We’ve got 10 picks for additions the UFC could make to the weight class this year. But before we get started, here’s a look at last year’s list, featuring current UFC roster members Alex Pereira, Caio Borralho, Isi Fitikefu, and Rinat Fakhretdinov all signing with the UFC in 2020.

Alex Pereira
Aaron Jeffery
Ayub Gimbatov
Caio Borralho
Hashen Arkhagha
Isi Fitikefu
Rinat Fakhretdinov
Ramazan Kuramagomedov
Shamil Abdulaev
Vladimir Mineev

Before we move on, here’s the previous entries in our 2022 “10 Prospects” series.

10 Heavyweight Prospects the UFC Should Sign in 2022

10 Light Heavyweight Prospects the UFC Should Sign in 2022

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

Here’s a look at that, and other key prospects in action this week.

Lux Fight League 17 | Mexico | Friday

Lightweight, Francesco Patron Manzo (8-0)

Manzo is only 22-years-old and is a well-rounded young man with tons of potential. He’s a diverse striker that’s still really technical. Manzo is always throwing in volume mixing in kicks and punches. He has an underrated ground game as well as shown in his last fight with a beautiful armbar finish transitioned from the back. He fights former UFC veteran Marco Beltran (16-7).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwwUDvnyC4Q&t=20s

RCC: Intro 16 | Russia | Saturday

Heavyweight, Kirill Kornilov (10-0-1)

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. His takedown defense isn’t at all where it needs to be however. Even worse, he’s way out of his realm on the mat off his back. Kornilov fights Ednaldo Oliveira (21-8-1).

FEN 36 | Poland | Saturday

Lightweight, Mateusz Rębecki (13-1)

Rebecki is a BJJ black belt and is a two-time gold medalist in ADCC (Poland). He trains out of Berserker Team with fighters like Michal Materla, Tomasz Narkun, and many more established veterans. Rebecki is a bit one-dimensional being solely a grappler but in that area, he’s just so dangerous and that’s on top or bottom. While on a ten-fight win streak at the time he fought them, the combined record of his opponents was 135-46-3. Of thirteen victories he’s finished all but one fight. Seven stoppages by KO/TKO and five by submission. He fights Aigun Akhmedov (22-2).

AMC Fight Nights 105 | Russia | Saturday

Middleweight, Vladimir Mineev (15-1-1)

Mineev has several good wins, the most notable being against former UFC fighter Maiquel Falcão. There have been doubts in the past about his cardio, takedown defense, and head movement, but he has grown into a well-rounded martial artist. The Russian has a dynamic offensive striking attack with excellent output with his hands and kicks, and his wrestling is underrated as well. Mineev fights Magomed Ismailov (17-2-1).

Featherweight, Mukhamed Eminov (17-1)

Eminov is someone I scouted a few years ago and is much better today than he was then. The Russian hasn’t displayed much on the feet but he does have a solid ground game. Eminov is a very technical grappler who transitions through guard beautifully and excels at passing positions as a whole. He also brings a very intelligent submission base with eleven submission wins. He fights Roman Silagadze (4-1-1).

Middleweight, Sharaputdin Magomedov (5-0)

Magomedov is a kickboxer with an extensive background. In MMA that’s what he showcased so far. Even going backwards Magomedov has light footwork and can still land effectively. In the clinch he’s good at landing knees as shown in his last fight. Magomedov has a lot of dexterity in his legs being able to throw head kicks in tight spaces. He can throw with both legs and is hard to read on what he’s going to throw. He’s dangerous at distance and even though his takedown defense does need work, he’s dangerous to close the distance on. Magomedov fights Mikhail Allakhverdian (9-2).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbyPMAy4Uj8&ab_channel=FIGHTNIGHTSGLOBALTV

Middleweight, David Barkhudaryan (13-3)

Barkhudaryan is mainly a striker and a very dangerous one at that. He has a one-two he loves to throw, chopping powerful leg kicks, and a firing straight jab. Beware of rushing in on him as well as he’s a dangerous counter-striker. Barkhudaryan has lights out power in his hands and can stop the fight at any time. He’s currently on a seven-fight win streak and looking at the peak of his career. He fights Artur Alibulatov (21-4).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4xIEli46UM&ab_channel=FIGHTNIGHTSGLOBALTV

Bellator 268 | US | Saturday

Light heavyweight, Julius Anglickas (10-1)

Anglickas has a strong wrestling base, that being his best weapon for sure. He can wrestle all fight as his cardio has proved to be very good. He also has a dangerous submission attack, holding four submission wins in his career. On the feet, Anglickas bull rushes opponents and beats them up in the clinch. He also throws good leg kicks and a good jab.  He’s got a solid work ethic and eventually breaks your will. He fights the champ Vadim Nemkov (14-2) for the title.

Light heavyweight, Karl Albrektsson (12-3)

Albrektsson has only three losses in his career, all three to stellar fighters in Valentin Moldavsky, Phil Davis, and Jiri Prochazka. He has also beaten good competition such as former UFC fighter Josh Stansbury and Bellator light heavyweight champ Vadim Nemkov. “King” has a background in BJJ and in Sanshou, in which he was the 2014 European champion. His weak point would be on the feet, as he’s often seen fighting too stiff. He excels on the mat though, looking better in each fight. He fights Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov (18-6-1).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIkjRjnY3-U&ab_channel=That%27swhyMMA%21

Lightweight, Nick Browne (11-1)

Browne’s sole loss is to John Gunther, and while that looks… not so good in hindsight, he does have a few good wins. He’s beat opponents like Sidney Outlaw, Troy Lamson, Ben Egli, and Trey Ogden who are all good fighters. Browne doesn’t have much to offer on the feet but strikes well to close the distance to wrestle. He’s a strong grappler being a big submission threat with five submission wins. Taking the back and finishing with the RNC is what he’s best at. He fights Bobby Lee (12-6).

Bantamweight, Jaylon Bates (3-0)

Bates made his pro debut for Bellator and is one of their best and brightest up-and-comers. He’s the full package and besides being a wrestler first his striking is good. He has good hands and good use of his range. Bates is a fantastic wrestler and can wrestle three rounds no problem. Being an aggressive wrestler he can keep taking guys down despite them getting to their feet. Bates has a slick submission game no matter where he’s at. Still not enough has been shown but he looks like the real deal. He fights Raphael Montini (6-4).

Welterweight, Mukhamed Berkhamov (14-1)

Berkhamov is a very solid fighter that can go the distance or finish. He has solid cardio going the distance three times but mainly ending the fight with his striking. He only throws one strike at a time but he is very explosive and is very hard to read as he throws hooks, jabs, leg kicks, and head kicks and his timing is perfect. Berkhamov has solid wrestling as he changes levels great and always gets the takedown. He is very good on top moving well and stays heavy and gets dominant position frequently. He fights Jaleel Willis (15-2).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NutEIBQIztI&ab_channel=MMATROLL

The post Weekly MMA Prospect Report: Anglickas Moves from Prospect to Title Challenger appeared first on Cageside Press.

Adesanya is set to face Jan Blachowicz for 205lb gold, from all appearances. Which could set up a potential super fight with Jon Jones. At least, should Jones opt to hold off on his move to heavyweight.

Hello, 185lb logjam. But maybe that’s not a bad thing. Divisions take time to mature, and middleweight feels as if it’s in something of a rebuilding phase, with Yoel Romero gone, and Robert Whittaker, Kelvin Gastelum, and Paulo Costa already defeated by the champion.

We’ve got 10 picks for additions the UFC could make to the weight class this year. But before we get started, here’s a look at last year’s list, featuring current UFC roster members Dricus Du Plessis, Dustin Stoltzfus, and Kyle Daukaus all signing with the UFC in 2020.

Abus Magomedov
Alex Pereira
Caio Borralho
Cezary Kesik
Dricus Du Plessis
Dustin Stoltzfus
Isi Fitikefu
Kyle Daukaus
Ramazan Kuramagomedov
Vladimir Mineev

Now, here’s our picks for 2021!

The post 10 Middleweight Prospects the UFC Should Sign in 2021 appeared first on Cageside Press.

Due to some foolishness and bias, Mix doesn’t even have a Wikipedia entry. But never, ever let that cloud your judgement on the quality of a fighter. Mix has done nothing but impress in his career thus far, and he’ll look to graduate to star status should he claim the title so early on in his career (if we’re being honest, people tend to overlook his amateur experience).

At 8-0 and fighting Derek Campos, Keoni Diggs has the chance to make a name for himself on the very same card. There’s that, and a lot more action this week, so here’s our Weekly MMA Prospect Report.

Fight Nights Global/GFC | Wednesday | Russia

Middleweight, Vladimir Mineev (14-1-1)

Mineev has several good wins, the most notable being against former UFC fighter Maiquel Falcão, who actually beat Mineev in an awful decision victory in the fight prior. There have been doubts in the past about his cardio, takedown defense, and head movement, but he has grown into a well-rounded martial artist. The Russian has a dynamic offensive striking attack with excellent output with his hands and kicks, and his wrestling is underrated as well. He fights Dauren Ermekov (15-4).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQhGgmTl2zc&ab_channel=FIGHTNIGHTSGLOBALTV

Lightweight, Usman Nurmagomedov (10-0)

A cousin of UFC champ Khabib and brother of fellow prospect Umar, Usman Nurmagomedov on the feet 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, as well as timing double legs and on top. Simply put, he is a big threat. He fights Svyatoslav Shabanov (18-9-1).

LFA 91 | Friday | US

Bantamweight, Hailey Cowan (5-1)

Cowan has an extensive background in gymnastics and was very accomplished at Baylor University. She won a few tumbling national titles and is a two-time All-American. After coming up short in her pro-MMA debut, she then went on to win her next four fights looking impressive in the process. She’s a big and strong 125er who is moving up to 135 for this fight. Cowan is well-rounded, holding a rear-naked choke and a highlight-reel head kick knockout. She fights Kelly Clayton (1-2).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oagmr_gLLWk&ab_channel=AXSTVFights

Light-heavyweight, Nick Maximov (4-0)

Maximov outside of MMA has put in some time in wrestling and jiu-jitsu. He won the American Nationals for Gi/No-Gi at purple belt, was a National Junior College All American (3rd) at Clackamas community college, and has won multiple regional/state titles for jiu-jitsu as well. Currently 4-0 as a pro, Maximov went 6-0 as an amateur. There isn’t much recent footage but he has the hype behind his name. He fights Johnny James (1-1).

Bellator 245 | Friday | US

Light-heavyweight, Alex Polizzi (6-0)

Polizzi has the recipe to be a big prospect in the 205lb weight class. 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’s never gone the distance but his pressure and relentless style (a.k.a. his cardio) have held up just fine and that’s into championship rounds shown in his last fight. He fights Rafael Carvalho (16-4).

Bantamweight, Keith Lee (6-3)

Don’t be deceived by Lee’s record at only being .500. His losses are all to good fighters. Keith is the younger brother of UFC star and top contender, Kevin Lee. Keith is very excited and is extremely well-rounded with excellent cardio. On the feet, Lee has a nice jab and throws a lot of kicks. He’s an even better wrestler who actually out-wrestled an excellent wrestler in Shawn Bunch. He fights Vinicius Zani (11-6).

The post Weekly MMA Prospect Report: Patchy Mix, Keoni Diggs Look to Shake Prospect Label appeared first on Cageside Press.

In this feature, we take six journalists including our own Shawn Bitter, plus four hardcore MMA fans/Podcasters to get their take on who the UFC should sign by year’s end. So far this year, the UFC has signed major prospects like Jiri Prochazka, Shavkat Rakhmonov, Roman Bogatov, Umar Nurmagomedov, Jai Herbert, Manel Kape, Modestas Bukauskas, Nate Landwehr and more. Here, each member of our panel will give their picks on who they think the UFC should sign by the end of 2020.

The Journalists

Shawn Bitter

Middleweight, Roberto Soldic (17-3): Soldic has beaten some stiff competition in his career including Lewis Long (16-5), Borys Mańkowski (19-7-1), and Dricus Du Plessis (12-2), winning five titles including the KSW middleweight title. Soldic is easily one of the best welterweights on the global scene and the UFC would be very wise to try and pry him from KSW. Soldic is always coming forward and always looking for the finish in a controlled chaos manner. KSW has had talent that went to the UFC like Jan Błachowicz, Karolina Kowalkiewicz, Aleksei Oleinik, and others.

Featherweight, Igeu Kabesa (12-1): Kabesa’s only loss is to UFC fighter Danny Henry, which was a rematch of their first meeting, which Kabesa won. Of the two, Kabesa has a much higher ceiling. “Smiley” is one of the two best prospects out of South Africa along with Demarte Pena. He is the current EFC Worldwide featherweight champion and on a four-fight win streak. Kabesa is a very decorated wrestler being a 10-time Wrestling Nationals Champion. He is young and solid everywhere. Kabesa has amazing wrestling and grappling, he can move well on the mat and can reach mount fairly easy. His striking is good too, moving in-and-out with explosive punches quickly and his slips and counters are solid.

Featherweight, Joanderson Brito (11-2-1): Brito has been on a roll since his last loss in 2015, going 10-0-1 in his last eleven fights. He’s fought for the likes of Future FC and Thunder Fight which are two top promotions out of Brazil. He’s also the former Fusion FC champ, a promotion based in Peru. In his most recent fight, he made his U.S. debut for LFA and beat a top prospect in Jose Mariscal. Brito is a bull walking his foes down and throwing huge looping hooks with big power. He’s a power striker on the feet but has some good wrestling and better top position to fall back on. He’s arguably the best prospect right now out of Brazil.

Featherweight, Salahdine Parnasse (14-0-1): Parnasse in my opinion is the best prospect worldwide. Parnasse didn’t really become noticeable until he signed with one of the biggest European organizations in KSW in late 2017.  In April of last year, Parnasse beat Roman Szymański to become the interim KSW featherweight champion. Last December he beat the well-known Ivan Buchinger to retain his interim title. Parnasse would prefer to keep the fight on the feet where he can use his effective movement and a good kickboxing base. This would be one of the biggest if not the biggest signing if somehow the UFC could snatch him up.

Strawweight, Melissa Martinez (7-0): Martinez is currently signed with Combate Americas and is their current 115-pound champion. Recently, Combate champion Gustavo Lopez was able to be released from his contract. Rafa Garcia who is also a champion there has vacated his contract to sign to another promotion. So there is hope for the UFC picking up Martinez. “Super Melly” has the ability to break an opponent down with her chopping leg kicks. She also displays a quick release with her dangerous head kick that she has won a couple of times with. She looks really promising at such a young age and so early in her career.

The post Prospects the UFC Should Sign by the End of 2020 appeared first on Cageside Press.

In need of fresh blood, the 185lb weight class could surely benefit by a number of fresh faces joining the fold. Here’s our pick for the top ten middleweights Dana White and company should ink to deals this year.

Before we get started, a look at last year’s list, featuring current UFC roster members Brendan Allen, Puna Soriano, Roman Kopylov, and Jun Yong Park signing with the UFC in 2019:

Brendan Allen
Cezary Kesik
Isi Fitikefu
Chibwikem Onyenegecha
Puna Soriano
Roman Kopylov
Gamzat Khiramagomedov
Vladimir Mineev
Jun Yong Park
Mike Shipman

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

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

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

MMA has no off-season, resulting in an endless barrage of talent being thrust upon the masses. Some might argue that you can’t have too much of a good thing, but that still leaves a lot of fights to watch.  With that in mind, here’s the latest edition of our prospect watch, featuring up-and-comers who really stood out last month.

Welterweight, Louis Glismann (6-1)

Watching Glismann dominate and get the armbar (a favorite submission) was impressive. The fighter he beat was former UFC athlete Craig White. While White hasn’t always impressed, it’s hard to deny his toughness and how dangerous he is off his back. Glismann easily took him down and dominated with solid jiu-jitsu. He passed guard easily and would get the s mount and finish with the armbar. White verbally tapped.
Grade: C+

Louis Glismann gets the verbal tap to improve to 6-1! #CWUnplugged2 pic.twitter.com/F5RV71Tm4s

— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) September 6, 2019

Bantamweight, Jack Cartwright (7-0)

Cartwright was quite unknown coming into this Cage Warriors 4-man bantamweight tournament. He was the only competitor not to compete for a Cage Warriors title yet. He made the most of this opportunity and knocked out both Scott Malone and Marko Kovacevic in the first round. Being a bit wild, as shown in his second fight, he proved he can crack for a bantamweight. Cartwright also showed some solid TDD in both fights. 7-0 and seven first round stoppages.
Grade: B+

1st ROUND KO 💥 What a debut!

Jack Cartwright ends it in one! He advances to the finals of our bantamweight tournament by making quick work of his opponent 😱#CWUnplugged2 pic.twitter.com/SMTTkFDVSu

— Cage Warriors (@CageWarriors) September 6, 2019

Now you know!

Jack Cartwright becomes the CW Bantamweight Champion by knocking out 2 former title challengers in the first round in one night! 🤯#CWUnplugged 🏆 pic.twitter.com/dinqbm2Le9

— Cage Warriors (@CageWarriors) September 6, 2019

Middleweight, Ty Gwerder (4-0)

Making his televised debut for Legacy Fighting Alliance, the Xtreme Couture product Gwerder looked good. Fighting a much more experienced fighter in Mike Jones (7-5), Gwerder ran through him ending it in the first round. Gwerder stunned Jones earlier in the fight with his hands before landing a brutal liver kick for the knockout.
Grade: C+

https://twitter.com/Grabaka_Hitman/status/1170146289318846465

Flyweight, Sean Gauci (6-1)

Flyweight struggles when it comes to prospects and it’s too soon to tell how good Gauci is, but he still looked solid. He got it done on the feet scoring the TKO finish in round one. Gauci sat in the pocket and showed good boxing with the jab, attacking the body and countering very well. He dropped his opponent early in the round with an overhand right. He didn’t find the finish then but almost locked in a guillotine. Not even a minute later Gauci landed a counter right dropping his foe again this time getting the finish. Good performance moving to three consecutive wins but needs a step up in competition.
Grade: C

Middleweight, Vladimir Mineev (12-1)

Making his return after nearly a year, Mineev got back to his winning ways walking through his foe. Mineev had a very articulate approach landing the jab, using some feints and most importantly his kicks. The Russian threw the front kick a few times to keep distance but it was the leg kicks that were the story. Mineev attacked that left leg of his opponent over and over landing it many times. He had his opponent hurt from those kicking attacks and would have him lifting his leg to check, setting things up for Mineev to get the easy takedown. Mineev standing in the guard had to land but one punch to the solar plexus, and his opponent was down and out.

A very easy first-round finish from Vladimir, who we’ll revisit later on as he fought twice in September.
Grade: C+

Welterweight, Ian Garry (2-0)

Italian opponent Matteo Ceglia wanted nothing to do with Garry on the feet so would pull guard every chance he had. Garry was never in danger showing good defense and always getting back to his feet. He landed the jab often and had a couple of heavy leg kicks. Garry into the second round landed a question mark jab smacking the jaw of Ceglia dropping him for the highlight finish.
Grade: C+

Strawweight, Aleksandra Rola (3-0)

Rola made her KSW debut against a tough Catherine Costigan and finished her in round two. Rola showed that on the feet is where she looks to be the most dangerous. She got a takedown in round one but had nothing to really show on top. The native out of Poland got the finish in round two in the thai plum landing elbows and knees until the ref stepped in.
Grade: C-

https://twitter.com/VonPreux/status/1172927334959198210

Bantamweight, Khusein Askhabov (20-0)

Askhabov fought a tough opponent in Luiz Filho and he ran through him early in round one. Askhabov opened up aggressive with two heavy outside leg kicks taking the legs out from underneath Filho. From there Askhabov landed an emphatic belly-to-back suplex and would quickly finish with the arm-in guillotine. That’s now a big 20-0 for the Luxembourg born.
Grade: B+

https://twitter.com/Grabaka_Hitman/status/1175476372145430528

Lightweight, Kirill Gorobets (9-1)

Gorobets continues to impress with highlight-reel finishes, this time ending the fight with a rare Peruvian Necktie. The Ukrainian did land a few glaring head kicks but really got it done with his wrestling and top control. He landed four takedowns and would get dominant positions such as the mount and the crucifix. Goroberts kept active with ground and pound and moved light on top until he eventually found the finish.
Grade: C+

Strawweight, Svetlana Gotsyk (13-4)

This was a very important fight for Gotsyk as she has fought Magdaléna Šormová previously, losing the WWFC title a little over a year ago. Gotsyk got off to a rocky start early in the fight getting easily taken down. Gotsyk though is comfortable fighting off her back. That comfort later allowed her to go for the head and arm throw, which is a 50/50 risk. And it did fail,  resulting in Gotsyk finding herself on her back again. Gotsyk stayed busy off her back in the guard working her legs up and would threaten with a triangle. Šormová attempted a Rampage-like slam and on the impact, Gotsyk locked in an armbar and Šormová tapped.
Grade: C-

https://twitter.com/Grabaka_Hitman/status/1175495594858754049

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

WXC 82 | Wednesday | Michigan

Welterweight: Willis Black (7-2)

Coming off two consecutive losses in 2017, Black is now on a four-fight win streak and the current WXC champion. Black, who has three wins by submission, is mainly a striker who has a 100% finish rate. “Silverback” relies on his striking power and explosiveness as he has that one-punch knockout power. He does need work on his takedown defense and off his back once against a good striker. He fights Anthony Ivy (7-2).

Welterweight: Anthony Ivy (7-2)

Like Black, Ivy is on a four-fight win streak with a 100% finish rate. Ivy has some good qualities on the feet with good clinch work and an explosive head kick. He’s primarily wrestler who chains his takedowns together well. In the grappling realm, Ivy can be a bit over-aggressive but has good BJJ. He fights Willis Black (7-2).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=datlcO5mcrM

Bantamweight: Jose Johnson (10-5)

After starting out his career at 6-5, Johnson is now on a four-fight win streak. For someone that has half as many losses as he has wins, Johnson has looked stellar as of late. He’s a very technical fighter who uses a lot of teep kicks to maintain distance to where he can throw at a lot of angles. Johnson is excellent in the clinch with elbows and knees using his length. His takedown defense is much better than what it was and his BJJ is getting better and better. He’s only 24-years-old, so the future is bright. He fights Terrence Mitchell (12-2), who is a good test.

FFC 40 | Wednesday | Peru

Lightweight: Rudy Gavidia (12-2)

The Peru native is quite the showman and he has every right to be stringing together all his 11 wins in a row after losing his first two fights. Gavidia has a background in jiu-jitsu and was a boxing champion in China in 2008 and 2009. Gavidia is well-rounded as he has a good jab with leg kicks on the feet. He moves well on top but is very heavy as well and while he has good ground-and-pound, he does hold five submissions. Rudy still has a lot to prove as his competition has been weak and his takedown defense is a concern. He fights Alan Parra (9-4), who is coming off a loss.

United Donbass 2 | Friday | Ukraine

Middleweight: Vladimir Mineev (12-1)

Before transferring over to MMA, Mineev was an accomplished kickboxer holding titles as an amateur and a pro as he has a pro record of 23-2. Mineev has some glaring holes in his game like his cardio wears as the fight goes, his takedown defense could be better, and he lacks head movement. With that said, the Russian has a dynamic offensive striking attack with excellent output with his hands and kicks. Mineev is also very good at attacking the leg kicks. He fights Diego Dias (10-2)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9rNKOcaLgI

GFC 17 | Friday | Kazakhstan

Lightweight: Usman Nurmagomedov (6-0)

Nurmagomedov on the feet is a kickboxer at trait. He doesn’t throw with much power but he’s flashy and diverse with his attack. He will throw spinning kicks, roundhouse kicks, and question mark kicks. Usman stays unpredictable attacking all limbs and throws combos alone with just his legs. His wrestling is good as well as timing double legs and on top, he is a big threat. He looks to be a good talent but he needs a step-up in competition. He fights Ruslan Tuyakov (3-0).

ACA 99 | Friday | Russia

Lightweight: Ali Bagov (27-10)

Bagov is a well-experienced fighter at only 28 years of age with 37 pro fights to his name. In those 27 wins, Bagov has beat guys like Bubba Jenkins, Eduard Vartanyan, Leandro Silva, Herdeson Batista, and current UFC fighter Ramazan Emeev. Bagov is totally a grappler/wrestler. He doesn’t have much on the feet, but his ability to close the distance and level-change to get the fight to the mat is quite smooth. His nickname is “The Hulk” and it suits him well as he is very strong and tough to get away from when he gets ahold of his opponents. Bagov’s jiu-jitsu is slick as displayed by his 22 wins by submission. His submission threats are complemented by heavy ground-and-pound. He fights Khusein Khaliev (19-1).

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

Lightweight: Khusein Khaliev (19-1)

Khusein Khaliev is a fantastic, well-rounded fighter. He has 11 wins by submission, but it’s his stand up that really illustrates his skill. The way he strings together his kicks, including his spinning kicks, in with his combinations is amazing. On the feet, he mainly relies on his kickboxing. He attacks every limb and has the ability to use spinning kicks, which he executes better than most fighters. He has good wrestling but he’s not the guy to pick his opponent up and slam him to the mat. He’s very good at timing his takedowns and getting trips. On the mat, he has excellent control and at times, he has relentless ground-and-pound. The prospect has a good submission base with 10 submissions. He fights the aforementioned Ali Bagov (27-10).

Flyweight: Azam Gaforov (11-0)

Gaforov is well rounded showing his background in Wushu Sanda. Being well-rounded, Gaforov prefers to stay on the feet where I would say he has a “controlled chaos” style. The Tajikistan born will always stay in his opponent’s face cutting off their angels and throwing hard looping punches over the shoulder landing flush. Gaforov has been in tough situations in the past but has always overcome everything to come back and win the fights, showing why he’s undefeated over some good talent. He fights ACA champ Yunus Evloev (23-8).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvfm3G1zceY

Lightweight: Denis Kanakov (11-1)

Kanakov has finished eight of his fights and has done it with his ground-and-pound and his stopping power in his hands. He’s aggressive and he does a great job getting the trip takedown with the body-lock applied. He doesn’t do much on top as he just keeps the position. I believe he’s better on the feet as he has heavy hands but is also quick and throws with a lot of volume. He fights Baz Mohammad (10-4).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmjUCn0oY-w

Middleweight: Magomed Ismailov (14-3-1)

With a background in combat sambo, Ismailov is a powerhouse athlete who is very fun to watch. He does have power on his feet but Ismailov has every desire to get his fights to the mat. When you tune in to watch Ismailov you would think you’re watching a professional wrestling match with the way Ismailov picks guys up and drives them to the mat. It’s just awesome. He’s insanely strong and can elevate his opponents at any time and put them down. He has a few submissions but has better ground-and-pound. He fights Artem Frolov (12-1), which should be a great fight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YIn9Z21-AQ

Featherweight: Alexey Polpudnikov (28-5-1)

Polpudnikov is a very dangerous fighter who has finished 22 of his 28 fights. He likes to stalk his opponent down and pile on the pressure. Polpudnikov is a good, precise striker and is very proficient at attacking the body with his hands and knees, as he just has some beautiful boxing skills. His wrestling is also solid, as is his counter wrestling but needs to tighten up his takedown defense still. He fights Arman Ospanov (9-2), who is a good challenge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1maMdSqBSXY

Bellator 227 | Friday | Ireland

Featherweight: James Gallagher (9-1)

Gallagher fights at a karate stance who is a solid kickboxer. Gallagher is very unpredictable with his kicks he goes to the legs, body, and head and throws spinning kicks and throws with some heat. Even though he is so good on the feet, all of his best work is on the mat. James has very good wrestling and movement on the mat he can get dominate positions, rain down ground and pound, and go for the chokes. He fights former UFC fighter Roman Salazar (13-9), who he should beat.

Middleweight: Norbert Novenyi (3-0)

Novenyi is only 3-0 as a pro but had some experience as an amateur at 3-0 as well. He is a Hungary native, but he trains out of a top camp in the UK, London Shootfighters. Novenyi is a primary wrestler that has slick jiu-jitsu with three career submissions. He hasn’t stayed on the feet too much but has some nice footwork and a good kicking attack along with nicely cut angles showing his training with the London Shootfighters. The cardio does worry me so it will be interesting to see the longer his fight goes. He fights Will Fleury (6-1), who is a step up but someone I’m not impressed with.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySVhG3EkXz0

Flyweight: Jake Hadley (3-0)

England’s Hadley may only be 4-0 as a pro but he went 7-2 as an amateur and has mainly been dominate thus far. He hasn’t really had much time on the feet, but it seems he knows what to do if he can’t get the fight to the mat. Hadley is a good wrestler but it’s his jiu-jitsu that is his best aspect. His transitions are smooth as his ability to take the back is well done. He’s a big submission threat with eight career submissions. He fights Blaine O’Driscoll (7-2), who is a good test.

Bellator 228 | Saturday | California

Featherweight: Juan Archuleta (22-1)

Archuleta is a wrestler first who has yet to find a foe who can stuff all of his takedowns. Archuleta times his offensive wrestling well and he is very strong on top, and he moves well and constantly throws ground-and-pound in any position. His striking has come a long way and that’s with his feints and big knockout power. Archuleta is riding a lot of momentum with 18-straight wins. He fights Patricio Pitbull (29-4) for the featherweight title.

Featherweight: AJ McKee (14-0)

McKee has very good wrestling and is able to get many takedowns in a fight. McKee’s athleticism means he can get the easy double leg or just suplex his opponent to the mat. On top, McKee moves well but his control and top position are what stand out. McKee’s striking is good and still improving, he is strong in the clinch and likes to use knees, and from range he’s started to use more of his kickboxing skills, even getting a head kick KO in his career. McKee is also getting better at keeping his opponent at his preferred range, even with his ever-improving striking, the mat is where he really shows his high skill level. He fights Georgi Karakhanyan (28-9-1)

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

The post Weekly MMA Prospect Report: Bellator’s Two Events and Beyond appeared first on Cageside Press.

Here’s a look at last year’s list, with Bevon Lewis and Anthony Hernandez (who headlined the prelims of UFC Brooklyn on ESPN to kickoff 2019) both making it to the UFC in 2018:

• Anderson Goncalves
• Reinier de Ridder
• Roman Kopylov
• Mike Shipman
• Bevon Lewis
• Anthony Hernandez
• Idris Gezalov
• Cezary Kesik
• Brendan Allen

Jun Yong Park

27 | 6’0″ | South Korea | 10-3 | 8 Finishes | 5 KO/TKOs, 3 Submissions (2 Rear-Naked Chokes, Anaconda Choke) | Combined Opponents’ Record: 56-20 | Best Win – Ray Cooper (11-3)

Jun Yong Park started off his MMA career with an up-and-down record, going 3-3 in his first six fights. Park hit a spark with a win in November of 2016 and then went on to win his next six fights with five finishes. Park is arguably one of the best Korean prospects right now, and is for sure the best in the middleweight division.

Park has the fan-friendly style Korean fighters are known for and loves to put on a show. When Park fought Glenn Sparv in July, Sparv was riding a six-fight win streak and was close to a deal with the UFC. Park ruined Sparv’s UFC hopes with a three-round beatdown in a very impressive striking performance. Park also has a win over Ray Cooper, who has been tearing it up over at PFL.

Gamzat Khiramagomedov

24 | 6’0″ | Moscow, Russia | 7-0 | 4 Finishes | 3 KO/TKO, 1 Submission (Guillotine) | Combined Opponents’ Record: 52-18 | Best Win – Alexey Butorin (12-2)

Gamzat Khiramagomedov is a name that has flown massively under the radar. With already a few big setbacks in his career, not fighting often has had him go unknown to even the more hardcore fans. If Gamzat is healthy, he can be one of the top prospects in Russia. The Russian hardly ever shoots for takedowns, but he has success when he does so, meanwhile, his stand-up is far superior. Gamzat does have a problem throwing single shots with not much volume. With that said, he does have laser accuracy and a quick release.

He does a great job at controlling range when facing an aggressive opponent while moving backward, landing beautiful counters. Gamzat is very diverse and creative with his hands and legs while cutting slight angles perfectly. His contract with ACB may hold him back from the UFC but I do think if there is an opportunity he’s a must for the division.

Brendan “All In” Allen

23 | 6’2″ | Slidell, Louisiana | 10-3 | 100% Finish Rate | 4 KO/TKO, 6 Submissions (4 Rear-Naked Chokes, Triangle, Americana) | Combined Opponents’ Record: 79-41 | Best win – Sidney Wheeler (5-1)

Brendan Allen has already been in so many memorable fights at a young age of just 23. His only losses are to current UFC fighters Eryk Anders, Trevin Giles, and Anthony Hernandez. His grappling is outstanding. He has great scrambles and moves very freely on top, and he can take the back or the mount with ease. Allen can either rain down elbows for the TKO or grab a choke, so it will take a skilled fighter to beat him on the mat.

In terms of stand-up, he’s not bad at all. He keeps good distance by throwing long strikes and leg kicks, but doesn’t have a lot of power. He likes to get into the clinch to get knees flowing, along with mixing in takedowns. Allen is finally the LFA champ and in my opinion, there is no rush getting him to the UFC, but the Contender Series would be a good idea.

Isi Fitikefu

25 | 5’8″ | New South Wales, Australia | 5-0 | 4 Finishes | 3 KO/TKO, 1 Submission (Kimura) | Combined Opponents’ Record: 10-4 | Best Win – Josh Della (4-1)

As Australia is producing talent more each year and more at a higher level, Fitikefu could be the next big thing out of the country. It is hard to tell right now how good Fitikefu is, as he hasn’t fought truly tough competition yet, but it can only be so good until he signs with the UFC or another major promotion.

He is a solid wrestler who has an aggressive and relentless pace with effective chain wrestling. He has one submission win on his resume, but he relies more on his ground and pound. On the feet, Fitikefu has big power in his hands and his right hand is a loaded gun that puts guys to sleep. It seems like he can make the move down to 170 eventually, but overall he has all the tools to be a successful middleweight.

Punahele “Story Time” Soriano

26 | 6’0″ | Oahu, Hawaii | 5-0 | 100% Finish Rate | 3 KO/TKO, 2 Submissions (2 Rear-Naked Chokes) | Combined Opponents’ Record: 14-7 | Best Win – Jhonoven Pati (4-1)

Both Fitikefu, who is listed above, and Soriano are very similar fighters with a description of a wrestler with knockout power. Soriano does have a wrestling background and he is good at capitalizing on that art being his first discipline. With his perfect finish rate, he has stopped all his opponents in the first round. Soriano doesn’t get paid by the hour as he goes out there swinging heavy leather looking to put his opponent away from the start.

He is untested for the most part, but he stands out. Dana White watched Soriano last June while airing an episode of Lookin’ for a Fight where he won via TKO in only 45 seconds. Since then, he’s won another fight for the LFA promotion, the number one feeder to the UFC. There’s a real possibility that he’ll be fighting on the Contender Series this summer.

Roman Kopylov

27 | 6’2″ | Novosibirsk, Russia | 8-0 | 100% Finish Rate | 8 KO/TKO | Combined Opponents’ Record: 95-56 | Best Win – Abusupyan Alikhanov (9-2)

Roman Kopylov is currently under contract with Fight Night Global and is also their title holder with one defense to his name. It’s unknown how many fights he has left on his contract, but Kopylov is one of the best Russian prospects out there and he needs to be fighting at a high level. Kopylov is a three-time hand-to-hand combat fighting world champion. That background has made him a very bright talent and given him the potential to be the future of Russian MMA.

Kopylov is quite advanced on the feet, favoring combinations with up to four strikes at a time. His ability to cover distance with kicks and stepping knees is great. Kopylov is a very methodical fighter with excellent fight IQ and vision and there is no doubt he is one of the best prospects in not just Russia, but the world.

Chibwikem Onyenegecha

24 | 6’3″ | Richmond, California | 7-0 | 6 Finishes | 6 KO/TKOs | Combined Opponents’ Record: 13-6 | Best Win – Anthony Adams (9-0)

Chibwikem Onyenegecha last fought on the Contender Series last summer, beating a tough Anthony Adams. He wasn’t awarded the contract and many other fans weren’t impressed with the young man, but I was. Onyenegecha is a kickboxer who has nifty footwork bouncing around lightly. He’s athletic and a finisher who hits very hard at range and even in the clinch where he possesses great strength.

He showed in his last fight that he has good cardio, which was a question of mine, but he kept a great pace throughout three rounds. Onyenegecha hasn’t fought since his bout on the Contender Series, so we could possibly see him on again this summer.

Vladimir Mineev

28 | 6’1″ | Vladimir, Russia | 11-1-1 | 10 Finishes | 7 KO/TKO, 3 Submissions (2 Rear-Naked Chokes, Guillotine) | Combined Opponents’ Record: 130-69 | Best Win – Maiquel Falcão (37-9)

Mineev has been a staple of Russia’s Fight Night Global promotion for a long time, fighting nine times for them. With that said, his contract is likely coming to an end and he would be a solid pick up for the UFC. He has several good wins, most notable being former UFC fighter Maiquel Falcão, who actually beat Mineev in an awful decision victory in the fight prior. Mineev is also coming off a draw against Magomed Ismailov where I thought he clearly won. I’ve had my doubts in the past about his cardio, takedown defense, and head movement, but he has grown well into a martial artist. The Russian has a dynamic offensive striking attack with excellent output with his hands and kicks, and his wrestling is underrated as well.

Cezary “Lubelski Czolg” Kesik

28 | 6’0″ | Radom, Poland | 7-0 | 6 Finishes | 5 KO/TKO, 1 Submission (Guillotine) | Combined Opponents’ Record: 14-9 | Best Win – Jan Kwiaton (4-1)

Cezary Kesik was on my list last year but didn’t fight at all in the year of 2018, so I’m hoping for some better luck this year. Kesik is very underrated and is one of the best, if not the best, Polish prospect out there. Kesik is exciting, bringing an aggressive kickboxing style with a lot of power in his hands with five finishes by way of KO/TKO.

If needed, Kesik will take the fight down where he is really talented with position control and transitions. Kesik is the current Thunderstrike Fight League middleweight champion, the same promotion UFC light heavyweight Michal Oleksiejczuk came from. Could Kesik be the next to follow?

Mike “Seabass” Shipman

28 | 6’0″ | England | 13-1 | 100% Finish Rate | 8 KO/TKOs, 5 Submissions (2 Guillotines, 2 Anaconda Chokes, D’Arce Choke) | Combined Opponents’ Record: 63-41 | Best Win – Craig White (10-6)

This is unlikely to happen because Shipman is currently signed with Bellator. With that said, it may be a four-fight deal and if that’s the case, then he has two fights left on his contract. It is likely that Bellator resigns Shipman, as they have done great with talent in the UK recently.

After losing his first pro fight, he has gone on to win the following 13 fights, finishing 10 of his wins in the first round. He is a threat everywhere, he has very good wrestling and his timing is perfect along with the strength he possesses, frequently getting the body lock and slamming his opponent to the mat. On top of that, Shipman is very heavy on top with excellent control and a knack for grabbing the neck, winning all five of his submissions by a variety of chokes. On the feet, Shipman has considerable power in his hands, enough to end the fight in one punch, or send his opponent to the canvas.

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