Best Prospects in action this week (Patreon)

Iron Man MMA 24 | Brazil | Friday

Matheus Henrique Correia
Curitiba, Parana, Brazil
21-years-old
Bantamweight
5-0
1 KO/TKO, 1 Submission

In just five pro fights, Correira has already proved a lot. He was the flyweight and bantamweight champ for Nacao Cyborg. He was also the Cidade da Luta bantamweight champion. Correira can wrestle and the mat is where he wants to be. He isn't bad at all on the feet but it's not his primary focus. What he does so well on the feet is press forward and throw heavy to close the distance. Correira has sustained a good gas tank to go five rounds once and three rounds twice. He's already advanced for such a young man. He fights Leandro da Silva (10-1).

UWC 35 | Mexico | Friday

Adrian Luna Martinetti
Guayaquil, Ecuador
26-years-old
Bantamweight
9-1
1 KO/TKOs, 3 Submissions

Martinetti is the current UWC bantamweight champion and this will be his first title defense. He won the title in style last February with a gogoplata. His wrestling I wouldn’t rate too high but his overall ground game shines. Martinetti will lose positions at times but even off his back he’s attacking and scrambles well. He does a good job at staying active and is always working. Even though he is a submission threat his gas tank has held up very well. Martinetti fights Juan Campos (9-12) who is set up for failure.

Alan Martinez
Riverside, California, US
25-years-old
Flyweight
4-0
2 KO/TKOs, 2 Submissions

Martinez is undefeated as a pro and amateur. He’s 3-0 as a pro and 3-0 as an amateur. He was the KOTC champion as an amateur and is undefeated as a pro fighting in Mexico. Martinez is a glue-like grappler with a strong submission base. He gives no space when doing work and actively hunts for the finish. He's run through his competition so far so we need someone that can actually test this guy. Roberto Luna (3-1) is his next opponent and is a decent step up.

Ares FC 7 | France | Saturday

Abdoul Abdouraguimov
Nantes, France
26-years-old
Welterweight
14-1
1 KO/TKO, 10 Submissions

Russian-born Abdouraguimov had a background in freestyle wrestling and Brazilian jiu-jitsu before switching over to MMA. He's the current Ares FC welterweight champion and this is his first title defense. When you watch Abdouraguimov from his fights in Brave CF in early 2018 he's a completely different fighter. On the mat, Abdouraguimov does excellent work with grappling, but on the feet, he is unpredictable and just needs to be more technical. he fights Karl Amoussou (27-9-2).

Akhmed Salamov
Paris, France
28-years-old
Middleweight
4-1
4 Submissions

Salamov is a highly praised prospect out of the MMA Factory in Paris. He's a primary grappler who holds four submission victories. His wrestling is a work in progress but has good size so when he gets ahold of guys he gets in down. Salamov is a strong positional grappler with smothering pressure. He can attack submissions everywhere and is always threatening to finish. I need to see more but he has the blueprint to really be something. He fights Jose Galindo (5-0) who he should beat.

William Gomis
Paris, France
25-years-old
Featherweight
9-2
5 KO/TKOs, 1 Submission

Gomis didn't jump out to me until last year and has really impressed me. Gomis is a really dangerous guy when he blitzes forward and off his back foot. He throws a lot of good kicks and his hands compliment his offensive output. He does a fine job of always staying busy. Not the cleanest on the mat but he can wrestle and grapple when needed. It’s going to be tough to figure out Gomis on the feet where he’s so tricky. I really like Gomis and think he can be something one day. He fights Renan Barao which will be a huge win for the young Gomis.

Slim Trabelsi
Tunis, Tunisia
29-years-old
Heavyweight
3-0
2 KO/TKOs

Trabelsi is an interesting heavyweight prospect. He's still getting started in MMA but was a freestyle wrestler. Trabelsi was set to be an Olympic wrestler and was a silver medalist in the African Wrestling Championship. Trabelsi doesn't have the biggest record but with that said, his style is a nightmare at the weightclass. His Olympic wrestling and mauling ground game looks to be a serious problem. He fights former UFC fighter, Luis Henrique (13-8).

Kirill Kornilov
St. Petersburg, Russia
31-years-old
Heavyweight
13-0-1
9 KO/TKOs, 1 Submission

Kornilov is a former kickboxer who has competed for Glory. Kornilov has that kickboxing background but in his MMA career, it’s his hands that he has got the job done. 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 Shamil Gaziev (7-0) who is a tough test but I think he wins.

Cage Warriors 140 | UK | Friday

Justin Burlinson
Sunderland, England
25-years-old
Welterweight
7-1
2 KO/TKOs, 5 Submissions

Burlinson has knockout power and good striking fundamentals. He is better on the ground with effective jiu-jitsu. He’s a big threat with submissions holding thirteen career wins by that method. Burlinson is just 25 years old and in a weightclass that is still not as strong he's gonna be a top guy. He's fighting former UFC fighter Rhys McKee who is a tough opponent.

Caolan Loughran
Tyrone, Ireland
26-years-old
Bantamweight
5-0
2 KO/TKOs, 2 Submissions

Loughran has shown glimpses of his capability on the feet. It's been quick feet and light footwork. His movement to attack and retreat and move laterally is very smooth. Fighting with his lead right hand forward, his left, that he throws straight down the pipe, is a piston of a weapon. Loughran also likes to mix it up with his legs throwing a lot of kicks. The speed in his hands and hips alone make him a dangerous guy on the feet. Wrestling is where Loughran transcends. It’s at best when he’s mixing in his wrestling and striking. His timing on his level changes is usually spot on. If he can’t get the takedown right away he does a good job driving in on the legs and hips to work guys to the mat. Credit his vision, size, and speed for the reason his wrestling is so valuable. He's fighting Festus Ahorlu (5-0). 

Federico Pasquali
Sarzana, Italy
28-year-old
Featherweight
7-0
4 KO/TKOs, 2 Submissions

Pasquali has a really good jab and a right he throws behind it. He does get hit a lot but has proved to have a good chin. He’s always going to be in the face cutting off the cage and his leg kicks make a difference. Outside of being a dangerous striker he does have fair wrestling and has slick grappling. It seems as though he does need to work on his cardio, which is perhaps his biggest flaw. Still green but has a lot of talent. He fights Harry Hardwick (8-3).

Harry Hardwick
Middlesbrough, England
26-years-old
Featherweight
8-3
1 KO/TKO, 3 Submissions

Hardwick isn’t easy to hit or take down, and he’s hard to put away. He usually starts slow but comes back stronger. Hardwick is a volume-based fighter that excels in mixing it up to the body and head while mixing in kicks as well. His pace is what breaks guys. Taking him to the mat isn’t safer. Hardwick has a dangerous guillotine and if you make it past that he’s good off his back. Hardwick has looked really good lately and this win could propel him to the UFC. He fights Federico Pasquali (7-0).

James Power
Wakefield, England
30-years-old
Welterweight
3-0
3 KO/TKOs

Power is 3-0 as a pro and went 3-0 as an amateur. He has a 100% finish rate as a pro and amateur. Power has a K-1 background as he went 12-3 as an amateur and won four K1 amateur titles. Even though it's easy to look great against the guys he's fighting but his striking looks high-level. His jab to his kicks going to the legs, body, and head while throwing the straight punches and nasty clinch work. His takedown defense has been tested and he's defended all of it with a strong base. He fights Adam Shelley (4-0)

Super League MMA 3 | Germany | Saturday

Karomatullo Sufiev
Tajikistan
25-years-old
Lightweight
6-0
2 Submissions

Sufiev doesn't have much to offer on the feet but is a high-level wrestler. He can wrestle at a high pace for three rounds going the distance four times. His wrestling in general is good and can chain wrestle very well. Sufiev often you will see him lift and slim guys generating a lot of power. To complement his wrestling his top control is solid. He's all over his opponents and when they get back up they go back down. Sufiev is gonna beat a lot of guys with just his wrestling alone. He fights Lee Hammond (3-0) who has some hype but I think he wins.

Lights Out Championship 8 | US | Saturday

Austin Bashi
West Bloomfield Township, Michigan
20-years-old
Bantamweight
6-0
2 KO/TKOs, 1 Submission

Bashi is a young man at twenty years old. His wrestling is his bread and butter. He can put his wrestling on his opponents all fight long, going three rounds three times. He stays all over his opponents with fluid grappling and a strong base. The wrestling is top-notch and he has solid cardio. Bashi is already so good now he's gonna be great in the future. Bashi fights Chris San Jose (8-1) who is a strong test.

Fury FC 65 | US | Sunday

Mo Miller
Clevland, Ohio, US
29-years-old
Bantamweight
7-1
4 KO/TKOs, 1 Submission

I usually don't put a prospect on here just coming off a win but I like Miller enough to do so. Also, I think he beats Jose Johnson more than he loses. Miller has a background as a wrestler being a three-time All-American at Notre Dame. Of course, Miller has good wrestling but he does have some bright spots on the feet. He throws a good one-two and his right hand is dangerous. Miller has the style to go far with his patient but technical approach on the feet and some solid wrestling to dominate a fight with. He fights Joshua Weems (9-2) who I like as well but I think Miller wins.