KSW, XMMA, and more are in action this week as well — here’s a look at the up-and-comers worth keeping an eye on.

Ring of Combat 74 | US | Friday

Lightweight, Dylan Mantello (4-0)

Mantello is a good prospect training out of Longo And Weidman MMA. Undefeated as a pro, Mantello went 6-0 as an amateur and was a champion. I’ve seen more of his striking where he displays good movement, a textbook jab, and a sick one-two. He’s found home with that straight right knocking out a few guys so far. Mantello seems to have slick jiu-jitsu. I’ve seen him hit sweeps off his back and finish on top with ground and pound. He fights John Ramirez (5-5).

LFA 116 | US | Friday

Bantamweight, Daniel Argueta (5-0)

After wrestling in high school Argueta went on to wrestle Division II for the University of Wisconsin. Argueta’s constant forward pressure, his wrestling, and jiu-jitsu is going to give a lot of guys problems. However, if he cannot impose his wrestling/grappling early he may have problems against a good striker. His head movement isn’t great and as the fight goes on he is likely to be easier and easier to hit. Yet even though he does tire as the fight goes on, Argueta never stops coming forward, making it an ugly fight at the very least. He fights Rodney Mondala (6-3).

RCC: Intro 17 | Russia | Friday

Middleweight, Arseniy Smirnov (9-1)

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 Marco Pirata (16-7).

Bellator 269 | Russia | Saturday

Lightweight, Usman Nurmagomedov (13-0)

A cousin of former UFC champ Khabib and brother of UFC fighter Umar, Usman Nurmagomedov is a kickboxer at heart. He doesn’t throw with much power but he’s flashy and diverse with his attacks. He will throw spinning kicks, roundhouse kicks, and question mark kicks. Usman stays unpredictable attacking with all limbs and throws combos with just his legs alone. His wrestling is good, and he is solid at timing double legs and on top. Simply put, he is a big threat. He fights Patrik Pietilä (11-8).

Welterweight, Sharaf Davlatmurodov (18-3-1)

Davlatmurodov is a fun fighter with a lot of good experience. He has wins over some good competition and has lost to only solid fighters. On the feet, Davlatmurodov throws a lot of volume throwing with different patterns and mixing it up very well. He has good kickboxing and from the outside has really good long striking. Mixing it up, Davlatmurodov will explode on the hips taking his opponents down. At times he can be too aggressive on the mat but he has RNC’s for a reason. He’s really good. Mostly he just needs to improve small things— but the takedown defense should be his biggest concern. He fights Anatoly Tokov (29-3).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QNF7kTb7sY&t=3s

Lightweight, Gadzhi Rabadanov (16-4-2)

Rabadanov has a lot of experience and key wins against Oton Jasse and Steven Siler. He’s an excellent wrestler and durable fighter who can go three rounds no problem. On the feet, he has some power and good leg kicks but looks most at home once on the mat. He has good ground and pound and is a submission threat as well. He fights Alexander Belikh (9-4).

KSW 64 | Poland | Saturday

Featherweight, Patryk Kaczmarczyk (7-0)

Kaczmarczyk is one of the many bright young prospects out of Poland. The 23-year-old has a lot of good things going for him. On the feet, Kaczmarczyk is a good counter striker, throws heavy leg kicks, has a dangerous lead flying knee he throws, and throws in combinations. He excels when the fight is in close quarters using excellent offensive and defensive wrestling. Kaczmarczyk is a problem on the mat as his transitions are smooth and is always working to improve his position and finish the fight. He really has it all. He fights Robert Ruchała (5-0).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL_Q-vc_G10

Lightweight, Shamil Musaev (15-0)

Russia’s Musaev is a good wrestler with very sound ground and pound. He has a background in Sanshou which explains why he likes to use that spinning kick to the midsection. Musaev is a dynamic fighter throwing with flash but his setups and speed are impressive. He’s an excellent kickboxer. He recently beat Uros Jurisic which proves how good Musaev is. He fights Michał Pietrzak (10-4).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkybB-oysFQ&t=1s

XMMA 3 | US | Saturday

Welterweight, Tyler Ray (8-2)

Ray is a wrestler who has excellent control and cardio going the distance if need be. On the feet, he’s still a bit green but is improving. Ray does have good head movement and a good one-two. He’s far more comfortable just taking the fight down to land ground and pound or taking the neck for the submission. His last fight was razor close where he squeaked out a decision win. He fights the well-known John Howard (29-16-1).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP526jf5sR8&t=1s

The post Weekly MMA Prospect Report: Bellator Marches on Moscow appeared first on Cageside Press.

Welterweight, Tyler Ray (6-1)

Tyler Ray fought a very tough fighter in Josh Streacker and he dominated on the way to a second-round finish. The key to victory for Ray was wrestling and control. On the feet, the wrestler did show glimpses of improvement. He throws a good one-two and showed good head movement but doesn’t look fully confident yet. Ray got the finish eventually on the back of Josh sinking in the RNC. Ray is reminiscent of a very raw Ian Heinisch.
Grade: C

Featherweight, Steve Garcia Jr (11-3)

This was a hell of a fight between Steve Garcia and Jose Mariscal. Garcia dropped Jose early in round one and all hell broke loose after that. Mariscal survived and threw like a wild man. As did Garcia but he stayed calmer and picked his spots with head kicks and his left hand. In round two both fighters were throwing a some crazy pace. Garcia eventually finished the fight after some ground and pound. It was a poor stoppage but still a good performance.
Grade: A

Strawweight, Nong Stamp (4-0)

At the beginning of the fight, Stamp Fairtex (Nong Stamp) was way too flat-footed just standing in front of her opponent. Stamp was taken down but quickly got back to her feet and got the takedown herself. From there she did very well and the Muay Thai practitioner seemed at home on the mat. Stamp easily won positions getting the mount/the back and unloading punches until the ref stopped the fight.
Grade: C-

Flyweight, Ayaka Miura (10-2)

Although did get tagged a bit in round one, Ayaka Miura dominated the course of two rounds. She used the head and arm position to pull her opponent down in both rounds one and two. In round one, Miura threatened the whole time with an arm-triangle but couldn’t get the right position. The Americana has been her go-to submission and for the third straight occasion she finished with it, this time in the second round.
Grade: C+

Bantamweight, Shuo Wang (11-3)

This was my first time watching Shou Wang, and he had a really good fight with a decent opponent in Aydin Kodekov. Right away you could tell Wang is a talented fighter on the feet so Aydin tried to get the fight down. He had some success but Wang really showed some solid takedown defense. Wang did a nice job attacking the head, body, and legs up until the second-round finish. He attacked with leg kicks often even landing some nasty oblique kicks. Wang had some solid head movement slipping punches and countering. Both would sit in the pocket trading but Wang had more weapons throwing those kicks, knees, and short elbows.
Grade: A

Middleweight, Abusupyan Alikhanov (12-3)

Abusupyan Alikhanov dominated his opponent. The Russian quickly got the fight to the ground with a hard outside leg kick sweeping his opponent to the mat. Alikhanov would get into the crucifix position and he stuck there. He would land countless elbows and punches until the ref would finally step in. He fought a guy that was 9-4 but he fought like expected.
Grade: C+

Welterweight, Pedro Machado (3-0)

Pedro Machado opened up the fight with a body lock takedown. In half guard, Machado sliced right into mount. Soon after his opponent swept Machado to his back but Machado was still very much in control. He threw up a triangle but would lock in a heel hook to get the eventual tap. Machado showed some very slick jiu-jitsu.
Grade: C+

Lightweight, Mateusz Rębecki (11-1)

Mateusz Rebecki fought a really good Russian prospect in Magomed Magomedov and it was fairly one-sided. Rebecki was wild on the feet throwing looping shots including overhands. He did hit hard with thumping leg kicks and did drop Magomedov with an overhand left. He was at home on the mat winning scrambles and being in control. He almost secured a kimura in round two but instead got the finish with ground and pound. Rebecki in the crucifix position would land nasty elbows cutting up Magomedov s the ref stepped in.
Grade: B-

Middleweight, Phil Hawes (7-2)

Phil Hawes is finally living up to the potential he had when he started his career. In this fight, he displayed a technical game plan with heavy strikes. Hawes fought behind his straight left jab going up top and to the body. He threw the right hook continuously behind the jab landing every time dropping the Brazilian twice. Hawes had his foe hurt and as he fell to his back the third time Hawes forced the ref to come in after some heavy hammer fists.
Grade: C+ 

Light-heavyweight, Jakob Nedoh (3-1)

Jakob Nedoh, known as a submission specialist, got the job done solely with his striking. Every time Nedoh hit opponent Zarko Sedoglavic his head snapped back. The finishing sequence was when Nedoh landed two straight left hands and a right hook for the clean knockout victory.
Grade: B-

Featherweight, Jay-Jay Wilson (5-0)

Bellator MMA’s Jay-Jay Wilson fought Mario Navarro a BJJ black belt and easily out-classed him on the mat. Both round one and two Wilson got the quick takedown. He constantly worked to finish even almost getting his first ground and pound stoppage. Round two he went for a twister but lost position. Wilson was on his back but executed a beautiful sweep to get back on top. While controlling the back he set up an armbar and Navarro tapped. Just beautiful and stellar BJJ from Wilson.
Grade: A+

Featherweight, Collin Anglin (7-1)

It took a bit for Collin Anglin to find his range, throwing a lot of wasted motion and not hitting the target. In the final seconds of the first round, Anglin did drop his opponent with a nice right uppercut. Round two he was much more comfortable as his opponent still seemed a bit rocked. Anglin used a lot of feints and was coming over with the right hook. The right hook is eventually what landed after a feint, putting his opponent out cold.
Grade: B-

Featherweight, Jamall Emmers (17-4)

This was a good fight between two top-notch prospects in Jamall Emers and Rafael Barbosa. Emmers displayed some good fundamentals. He had excellent head movement, used a lot of feints, employed good footwork, and showed understanding of his range. His striking was on point landing counters and hard lead leg kicks. Round three he stepped on the gas landing more. He got Barbosa to the mat and took his back. He went for the RNC but locked in the arm-triangle instead for the technical submission.
Grade: A+

Flyweight, Lito Adiwang (11-2)

Lito Adiwang went completely off in this fight starting off with a thudding head kick that landed on his opponent Pongsiri Mitsatit. After that Lito chased him with wide rights and lefts dropping Mitsatit. Misatit survived for the time being but Adiwang was still in finish mode. Mitsatit did get the back but Adiwang had thekimura grip and eventually separated it from the body and Pongsiri tapped.
Grade: A

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