and ended the round in mount.

In round three, Kakhramonov was still fresh with more pep in his step and still throwing heavy. He did land a few good body kicks but Jones closed the distance pressing him against the cage. Jones was mainly just holding on to Kakhramonov and Kakhramonov can’t turn the corner to escape. After a brief separation, and Jones shot in on the leg. Jones left his neck exposed and Kakhramonov locked in a guillotine. With under a minute left the squeeze was too much and Jones went out cold!

Welcome to the UFC @SaidYokubMMA!!!! 🇺🇿 #UFCVegas34 pic.twitter.com/DO7RvOQIQk

— UFC (@ufc) August 22, 2021

Heading into the bantamweight fight, Kakhramonov missed weight, though given how short the notice was, it shouldn’t hurt him too much moving forward. And his debut was such a memorable one that it’ll be easy to forgive the stumble if there are no further issues moving forward.

Official Result: Saidyokub Kakhramonov def. Trevin Jones by Submission (Guillotine), Round 3, 4:39

The post UFC Vegas 34 Results: Saidyokub Kakhramonov Chokes Out Trevin Jones Late appeared first on Cageside Press.

Saidyokub Kakhramonov
Standing at 5’7″
Fighting at 135 lbs (bantamweight)
25-years-old
Fighting out of Irvine, California, US but from Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Training out of Team Oyama
A pro record of 8-2
3 KO/TKOs, 3 Submissions

How will Kakhramonov fare in the UFC:

Kakharamonov is a solid prospect who has won the U.S. Open in Judo and is a multiple-time champ in Sambo. He had a few losses that set him back some, but those were to Pipe Vargas and the UFC’s Umar Nurmagomedov. His last two victories to get back momentum were big wins. He knocked out a good prospect in Askar Askar (who was briefly signed by the UFC earlier this year) in under a minute. Last March, Kakhramonov knocked out Tycen Lynn to win the CFFC bantamweight title.

Kakharamonov is well-rounded and fully capable of finishing the fight on the feet and on the mat. On the feet, Kakharamonov has good hands but it’s in those wild exchanges he’s probably most dangerous. In the pocket is where the young man has proven to have big power in his hands. He is a better wrestler and his striking is a big asset for his wrestling. Many times, you will see Kakharamonov lunge forward with a one-two and shoot underneath for a takedown. Kakharamonov has good timing on his entries and cuts the corner well to chain-wrestle when needed.

Kakharamonov is a fantastic fighter but he still needs work. His striking defense isn’t the best and later in the fight, he takes more and more damage. He likes to sit in the pocket and throw but he’s testing his chin as much as he’s tested others. He has been knocked out too. Kakharamonov does everything right when it comes to wrestling but at times has trouble executing. Getting inside and in position, he does superbly but he has trouble getting the fight down. And when he gets it down he’s had trouble keeping it down. It’s only happened a few times but those few times is when he fought stiff competition. In his last fight, he controlled Tycen Lynn on the mat but Lynn is more than comfortable off his back.

Offensively he’s an impressive young fighter and has so much time to develop. Putting it together is a challenge but when he’s on he’s going to be an issue in the division.  He’s someone I don’t see making an impact right away. I see him taking a few losses before finding his stride and one day possibly gets inside the top 15.
Fighter comparison in the division: John Castañeda

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

How he matches up against Jones:

Trevin Jones has had some run in the UFC going 2-0 against Timur Valiev and Mario Bautista. That’s two excellent fighters in the division. Jones was losing both those fights, getting beat in the first round only to come back to stop both opponents in the second with his hands. Before coming to the UFC I knew Jones had the skillset but putting it together and actually attacking was the concern. It’s still a concern because while he did win his two UFC fights he was fighting from behind. It is nice to see him fighting with more urgency though.

At this point, Bautista and Valiev are better than Kakharamonov. If Jones can knock those guys out he can for sure crack Kakharamonov. Kakharamonov is going to bring pressure and if he fights smart he should wrestle. I can see Kakharamonov winning early and Jones taking over. Kakharamonov is taking this fight on short notice so there have to be questions on his condition. He also missed weight Friday. Kakharamonov has the full capability to beat Jones and I even believe he has a brighter future in the UFC. Right now under these circumstances I’m picking Jones to outlast the young prospect.

The post Welcome to the UFC: Saidyokub Kakhramonov appeared first on Cageside Press.

In this three-part feature, we’ll list prospects the UFC should bring in for season five. This will exclude prospects that have already been on the show, although there are a few that could very well be brought back. The goal here is to be realistic with the selections, so don’t expect too many left-field picks.

From last year’s list, Tafon Nchukwi, Dustin Stoltzfus, Brandon Royval, Collin Anglin, TJ Laramie, Adrian Yanez, Al Matavao, Nikolas Motta, Cody Brundage, Sherrard Blackledge and more all made it to the show. Others, like Anthony Ivy, Kay Hansen, Max Rohskopf, Timur Valiev, and Irwin Rivera, were signed directly to the UFC, to varying degrees of success.

Let’s get started!

Saidyokub Kakharamonov

Bantamweight | 25 | Chicago, Illonise, US | 8-2 | Win Streak: 2 | 3 KO/TKOs, 3 Submissions

Kakharamonov should 100% be one of the first fighters the UFC contacts for the Contender Series this year. Kakharamonov just recently won the CFFC bantamweight title with an impressive knockout win. He’s only lost to Pipe Vargas and Umar Nurmagomedov, the latter of whom is a current UFC fighter. He’s fought for the likes of CFFC and PFL so he’s been on the bigger stages. Kakharamonov has exciting style and the personality that the show needs.

Askar Askar

Bantamweight | 26 | Chicago, Illonise, US | 11-1 | Win Streak: 1 | 4 KO/TKOs, 2 Submissions

Askar’s sole loss was to the name above in Saidyokub Kakharamonov. It did happen in only 0:39 seconds, so there wasn’t really a chance to see how that fight would have played out. Askar was signed to the UFC this past February to fight Cody Stamann on short notice. The fight was called off because Askar failed his medicals, and his contract was pulled. It’s only fair to give Askar another chance by having him go through the Contender Series first, to see if he’s ready (and if he’s healthy). Askar is a really talented fighter and the extra experience will only help him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eY_3iHl38sA

The post Scouting Prospects for the Contender Series Season 5: Part 1 appeared first on Cageside Press.

Brave CF 47 | Bahrain | Thursday

Lightweight, Abdysalam Uulu Kubanychiev (17-3)

The lightweight fighter from Kyrgyzstan has been fighting at a pretty high level. He’s on an eight-fight win streak with six finishes. Kubanychiev doesn’t have the prettiest striking but makes up for it with his pressure. He throws a lot of wild overhands and hooks to close the distance. He’s a decent wrestler. Kubanychiev isn’t much of a submission threat. He fights former UFC fighter Rolando Dy (14-9).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZWYRKvsMmU&t=325s&ab_channel=HardKnoxFightGearandPromotions

Featherweight Tae Kyun Kim (7-0)

Kim doesn’t look much of a fighter but his resume says otherwise. On the mat he has some skills with three submission wins. He is better on the feet with his thechnical ability and pressure. Kim is constantly walking forward throwing crisp straight punches and hooks with his hands. He also has really good knees when he closes the distance. I still need to see more of him to label him as a top prospect but he’s worth watching. He fights Husein Kadimagomaev (7-0).

Featherweight, Husein Kadimagomaev (7-0)

Kadimagomaev is a high-level prospect coming out of Switzerland. The young 21-year-old is training out of Allstars Training Center which has been red hot lately. As impressive as 7-0 is, Kadimagomaev went 18-0 as an amateur. He has heavy kicks, good combinations coming in, and has solid wrestling. At such a young age he’s already so well-rounded and already so good. He fights Tae Kyun Kim (7-0).

Flyweight, Asu Almabaev (12-2)

Almabaev has a background in freestyle wrestling, was a national champion in jiu-jitsu, and has a BJJ world cup. He’s on a current six-fight win streak taking out fairly decent competition. On the feet Almabaev is quick, he has good fast hands, and he throws a lot of volume with combinations. His takedown defense is his glaring weakness but his good BJJ bails him out of bad positions. He’s mostly well-rounded and with proven cardio, he’s a solid fighter. He fights Ryskulbek Ibraimov (18-8).

Featherweight, Anzor Abdulkhozhaev (11-1)

Abdulkhozhaev has just one loss as a pro; that was a little over four years ago. Now, Abdulkhozhaev is on an eight-fight win streak. On the feet, Anzor is a distance striker throwing at his preferred range. He throws a good one-two and good right hand. He frequently switches stances to give different looks. Anzor has some decent wrestling as well and has a dangerous guillotine choke. His takedown defense needs work though moving forward. He fights Nemat Abdrashitov (15-8).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjDU9rPiC8Q&ab_channel=RAZLERG

Bantamweight, Rana Rudra Pratap Singh (11-0)

I’m not sold on Singh just yet. Yes, he does have an impressive undefeated record but against low-level competition. Of the footage available, Singh is completely fine off his back. In fact, with nine submission wins most are coming off his back. Still so much is unknown about him. He fights Ali Guliev (5-0).

CFFC 92 | US | Friday

Flyweight, Phumi Nkuti (2-0)

Nkuti may only be 2-0 as a pro but he went 5-0 as an amateur and won two titles as well. Also training out of Serra Longo he has a great team to build him as a prospect. On the feet, he has good hands but is wild in his approach. He’s a good wrestler and on the mat is where he’s comfortable. Nkuta is a strong positional grappler with dominant top control. Looks to be a solid flyweight prospect. He fights the champion Alberto Trujillo (5-1).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NP-FlnPeNgk&ab_channel=JohnBeneduce

Bantamweight, Saidyokub Kakharamonov (7-2)

Kakharamonov is a solid prospect who has won the US open in Judo and is a multiple-time champ in Sambo. He had a few losses that set him back some but those were to Umar Nurmagomedov and Pipe Vargas. In his last fight, he got back on track knocking out Askar Askar who is a hot prospect. Many opponents have turned down Saidyokub and really, you can’t blame them. He fights Tycen Lynn (8-4).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgK1gd33WL0&ab_channel=MMAUZ

Bantamweight, Tycen Lynn (8-4)

Lynn made a name for himself in his last outing when he beat a good prospect in Phil Caracappa. Lynn has trained in taekwondo since the age of four and you can tell with his kicking attack in his MMA career. He wants the distance on the feet to let off his kicks. His takedown defense needs tons of work but is super dangerous off his back. Watch for his triangle choke cause he’s got a dangerous one. He fights Saidyokub Kakharamonov (7-2).

Bantamweight, Kasey Tanner (4-0)

Tanner is a fun and exciting prospect to watch for. He excels on the mat, where he can showcase his amazing scrambling ability and his jiu-jitsu as a whole. To get it to the mat he features a stong body lock in the clinch and textbook wrestling — it is solid. Once he gets on top he has solid ground and pound. The times he’s gone to his back he has quickly reversed and scrambled on top. He fights Terry Bartholomew (7-3).

Superfight MMA 16 | Australia | Friday

Featherweight, Mohammad Alavi (5-0)

Mohammad Alavi has been very impressive in his short MMA career with a 100% finish rate. He has three submission wins and that comes from his solid grappling. More impressively, his wrestling is a very dangerous weapon thanks to his timing and ability to chain wrestle. On the feet, he likes to maintain distance with kicks and does have a dangerous left head kick he throws often, which has led to one knockout. Still young in his career, but someone to watch for. He fights Cody Barnwell (3-1).

CFFC 93 | US | Friday

Middleweight, Aaron Jeffery (9-2)

Jeffery is one of the top prospects out of Canada. His two losses are to Brendan Allen and Sean Brady who are two UFC fighters looking great. The Canadian is a solid prospect at 28-years-old. Jeffery is comfortable on the feet with overall good boxing skills. He has a good jab and solid output with his hands. He’s strong against the cage with solid dirty boxing. Despite his output, he has excellent cardio. He fights Collin Huckbody (9-2).

We interviewed Jeffrey ahead of this one, be sure to check our conversation out here.

Welterweight, Troy Green (4-0)

Green is a gritty well-conditioned fighter that fights inch for inch. Green fights a lot in the clinch muscling guys around, landing short strikes, and working takedowns. He is a good wrestler and has a strong top position. Green has some pop behind his hands and some technical boxing but relies on his gas tank and strength. He fights Yohan Lainesse (5-0).

Welterweight, Yohan Lainesse (5-0)

Lainesse made waves in his last performance with a highlight-reel 14-second flying knee. I’ve been watching Lainesse since his days in TKO. I’ve had questions about his cardio in the past but he still is dangerous enough through the course of three rounds. Not many guys will make it to the late rounds with Lainesse. On the feet, he uses a lot of feints to set up the bigger shots. He is a decent wrestler and where he is best is on the mat. He’s a strong but fluent fighter on top. Lainesse has heavy ground and pound and transitions very well. Still, not where he needs to be but he’s on the right track. He fights Troy Green (4-0).

Lux Fight League 12 | Mexico | Friday

Featherweight, Diego Lopes (18-3)

Lopes is a very talented fighter fighting out of Mexico. He’s beaten some good fighters like former UFC fighter Marco Beltran and TUF Brazil winner Rony Jason. Lopes is the reigning LUX Fight League champion. Lopes is a strong grappler with a jiu-jitsu black belt. He still needs to work of his striking but has a lot of good qualities. He throws a solid jab and a lead leg kick. Lopez is good at slipping punches and coming over the top with an overhand right. He’s also good at ducking under punches and getting the takedown. Lopes has glue-like grappling with dominant ground and pound and a dangerous submission base. He fights former UFC fighter Masio Fullen (14-7).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pU_Sgw5Bt-0&ab_channel=LUXFightLeague

LFA 101 | US | Friday

Welterweight, Treston Vines (4-0)

Vines is an unknown prospect but is a guy I have high hopes for. He’s very well-round and looks solid no matter where the fight is at. On the feet, Vines has solid hands firing from his preferred distance. He’s also good in the clinch with his knees. Vines may even be better when using his wrestling and when on the mat. Right away Vines has been easily moving into dominant positions and raining down ground and pound. He fights Jalin Fuller (4-0).

Middleweight, Hunter Colvin (2-0)

Colvin is only 2-0 in MMA but has an extensive background in jiu-jitsu. He’s been competing in jiu-jitsu for ten years, has been grappling all across North America, and is a BJJ black belt. In his two pro fights, he’s got quick takedowns and quick ground and pound stoppages. Still the best is yet to come as the cage time isn’t really shown just yet. He fights Obinwa Ikebunna (2-0).

Eagles FC | Saturday | Moldova

Featherweight, Denis Palancica (7-0)

Palancica is a young man out of Moldova who is a combined 13-0 in combat sports. He went 5-0 in amateur MMA and 1-0 as a pro boxer. He hasn’t fought competition at too high of a level, but he has looked right at home in his seven professional bouts. On the feet, Palancica is as talented as he is quick and really throws a good one-two. He does a great job striking and then changing levels and getting the takedown, as his wrestling is solid. He’s at his best on the mat as he thrives in the scrambles, and does a great job at transitions and getting into dominant positions. Palancica has fight-ending ground and pound as well. Overall, at 24 he has a good future. He fights Dmytro Predebaylo (12-7).

Serbian Battle Championship 30 | Saturday | Serbia

Featherweight, Borislav Nikolić (8-0)

Nikolić’s main attribute is his solid jiu-jitsu. Even off his back, Nikolić is aware of what’s going on. He scrambles well and is good at making bad positions into good ones. He oftentimes transitions into the mount or to the back to later finish the fight. Nikolić has excellent ground and pound. He’s finished fights a couple of times with ground shots. When not getting the finish, he has at least used ground and pound to improve the position or get to a submission. Shockingly enough, Nikolić actually comes from some sort of kickboxing background. Not that his stand up is bad, per se, but his grappling is where he’s looked most comfortable before. I would like to see him cut the cage off more, but his hands are looking good. He throws in combos, and despite lacking power, he makes up for it in aggression. Nikolić has finished seven of his eight fights via submission. What he’s good at is attacking the neck, as he has earned two guillotines finishes and three rear-naked chokes. He fights Zhulduzbek Syimik Uulu (5-1).

The post Weekly MMA Prospect Report: CFFC Double Header Hosts Top Prospects appeared first on Cageside Press.

Left out will be fighters that fought on the previous three seasons, though some may return.

If you missed them, check out parts one and two of our series.

Korey Kuppe

Welterweight | 31 | Macomb, Michigan, US | 8-3 | Win Streak: 2 | 1 KO/TKO, 7 Submissions

Korey Kuppe, although he still has a lot of growth left in his career, is a quality talent and his personality catches attention. He’s had a few setbacks but his last two wins are over J.P. Saint Louis and Kenny Cross who are both good fighters. Kuppe has a background in Karate being a 3x WKC world champ and a 4th-degree black belt in tang soo do. His tall build at 170 standing at 6’5″ will give a lot of guys problems, making him a very interesting prospect.

Ramiz Brahimaj

Welterweight | 27 | Dallas, Texas, US | 8-2 | Win Streak: 1 | 8 Submissions

Ramiz Brahimaj was supposed to fight last year on Dana White’s Contender Series but an injury forced him out. He’s had some fights he lost where he should’ve won but is back in the win column. Don’t forget Brahimaj trains out of Fortis MMA which is an outstanding team. He’s a former IBJJF NoGi world champion and someone I think will be in the UFC with or without the Contender Series.

Elijah Johns

Lightweight | 23 | Dallas, Texas, US | 6-1 | Win Streak: 4 | 3 KO/TKOs

Elijah Johns is the younger brother of Contender Series contract winner and now UFC fighter Miles Johns. Like Brahimaj above, Johns is also a product out of Fortis MMA. His sole loss is from being on the wrong end of a split decision. The level of competition he’s fought hasn’t been great but has looked to be a cut above. Johns is still young so it wouldn’t hurt if he skipped this year and came on next year but he should be looked at no doubt.

 Christopher Daukaus

Heavyweight | 30 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US | 8-3 | Win Streak: 1 | 7 KO/TKOs

Christopher Daukaus’ last name by be familiar to the Contender Series audience and that’s because his little brother Kyle was on the last season. Christopher was on the verge on a UFC shot, many would think, before he lost to former UFC fighter Azunna Anyanwu. Prior to that loss, Daukaus was on a 5-fight win streak. He’s back on the board with a win getting his fifth first-round stoppage.

Santos Curatolo

Flyweight | 24 | Staten Island, New York, US | 4-0 | Win Streak: 6 | 3 KO/TKOs , 1 Submission

Santos Curatolo’s competition hasn’t been too good and his strength of schedule needs work. But that said Curatolo has still looked stellar thus far and has treated his lack of competition the way he should’ve. Curatolo is an excellent wrestler rag-dolling guys around. He’s a pure athlete who I think can jump into the UFC and do well.

Carlos Ulberg

Light-heavyweight | 29 | Auckland, New Zealand | 2-0 | Win Streak: 2 | 1 KO/TKO

Carlos Ulberg is a product out of City Kickboxing with the likes Brad Riddell, Shane Young, Kai Kara-France, and UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya. Ulberg isn’t only a fighter but also an actor and a model. Known for his background in kickboxing Ulberg is a two-time King of the Ring tournament winner, the same tournament Adesanya won three times. He may have the least experience in all these fighters but I would love to see him get a chance.

Chelsea Hackett

Flyweight | 21 | Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia | 3-0-1 | Win Streak: 3 | 1 KO/TKO

Chelsea Hackett comes from a Muay Thai background as she’s a two-time world Muay Thai champion and a former WBC 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. A fight with Casey O’Neill would be awesome even if they do fight at different weight classes.

James Gonzalez

Featherweight | 29 | East Patchogue, New York, US | 6-3 | Win Streak: 2 | 1 KO/TKO, 3 Submissions

Gonzalez may have a 6-3 record but his losses are to Bill Algero and Mike Trizano twice so no shame in that. In his last fight, he fought a top prospect in Pat Sabatini. He was expected to lose but got it done with a nasty armlock finish in under a minute. Gonzalez is the current CFFC featherweight champion. He’s still growing and at least in the grappling department, being a BJJ black belt, he’s a threat to anyone.

The post Scouting Prospects for the Contender Series Season 4: Part 3 appeared first on Cageside Press.