Best prospect performances from February (Patreon)

Featherweight, Isaac Thomson (4-1): Thompson moved his win streak to two with a first-round stoppage. He was throwing a lot of feints and then blitzing in with the one-two. He then started throwing some kicks behind the jabs and feints. Thomson dropped his opponent with a check left hook and some extra GNP sent the ref in. Thomson is underrated and someone to watch for.
Grade: B-

Flyweight, An Ho (3-0): Ho started off the fight by taking the back and taking the fight down. He was there on the back for a while but didn't finish. Ho used a lot of feints and stance switches to throw his opponent off. In round two in the clinch he rolled for a leg getting the sweep and finished with a kneebar. It was such a beautiful submission.
Grade: A-

Middleweight, Jacod Du Plessis (4-0): Started off a little slow but Plessis was sharp this fight. It stayed on its feet the entire time and Plessis did almost everything perfectly. He was landing the jab actively and throwing a lot of body kicks. He was doing some great work with his pull counter piercing his opponent up. In round three he had his opponent covering up from a barrage of knees. The fight was stopped cause the guy wasn't trying to move. Good performance from Jacob Du Plessis and he's now on my radar.
Grade: C+

Bantamweight, Kim Jong Hun (5-0): First time watching Hun and he looked good. In round one he was getting the body lock isolating his opponent's leg and rolling for a takedown. Every time it didn't look like he was gonna win the position but his scrambling was on point. In under a minute into round two Hun landed a right-left dropping the guy and the ground and pound sent the ref in. He is already 31 so I'd like to see him more often.
Grade: B-

Flyweight, Jessie Rosas (3-0): Rosas already has some intention on him being the older brother of UFC fighter Raul Rosas Jr. This was an easy fight for Jessie but he did beat a bum. Rosas landed a body kick to an easy takedown. He sliced into the mount and then took the back. His opponent was defending the choke well so Rosas transitioned to the armbar. It was a nice transition and he got the guy to tap.
Grade: B-

Featherweight, Evgeniy Ignatiev (20-2): Ignatiev had a well-rounded performance. On the feet, he was never throwing the same strike back to back. He actively had combinations going to the body-head. His body work like always was fantastic. He landed a head kick and landed a few good leg kicks and a couple of spinning kicks to the body. Ignatiev mixed in four takedowns and in the third he finished with an arm-triangle. Very good showing and I hope he gets to a big promotion next.
Grade: A+

Welterweight, Temirkhan Temirkhanov (8-1): Moving into his fifth straight win with a head kick knockout. Temirkhanov was using a lot of feints with his hips before firing heavy kicks. Always looking to explode he barely missed with a flying knee. Not long after he landed a head kick as his opponent was out before he hit the mat. I need to see more of Temirkhanov but the dude is violent.
Grade: C+

Bantamweight, Abdul Kamara (6-1): Kamara was tested against a BJJ black belt. His opponent Torres was very aggressive. Kamara had to deal with a lot of pressure and takedown attempts. He defended all takedowns which were in deep and even almost got a standing guillotine at one point. Kamara got hit a few times but was picking his shots on a more careless opponent. Torres threw a blind leg kick and Kamara counted with a massive overhand right knocking him out. It was such a huge overhand for a massive knockout. I was impressed with his composure, defense, timing, and power by Kamara.
Grade: B

Middleweight, Zachary Reese (4-0): Reese got a big fight with TUF 29 alum Aaron Phillips. It didn't last long as Reese made quick work. Reese went with a flying knee that missed. Phillips grabbed the single leg but left his neck exposed. Reese sunk in that high elbow guillotine and put Phillips to sleep on his face. All that in just under a minute.
Grade: B-

Featherweight, Matheus Camilo (5-2): I wasn't a fan of Camilo before but he got me here. He beat a good regional guy too in jake Heffernan. Camilo had good footwork and Heffernan never got comfortable. There was one sequence where Camilo landed a heavy body-head combination. He landed some heavy outside leg kicks that were doing damage. Camilo got the takedown from a foot sweep and quickly got in a position to crank the arm for the kimura. A solid win from the Brazilian.
Grade: B

Welterweight, Isaac Moreno (5-0): What a showing from the Texan Isaac Moreno. Moreno took control of the range from start to finish. He used excellent footwork and a lot of side kicks to the midsection to maintain his range. He landed a few nasty oblique kicks as well that did some damage. Moreno had solid defense all around and mainly with his head movement and getting right out of the way. When he threw it was set up and very sharp. I like his jab and how he was throwing off that. I liked his in and out short combos he was throwing. Eye-opening performances.
Grade: A+

Flyweight, Alberto Trujillo (8-2): I've never given credit to Trujillo before but I am now. I was most impressed with the constant pressure he had. He had a big height disadvantage but he made the fight happen in close. Trujillo was throwing a lot of out mixing it up. He went to the body and head a few times. He landed a lot of knees and elbows in the clinch. Trujillo was taken down a few times but always got back up. I went from not thinking he's that good to think he may be UFC level. He is now a two-time Fury FC flyweight champion.
Grade: B

Bantamweight, Cameron Smotherman (8-3): Smotherman is now the Fury FC bantamweight champion. Round one was a little slow. He still showed good patience and everytime he threw it was more the one punch. In round two Smotherman came out more aggressive. He threw a few ghost strikes and came with a left cross. It landed clean for the big knockout. Smotherman has to be close to a big promotion.
Grade: B-

Lightweight, Abdullo Khodzhaev (3-0): Khodzhaev put on a kickboxing clinic barely even throwing his hands. I was surprised Khodzhaev didn't finish but he comfortably won. He was throwing a bunch of flash with switch kicks, wheel kicks, and landing the most was the spinning back kick to the body. Khodzhaev blasted his opponent up high, low, but to the body he did his best work. He hurt his opponent in round two with a body kick. He used his kicks to set the pace never letting the guy get anything going. Khodzhaev kept the fight in his range because his takedown defense was strong.
Grade: C+

Featherweight, Dennis Buzukja (10-2): Something Buzukja was lacking to crack into the UFC was finishes. He got it this fight but it was a 7-7 opponent. Buzukja did come out swinging heavy and hitting hard. He landed a few glancing blows and a flying knee to the body that was nice. He changed it up and got an easy takedown. His opponent just took ground and pound and although most of the punches weren't getting through he wasn't moving and the ref stepped in. It was against a bum but this is the best Buzukja has looked in a while.
Grade: C+

Bantamweight, Bekzat Almakhan (15-1): This was a good fight between two good prospects in Almakhan and Mauro Mastromarini. Mastromarini won round three dropping Almakhan and landed an elbow that gashed Almakhan. Rounds one and two were Almakhan. He landed a lot of takedowns that won him minutes. Mastromarini was more squared and wide with his striking so Almakhan was lighting him up with good combinations. Mastromarini proved he's good but Almakhan is the better prospect. Not by much though.
Grade: B-

Strawweight, Josefine Lindgren Knutsson (5-0): This was a good fight between two good female prospects being her and Jacinta Austin. I like Austin but I expected her to get worked in this fight. She did very well and took Knutsson to a split decision. Both women on the feet landed a few good shots on the feet. A lot of this fight was in the clinch and on the mat. Both had a lot of success but Knutsson was winning the position more. Her wizard was strong and in round two did have the back. She was more active but barely won.
Grade: C+

Bantamweight, Bernardo Sopai (10-2): This fight didn't last long being just thirteen seconds. The first punch Sopai threw was an overhand right. It landed on the button and put his opponent out face first. Sopai is now the FCR bantamweight champion. Not a lot to go off the performance but still what a knockout.
Grade: B+

Bantamweight, Jake Pilla (3-0): I thought about not putting Pilla on this but he's been on a nice run since his amateur career. Pilla quickly ran across the cage and got in on both legs scooping and planting his opponent. Landing in side control he already was in position for the von flue choke. That's what he finished within just thirty seconds.
Grade: C

Flyweight, Steve Erceg (9-1): His opponent came all the way from Japan just to get schooled. The guy rushed forward and Erceg cut the corner and jumped to the back. He interlaced a leg a kicked his opponent to the mat. On the back in full control Erceg quickly finished with the RNC. Such a smooth transition to get on the back. Erceg is such a good grappler.
Grade: A

Bantamweight, Rakhim Midaev (11-1): I was very much looking forward to this fight leading in. Midaev is someone I am extremely high on. Denis Lavrentyev is someone that I and many others know so well. I picked Midaev for the upset but didn't expect him to finish Lavrentyev so easily. Lavrentyev did muscle Midaev to the ground early but he bounced back up. It was the kicks of Midaev to the body that was giving Lavrentyev all the issues. He landed two nasty left kicks to the body shutting down Lavrentyev. It was all over and Midaev scored the biggest win of his career.
Grade: A+

Featherweight, Losene Keita (10-0): Keita just keeps moving up levels and he did again beating a good prospect in Samuel Bark. Bark is supposed to be the top-notch striker but Keita treated him as an amateur. Everything Keita did was perfect. He was using a lot of feints and traps freezing Bark. Keita was landing the straight left/jab and the power right hook. He was also mixing in some kicks and knees as everything he threw was with power. At the end of round two, he drooped Bark with a right hand. Still seeing blood Keita came out hot in round three. In just thirty seconds he dropped Bark with a shovel left hook and some huge rights hands on the mat sending the ref in. Outclassing Bark like that on the feet is something special.
Grade: A+

Bantamweight, Hugo Paiva (6-1): Paiva took this fight on one day's notice against Contender Series alum Erisson Ferreira. He walked down Ferreira landing heavy leg kicks and attacking the body-head. Paiva was landing some nasty combinations going up high and low. He constantly had Ferreira shelling up from Paiva digging to the body. Paiva finished with a head kick sneaking it through dropping Ferreira and the fight was over. This was a career performance from Paiva as he looked sensational.
Grade: A+

Middleweight, Virgil Augen (4-0): The fight was nothing special or flashy but Augen dominated. He controlled the whole fight with his present wrestling and heavy top control. He was controlling the positioning very well. Aguen never got close to finishing the fight but did always work getting dominant positions a few times. He ended the fight going for a guillotine.
Grade: C+

Featherweight, Asilder Badouiev (7-1): Not a bad performance from the French fighter. His opponent was a good grappler so Badouiev kept on the outside blasting body kicks. Badouiev started to use his wrestling more and that's where he found the finish. In round two off a takedown, he was in side control and tapped the guy with a forearm choke. His opponent was being labeled as a legit grappler but ain't no legit grappler getting finished by a forearm choke.
Grade: B-

Lightweight, Turpal Younousov (4-0): Younousov buzz sawed through his opponent in under thirty seconds. He opened up with a spinning elbow that cut his opponent. The guy ducked his head, took another elbow, and then locked up a darce choke. A spotless record and a 100% finish rate so far for Younousov.
Grade: B

Featherweight, Youssouf Binate (3-0): Winning the Ares FC performance of the night Binate looked good. He sat on the outside and chewed apart the leg of his opponent. Being six-foot he was difficult to get in on and he used his length to batter the lead leg. They added up and eventually dropped his opponent getting the stoppage. Binate is definitely someone to watch for.
Grade: B+

Heavyweight, Shamil Gaziev (10-0): Gaziev adds the biggest win to his resume by putting down former UFC fighter Darko Stosic. Gaziev had no respect for the power of Stosic just coming forward and throwing a lot of output. Stosic did drop him briefly with a left hook. Saying that Gaziev bounced back up and went after him like he was doing. Stosic was already tired into round one and couldn't keep up with Gaziev. Gaziev landed a nice uppercut that ultimately finished the fight.
Grade: B-

Flyweight, Damir Tolenov (9-0): Tolenov made his second Octagon title defense. This was the best win of his career knocking out a 5-0 opponent. He was throwing a lot with the jab, leg kicks, and left hands. It was a step-in shovel left hook he sat his opponent down. His opponent took a few extra not knowing where he was at. Such a good win from Tolenov.
Grade: A

Flyweight, Grigoriy Mishin (6-0): Mishin while on the feet did a good job of mixing it up. He threw the one-two, head kick, body kick, a knee, and a question mark kick. Nothing significant was landed but he never threw the same shot back to back. He blended a takedown behind his striking. His opponent couldn't escape as Mishin was all over the position. He ended up taking the back and finished with ground and pound. I need to see more before I'm fully invested.
Grade: B-

Light-heavyweight, Yousri Belgaroui (5-2): This is the best Belgaroui has looked in his MMA career. The story of this fight was Belgaroui chilling on the outside tearing his opponent apart. He landed with his hands and kicks but those leg kicks were damaging. In under a minute in round two Belgaroui hurt the guy with a right hand and soon after finished him. Belgaroui was just flowing out there and is someone on my watch list now.
Grade: A

Bantamweight, Nora Cornolle (5-1): I've been hearing a lot about Cornolle but the footage lacks. I was excited to finally watch her but I wish I could've seen more. Her opponent hit an outside trip takedown on her but Cornolle ad the position and took her back. Cornolle flattened her opponent put and the ground and pound sent the ref in.
Grade: C+