Best Prospects Performances From July (Patreon)

Featherweight, Ramiro Jimenez (6-0)

This was a fun first round fight. Both guys was letting their hands go. Jimenez did have his kick caugh early and had his back taken. He got out of the position never being in any danger. Jimenez was looking good with his hands going to the body often. He was getting hit but did well at slipping punches. He threw a kick where the knee connected dropping his opponent. Jimenez landed some nasty ground and pound that shoulv'e been stopped a lot sooned. He got the savage finish to remain undefeated.
Grade: B-

Featherweight, Gabriel Alves Braga (8-0)

This was arguably the best Braga has looked and done it over a good opponent in Faeez Jacobs. Round one I had Braga winning a 10-8. He dropped Braga early with a right hand. He almost secured a darce choke and got two takedowns. His hands looked good as usual but this time Braga won off takedowns and top control. He landed around five takedowns and was landing active ground and pound. He dominated and really mixed it up.
Grade: A+

Bantamweight, Murad Magomedov (12-0)

Usually the wrestler, Magomedov looked good with his striking. In round one the takedown wasn't happening for him so it was a competitive round. In round two Magomedov was landing well with his hands and kicks. He landed a left jab to a left hand sitting his opponent down. He thought it was over but saw it wasn't stopped he jumped on top. His opponent gave his back to the feet and Magomedov took his down and sunk in the winning RNC. It was an odd finish but good to see the wrestler show more of his skillset.
Grade: B-

Bantamweight, Ali Taleb (7-0)

This was a highly anticipated fight for me. Taleb is on my radar and Oliveira is ranked in my top ten worldwide. The fight was madness and it delivered 100%. In round one Oliveira was doing good chopping away at the lead leg and landed that right hand hard a few times. At the last minute, he was clipped in an exchange and barely survived the round. Round two was all Oliveira. He strung together his punches and kept attacking the leg of Taleb. He dropped Taleb with a right hand and he landed a lot of ground and pound to the bell. In the third round, Oliveira was feeling himself hitting on all cylinders finding his rhythm, and taunting Taleb. He let his guard down and Taleb landed a massive right hand and the extra shots put the Brazilian out cold. I feel for Oliveira cause he was looking great but Taleb is the new UAE bantamweight champion.
Grade: A

Flyweight, An Ho (2-0)

The fight only lasted 14 seconds and holy shit what a brutal head kick knockout. His opponent was long on a right hook and Ho stepped to the side and landed a massive right head kick. It landed flush lifting the opponent's feet off the mat. Highlight reel finish and something I'll remember forever.
Grade: A

Middleweight, Alfonso Leyva (6-0)

His opponent Daniel Reis is a BJJ guy and didn't want anything to do with the striking of Leyva. He was getting tagged and went for a takedown in round one but Leyva got it on top. At the final seconds of the round Leyva landed some puches that had Reis shaken. Right away in round two Reis pulled guard. Not a good decision as Leyva landed smashing elbows. Reis covered up and took it and the ref stepped in. Leyva is a really good prospect at middleweight.
Grade: A

Light-heavyweight, Bruno Lopes (10-0)

Brazil's Bruno Lopes dominated a good dude out of Paraná Vale Tudo. Lopes was putting his hands together and if would've stayed on the feet long I think he would've got the knockout. His opponent wanted the fight down but Lopes slung him down right into mount. Lopes did threaten with an RNC but it was the arm-triangle that closed the show. Really good guy to watch for at 205.
Grade: A-

Bantamweight, Mehdi Baidulaev (14-2)

Baidulaev mauled his opponent to a decision win. He landed a nasty leg kick that hurt his opponent bad. It was his wrestling though and some active ground and pound that won him the fight. He was all over his opponent and smothered on top with some very good ground and pound. Very surprising he couldn't finish the guy.
Grade: C+

Flyweight, Lone’er Kavanagh (4-0)

Kavanagh got dropped briefly in round one but this fight was all Kavanagh. His movement was very effective moving in and out really keeping his opponent stuck on the outside. He dropped his opponent a bunch of times with a lot of leg kicks. It was his in and out movement sticking and moving and fighting in bursts that won him the fight. Has that excellent flyweight style.
Grade: B

Lightweight, Mike Figlak (8-0)

Figlak looked great against former Cage Warriors champ Agy Sardari. He was wobbled in round one but this fight was one-sided. Figlak used some wrestling and his ground game was good on top. He had Sardari against the cage the whole fight while Figlak was teeing off. Figlak was landing awesome combinations to the body and head putting a huge workload on Agy. Somehow Agy made it to a decision but will be hurting in the morning.
Grade: A

Lightweight, Gauge Young (5-0)

Not a lot to talk about prior to the finish. Young was measured in his performance and was picking his spots. Young dropped his opponent with a straight right and an extra grounded right hand put the guy stiff out cold. Young put a statement on the FAC lightweight division.
Grade: B+

Welterweight, Mikey England (7-1)

England started off the fight throwing some heavy heat on the feet winging some punches and head kicks. He went back to his roots getting the body lock takedown. He threatened the back and landed a lot of ground and pound. As the fight looked like it would see a round two he sunk in the RNC getting the tap. He needs a step-up in competition badly next.
Grade: C+

Bantamweight, John Sweeney (11-3)

Sweeney looked good but missing weight by four pounds is no good. He did really good while talking a lot of crap and mocking Ricardo Dias. Sweeney outstruck Dias and did it through three rounds. He was just quicker than Dias beating him to the punch. It was the striking of Sweeney that won him the fight and ended the fight in full mount landing punches. Crazy enough it was a split decision which is absurd.
Grade: B

Lightweight, Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani (5-1)

This was a crazy finishing sequence from Lebosnoyani. In the first five seconds, he stunned his opponent with a right hand and then landed a flying knee to a jumping guillotine. He switched to an anaconda choke and when that didn't work out he switched to a nasty scarf hold armlock forcing Caleb Hall to tap handing him his first loss. Beautiful submission grappling from Lebosnoyani.
Grade: A

Featherweight, Hyder Amil (7-0)

This fight was just madness from Amil and Chase Gibson. Round one Amil had Gibson on his back a few times but Gibson had his back and at one point had a standing RNC sunk in. Somehow Amil survived and made it to the second round. Right away in round two Amil landed a right hook and then another right hook folding Gibson. The ref stepped in right there stopping the fight. Amil is all action and won this fight after popping his rib in the first round.
Grade: A

Welterweight, Tyson Miller (4-0)

Miller was at a huge height disadvantage being eight inches smaller. Miller although the smaller guy was having success right away with the leg kicks. Miller exploded with with a big left hook putting the guy out cold. Miller remains undefeated with a 100% finish rate.
Grade: B

Welterweight, Raheam Forest (5-0)

Forest with a great performance is starting to make a name for himself. Early in the fight Forest lunged forward with like an eight-strike combination. He started with a hook to the body and ended with a head kick with some rights and lefts in between. They tied up and Forest kicked the guys leg out from underneath him. Forest was too aggressive trying to take the mount and let his opponent on top. He then let the guy on his back and threaten him with an RNC. Forest escaped out the back door and got top position. He used an americana to take the mount and as the guy turned away Forest switched to an armbar and went belly down. The guy tapped and Forest remains unbeaten. Forest looked outstanding and showed a lot in just almost three minutes.
Grade: A+

Bantamweight, Cristhian Rivas (8-1)

Rivas put on a dominant display of wrestling. Across three rounds I counted at the very least twenty-nine takedowns. When he got wobbled early on that's when he decided to put on a wrestling display. Over and over while draped across the back of his opponent he kept throwing him down. While actively throwing his opponent down Rivas was constantly landing ground and pound. Even more impressive than his wrestling was his cardio. Rivas never slowed down and never stopped.
Grade: A

Flyweight, Bakdaulet Abekenov (4-0)

This fight was high paced all because of Abekenov. He did go to his back in the first round just missing on a flying knee. He did throw up an armbar and then a triangle. It looked tight but did have the back at the end of the round landed ground and pound. Right away in round two he sprawled off a takedown and got top position. He moved to the crucifix position and after some short shots the ref stepped in. Someone at 125 to watch for when he fights again.
Grade: B-

Welterweight, Quintezs Sapp (2-0)

Sapp ducked under a punch getting a big takedown seconds into the fight. His opponent got to his feet but Sapp had his hands locked and slammed him right back down. The other guy had a kimura lock but Sapp used it to take the mount. From there Sapp went right to the back and locked in an RNC for the tap. Still young as a pro but that's now two first-round RNC's.
Grade: C+

Featherweight, Dawid Śmiełowski (10-0)

This was a fight I was anticipating between two prospects out of Poland I like in Smielowski and Pat Kaczmarczyk. In round one Kaczmarczyk was all over Smielowski taking him down a few times. Smielowski did a really good job though getting right back to his feet every time. Smielowski kept his composure and in round two landed a front kick to the liver shutting down Pat for the stoppage. Smielowski is to never be counted out in any of his fights.
Grade: C+

Lightweight, Park Si Won (7-1)

Won fought patiently but still got the first-round finish. He was effectively using his length sticking on the outside with the jab and straight punches. Off an exchange, he tagged his opponent with a straight left hand. A follow-up four-punch combination dropped his foe. As he got to his feet Won landed a knee and another left dropping him and sending the ref in. Won is now the Road FC lightweight champion.
Grade: B

Welterweight, Kaleb Rideout (7-2)

Rideout and another good prospect Kevin Jousset threw down for five rounds for the Eternal welterweight title. It was a grueling fight where Rideout landed some takedowns and had Rideout on his back. It was enough to result in a split decision but Rideout by far dished out more damage. Rideout threw a lot of odd techniques lake standing hammer fist/tomahawk punches and was punching the keg of Jousset. Rideout was using a lot of spinning shit and was just flowing in the cage. It was fun and Rideout is always a joy to watch.
Grade: B+

Bantamweight, Renat Khavalov (6-0)

Khavalov defended his EFC title handing Ramazan Amaev his first loss. The first round was slow but in round two Khavalov got a quick takedown. He landed some nasty elbows butting the head of Amaev. Round three he continued his mauling after timing a knee and getting the fight down. Khavalov landed good ground and pound and took the back still landing and the ref stepped in. One of the best prospects from Russia.
Grade: B+

Light-heavyweight, Magomed Gadzhiyasulov (5-0)

Gadzhiyasulov had a big height advantage and used it well. He was dancing around the cage switching stances and kicking at the legs. He landed a nice knee to the body that hurt the other guy. He tried landing a showtime kick but got the takedown shortly after. Gadzhiyasulov went into the mount quickly and ended by a ref stoppage. Looks really intriguing at light-heavyweight.
Grade: B

Bantamweight, Steven Koslow (6-0)

Once the fight got to the mat we saw that slick jiu-jitsu from Koslow. At first, Koslow almost had a standing triangle locked in. A kimura attempt did allow his opponent to take his back but just briefly. Koslow would take the back himself. His opponent was able to stand up but with Koslow on the back and the RNC was in and it was all over. Koslow has to get a step up in competition.
Grade: B+

Lightweight, George Hardwick (10-1)

Hardwick beat battered contender series veteran Kyle Driscoll. Driscoll did land some punches even busting up the nose of Hardwick. The problem was Hardwick never stopped pressing forward and inflicting damage. It was the right hook over the top, the left to the body, and kicking the lead leg that made Driscoll's night really rough. Although he had Driscoll in defense mode it wasn't until round three he got dropped with a body shot. In round four Hardwick landed a left to the body and a right up top putting Driscoll down and the ref stepped in. What a performance from Hardwick and is now the cage warriors champ.
Grade: A+

Featherweight, Islam Omarov (12-0)

Omarov in the moments on the feet had good movement but it was the wrestling that was the difference. He was timing his takedowns well and his execution was perfect. Omarov had good positional grappling and was all over his opponent. When his opponent got back to his feet Omarov got it back down. Omarov had the fight down against the cage and as he worked to get back up Omarov dropped for a guillotine for the tap.
Grade: B

Bantamweight, Auttumn Norton (2-1)

Norton looked outstanding in that fight taking the "0" from Maria Djukic. She was feeling herself moving around a lot, talking some crap, and her head movement was really nice. She dropped Djukic with a left hand in the first and wobbled her another time with a right and then a left. Norton was a bloody mess from her nose but the fight was all her. In round two she dropped Djukic with a counter left. She slung Djukic down and Norton landed heavy ground and pound sending the ref in. That was a savage performance from Norton and she's on my radar now.
Grade: A

Strawweight, Isis Verbeek (4-1)

This was a badass fight between two feared strikers Verbeek and Melissa Oddessa Parker. Both ladies had a lot of moments but it was Verbeek at the start, Parker in the middle, and Verbeek in the end. Verbeek threw and landed a jumping switch knee a few times. At the start of round two she dropped Parker flush with one. Parker is so tough and won round two coming back and hurting Verbeek at the end of round two. Verbeek just got off more damage with her knees and leg kicks but it was a hell of a fight.
Grade: B+