Issue 126
March 2015
As MMA’s global explosion starts to deliver the next generation of superstars, this year’s list of the world’s hottest prospects features more European fighters than ever before. The future is here
There was once a time in mixed martial arts when American wrestlers were seen as the greatest prospects on earth. The dominance of practitioners of the grappling art at the top of the sport was too strong to deny and the conveyor belt of talent out of schools and colleges fueled the sport. However, as 2015 takes shape, the MMA pendulum has started to swing across the Atlantic towards Europe.
For the third edition of Fighters Only’s acclaimed annual list of the world’s hottest prospects, we’ve unearthed some true gems from across the pond. If you thought the success of fighters like Alexander Gustafsson, Conor McGregor, Vitaly Minakov, Ruslan Magomedov and Khabib Nurmagomedov were simply sporadic, think again. There’s an entire new wave of Europeans coming and they’re chasing gold.
Sure, the US and Brazil have their fair share of talent coming through the ranks too, but sport’s growth in places like Scandinavia, Dagestan and Poland means 2015’s crop of potential superstars is populated by more Europeans than ever before.
Here are FO’s picks of MMA’s top 25 international prospects. From submission maestros to one-punch knockout artists and unbeaten striking sensations, we present our Class of 2015...
KO KINGS
Luke Sanders
Age: 29 / Division: Bantamweight
Location: Clarksville, Tennessee
Gym: The MMA Lab / Pro record: 9-0
What they say: “Luke has a good friend that lives in Arizona, so when he came down for a visit, he came into the gym to check it out. He liked it at The MMA Lab and decided to come back for his camps. He has a home gym in Tennessee, but has done his last four camps with us. What impresses me most is how hard he works. Luke works his tail off in practices and comes to the fights ready to go. He’s also a ferocious competitor in the cage. He’s an awesome person too, a great guy to be around. I expect Luke to be able to compete at the highest level. He should be in the UFC already. But when he gets there he’ll make his mark in a big way.”
John Crouch, MMA Lab head coach
Yosef Ali Mohammad
Age: 26
Division: Heavyweight
Location: Malmo, Sweden
Gym: Avam / Pro record: 4-1
What they say: “Yosef is a special athlete. He’s built like a middleweight, but he’s a full-blown heavyweight. He has quick hands, with power in both and isn’t afraid to use them. Just watch his late 2013 eight-second KO at Superior Challenge. With good ground skills developed at AVAM in Malmo, he also has a solid submission game. Look for much more from him and his improving skills in 2015.”
Ryan O’Leary, MMA Viking editor
Pannie Kianzad
Age: 23 / Division: Bantamweight
Location: Helsingborg, Sweden
Gym: Rumble Sports / Pro record: 7-0
What they say: “Pannie is very dedicated and passionate about her MMA career. Her self-belief and desire give her an edge over many of her opponents. She also emphasizes on doing things the right way, so her technique is spot on, as she always listens to her coaches, whether we’re talking striking or grappling.”
Tue Trna, Rumble Sports head coach
Abubakar Nurmagomedov
Age: 24 / Division: Welterweight
Location: Makhachkala, Dagestan
Gym: Fight Spirit Team / Pro record: 8-1
What they say: “Much like his older brother and UFC lightweight contender Khabib, Abubakar is an incredibly well-rounded fighter. His wrestling is magnificent, he’s got plenty of power in his hands and he also has a good submission game too. Like Khabib, his striking needs attention, but with his fight IQ it won’t take long for him to challenge some of MMA’s leading 170lb’ers.”
Aundre Jacobs, FO assistant editor
Sheymon Moraes
Age: 24 / Division: Bantamweight
Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Gym: Team Nogueira / Pro record: 7-0
What they say: “Sheymon Moraes is way better than that guy who fought at WSOF 16. The Muay Thai specialist finally made his promotional debut with a close win in December, coming off a knee injury and only one bout in two years. He’s worth keeping an eye on and will eventually challenge Marlon Moraes for the bantamweight title one day.”
Guilherme Cruz, MMA Fighting Brazil correspondent
SUBMISSION STARS
Justin Rader
Age: 28 / Division: Featherweight
Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Gym: Lovato’s School of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu / Pro record: 3-0
What they say: “Justin is a driven, young, up-and-coming fighter with all the tools and especially the drive to make it to the top of MMA. Keep watching him as he rises and and gets more exciting with every fight.”
Mark Beecher, Hyena Muay Thai head coach
Ryan Hall
Age: 29 / Division: Featherweight
Location: Arlington, Virginia
Gym: Tristar Gym / Pro record: 4-1
What they say: “In my opinion, Ryan has the best BJJ for MMA I’ve ever seen. All grapplers take note, his unique style works in all situations: gi, no-gi and very much so in MMA. His ability on the ground is incredible.”
Firas Zahabi, Tristar Gym head coach
Mizuki Inoue
Age: 20
Division: Strawweight
Location: Nagoya, Japan
Gym: Hakushinkai Karate
Pro record: 8-3
What they say: “Mizuki Inoue is one of the most talented strawweights on the planet. Can you believe she’s only 20 years old? Even with her extensive kickboxing experience, she’s managed to win over half her MMA bouts by submission. She’s the total package. Her fight with Karolina Kowalkiewicz at Invicta FC 9 was one of the best fights of 2014. Expect to see her back in contention very soon.”
Shannon Knapp, Invicta FC president
Toni Tauru
Age: 29 / Division: Bantamweight
Location: Utti, Finland
Gym: MMA Utti / Pro record: 10-1
What they say: “Toni Tauru really turned heads in the last year. He brings a classic Scandinavian grappling style, but also a willingness to dig deep and rough-up his opponents from any position. With seven of his 10 wins by submission, Tauru is a fantastic finisher who can capitalize on opponents’ mistakes. He could go really far and he will be a tough test for anyone in a stacked European division.”
Ian Dean, Cage Warriors matchmaker
Rafael Lovato Jr
Age: 31 / Division: Light heavyweight
Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Gym: Lovato’s School of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu / Pro record: 1-0
What they say: “What impresses me most about Rafael Lovtato Jr is not only that he’s one of the greatest American BJJ practitioners to ever compete, he’s also got a strong background in striking too. That will serve him well in his burgeoning MMA career. He’s no spring chicken, but he certainly has a solid base to succeed.”
Aundre Jacobs, Fighters Only Assistant Editor
WRESTLING ROYALTY
Kamaru Usman
Age: 26
Division: Welterweight
Location: Delray Beach, Florida
Gym: Blackzilians
Pro record: 5-1
What they say: “I’ve been really impressed with how Kamaru has taken to the striking game. At first he was a bit awkward, but his striking, especially with his hands, has improved quite a bit and he’s starting to show it even more during his fights. Obviously, he’s a powerful wrestler and I believe he’ll be able to use that same power with his striking too.”
Henri Hooft, Blackzilians striking coach
Phil Hawes
Age: 26 / Division: Middleweight
Location: Little Ferry, New Jersey
Gym: Jackson-Wink MMA / Pro record: 3-0
What they say: “Phil is a very strong wrestler who is becoming an explosive striker. He’s able to close the gaps very well and throws a lot of punches and kicks at crazy athletic angles. I believe he’s going to be a true force to be reckoned with in the future.”
Mike Winkeljohn, Jackson-Wink head striking coach
Saba Bolaghi
Age: 25 / Division: Featherweight
Location: Frankfurt, Germany
Gym: Team MMA Spirit / Pro record: 3-0
What they say: “Bolaghi was the brightest prospect in a struggling German freestyle program over the last decade, winning a couple of fairly prestigious international tournaments and placing as high as seventh in the World Championships. He has immense physical gifts. When he took to the mat one of the first things that jumped out was his movement and impressive build. This bodes well for him as an MMA prospect.”
Mike Riordan, Bloody Elbow wrestling correspondent
Gregor Gillespie
Age: 28 Division: Lightweight
Location: New York City, New York
Gym: Long Island MMA / Pro record: 3-0
What they say: “Gregor Gillespie is an extremely talented fighter. He’s one of the most accomplished wrestlers in the whole sport of MMA. I’m sure he will join many ROC alumni and enter the ranks of the UFC this year and progress to become a great champion in the sport.”
Lou Neglia, Ring of Combat promoter
Mark Madsen
Age: 30 / Division: Welterweight
Location: Nykobing Falster, Denmark
Gym: Butcher’s Fight Gym / Pro record: 2-0
What they say: “Mark has shown a real mean streak inside the cage. He likes to strike for damage and throws a high amplitude with nasty intentions. The Dane isn’t a point fighter, but a finisher. Fans can’t wait to see him face higher-level competition to see what he’s made of, but with his wrestling pedigree and attitude it’s easy to predict him climbing the ranks in Europe quickly.”
Ryan O’Leary, MMA Viking editor
UNBEATEN & UNTOUCHABLE
Jack McGann
Age: 21 / Division: Lightweight
Location: Liverpool, England
Gym: Wolfslair / Pro record: 7-0
What they say: “I have known Jack since 2007 when he was just a little kid to me then. He was fighting but he was small and always against much bigger kids but you could see the fight in him. He grew up fast and now he’s the bigger guy. I said it then and I’ll say it again now, he will be a GOAT (god of all things)”
’Rampage’ Jackson, UFC light heavyweight
Agnieszka Niedzwiedz
Age: 19 / Division: Bantamweight
Location: Katowice, Poland
Gym: Gracie Barra Lodz/Koral FT / Pro record: 7-0
What they say: “Although she may come primarily from a grapple-heavy camp, it’s her aggression and the way she’s hunted down her opponents that’s got people talking. She’s content to throw down and land bombs and uses her grappling to set-up more punishment via strikes or look for submissions. All signs point to another young Polish fighter with a promising future.”
Ian Dean, Cage Warriors matchmaker
Katlyn Chookagian
Age: 26 / Division: Flyweight
Location: Jersey City, New Jersey
Gym: Team Renzo Gracie / Pro record: 2-0
What they say: “I found Katlyn. She’s part of the Renzo Gracie team. She’s an unbelievable talent. She competes with some of the smaller guys in the room. Everyone needs to keep an eye on her. I’m a huge fan of Katlyn and think she has a bright future in front of her.”
Ali Abdel-Aziz, WSOF vice president
Martin Buschkamp
Age: 24 / Division: Featherweight / Location: Tuttlingen, Germany
Gym: Frota Team Nogueira / Pro record: 8-0
What they say: “Martin’s grappling, takedowns and positioning are sublime. Although I believe work commitments have slowed his career down, an active 2015 could well see him move up to the next level and it will be interesting to see how he will do in a competitive division. If his game keeps evolving he will be a tough test for anyone.”
Ian Dean, Cage Warriors matchmaker
Mateusz Gamrot
Age: 24 / Division: Lightweight
Location: Poznan, Poland
Gym: Ankos Zapasy Poznan
Pro record: 8-0
What they say: “Gamrot is a real danger at 155lb – not only in the European scene, but possibly beyond the region too. Before his CWFC debut I was impressed with his wrestling and strength as he punished opponents on the floor – at times seemingly toying with them. You only have to look at the records and pedigree of the last five guys he’s beaten to see he really is a top prospect and one to watch in 2015.”
Ian Dean, Cage Warriors matchmaker
STRIKING SENSATIONS
Timur Valiev
Age: 25 / Division: Bantamweight / Location: Makhachkala, Dagestan
Gym: Jackson-Wink MMA / Pro record: 8-1
What they say: “Timur grew up in Dagestan alongside Rustam Khaiblov (UFC lightweight). He’s actually kind of like Rustam’s little brother. He has such a great wrestling base that it’s made mine and Brandon Gibson’s job as striking coaches very easy. He’s picked up on the unpredictability we employ at our gym and he’s able to do that so well.”
Mike Winkeljohn, Jackson-Wink head striking coach
Alexandre Pantoja
Age: 24 / Division: Flyweight
Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Gym: Nova Uniao / Pro record: 15-2
What they say: “As if Nova Uniao wasn’t heaving with great fighters already, Alexandre Pantoja might turn out to be the best of them all. Much like José Aldo, Renan Barao and Eduardo Dantas, Pantoja is as dangerous on the feet as he is on the ground. He had a stellar RFA debut, choking Matt Manzanares unconscious to claim the promotion’s 125lb title. If he continues to evolve, he could be the next star of the flyweight division.”
Aundre Jacobs, Fighters Only assistant editor
Gleristone Santos
Age: 26 / Division: Featherweight
Location: Campina Grande, Brazil
Gym: Brazilian Top Team / Pro record: 27-4
What they say: “Gleristone is one of the best featherweight prospects out of Brazil and could be easily fighting in the UFC today if not for the complicated relationship between Brazilian Top Team leader Murilo Bustamante and the UFC. Winner of 17 of his past 18 fights, Santos will likely be in the UFC after he cleans up the Titan FC’s featherweight division.”
Guilherme Cruz, MMA Fighting Brazil correspondent
Stephanie Eggink
Age: 26 / Division: Strawweight
Location: Miami, Florida
Gym: Gracie Tampa / Pro record: 4-2
What they say: “What isn’t there to love about Stephanie Eggink? She was three minutes away from becoming strawweight champion in 2014. At five-foot-eight she has a very long frame for her weight class and her experience on the US National Boxing Team proves she’s one of the most dangerous strikers in the 115lb division. Her ground game is no joke as well. She’ll be out to work her way back up the ladder in 2015 and challenge for gold yet again.”
Shannon Knapp, Invicta FC promoter
Eduard Vartanyan
Age: 23 / Division: Welterweight
Location: Moscow, Russia
Gym: Fight Club Number 1
Pro Record: 8-1
What they say: “For a young fighter, Eduard Vartanyan has the fight IQ of someone who has been in mixed martial arts for much longer than his record suggests. The best part about his game is his strength in the clinch. He mixes up his striking and takedowns especially well in that area, constantly keeping his opponents guessing as to where he’s going to attack from. He has room for improvement but his base is strong enough for him to suggest he’ll be a threat to some top fighters in the near future.”
Aundre Jacobs, Fighters Only assistant editor
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