Issue 111
February 2014
Following the incredible success of last year’s Fighters Only-selected young prospects, here’s the next generation of currently unsigned talent that’s destined to light up your favorite fight cards soon. Welcome to the future of mixed martial arts.
This is Planet MMA’s hottest prospects for 2014
Over the last 12 months, the performances of the Fighters Only class of 2013 speak for themselves. With a combined record of 41 wins against just five defeats, the 25 fighters we handpicked for fame and fortune back in February 2013 have well and truly justified their selections.
Most of the unknown fighters we picked 12 months ago have gone on to fight in top-tier promotions such as the UFC, Bellator, One FC and World Series of Fighting. They’ve contested an array of promotional title belts, and we even introduced you to the winner of the 18th season of The Ultimate Fighter – long before he even made it inside the TUF house.
And while you’ve been able to enjoy sitting back and educating your friends with your FO-assisted knowledge of major promotion debutants prior to their successes, we’ve continued to monitor the MMA landscape, searching out the next group of fighters to make an immediate splash. And this year we’ve found another group of outstanding prospects that are perhaps even more exciting than last year’s batch.
We’ve unearthed an array of bone-breaking submission specialists, consciousness-separating knockout artists, blazing young guns that are barely legal to drink, and femme fatales with both Invicta FC and the UFC fixed on their horizon. Plus, we round things off with a handful of the very best Asian and Eastern Europeans that are beginning to light up rings abroad!
Here’s your annual chance to get the inside scoop on some of mixed martial arts’ soon-to-be stars, and in 12 months’ time we’ll be back to remind you where you heard about them first…
Raoni Barcelos
Age: 28 / Featherweight / 7-0
From: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Gym: Laerte Barcelos Team/Ruas Vale Tudo
“Raoni Barcelos is one of the best talents of 2013 in Brazil, and should impress in the international market really soon. He’s explosive, but the most important thing about him is that he’s smart and focused. Barcelos trains with Pedro Rizzo and Glover Teixeira and has something most of the Brazilian fighters don’t have: a great wrestling game. He has competed in wrestling at the 2007 Pan-American Games in Rio, so he has the ability to take the fight to the mat, where he can use his jiu-jitsu or keep it standing, where he can finish you with his heavy hands.”
– Guilherme Cruz, MMAFighting.com writer
Jonas Bilharinho
Age: 23 / Bantamweight / 4-0-1
From: Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
Gym: Team Nogueira
“Bilharinho is one of the good, promising talents coming up from Team Nogueira, but he still needs to be tested against more well-rounded opponents. He has three stoppage victories in Jungle Fight, and maybe Wallid Ismail can match him against a good grappler so ‘Speed’ can prove he’s for real.”
– Guilherme Cruz, MMAFighting.com writer
Holly Holm
Age: 32 / Bantamweight / 6-0
From: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Gym: Jackson/Winkeljohn MMA
“Holly has been with me since she was 16 years old and started fighting right towards the end of high school. She went on to win multiple world titles and beat every female fighter you could ask her to face. Our goal is to make sure she becomes the best female fighter of all time. The great thing about Holly is that her MMA striking is better than her boxing because you use small gloves in MMA, which are advantageous to her style of fighting because she uses her movement so well. I think we’ll see non-stop highlight-reel moments from her in the future.”
– Mike Winkeljohn, Jackson-Winkeljohn MMA coach
Anthony Hamilton
Age: 33 / Heavyweight / 11-2
From: Washington, US
Gym: Jackson/Winkeljohn MMA
“The thing about Anthony is that he’s very smart, and he understands the game and the big picture. He has a wrestling background, but I’ve been on at him for years to strike more and I think people are starting to see that play out. Now we’ve got more of a double-trouble situation, because people might be worried about the wrestling, but they can’t defend against it too much because he can knock you out.”
– Mike Winkeljohn, Jackson-Winkeljohn MMA coach
Mike Rhodes
Age: 24 / Welterweight / 6-1
From: Iowa, US
Gym: Roufusport
“Mike is the best training partner for our guys who are in the UFC, and he’s only just turned 24 so he’s still a young guy in the sport. He’s a solid athlete, who also embraces the mentality of working hard. I believe he’s one of our top kickboxers, but he’s also a very good wrestler too. At this stage in his career he wants to master his craft and defend the RFA welterweight title, and when he’s ready, he’ll move on into the deep welterweight division in the UFC.”
– Duke Roufus, Roufusport head coach
Anthony Avila
Age: 24 / Featherweight / 11-2
From: Lemoore, California, US
Gym: Team Alpha Male
”Anthony is a really great fighter who I’m pretty sure is going to get called up to the UFC soon. He’s got really good boxing and good wrestling too, a really solid ground game. However the one thing I’ve noticed from training with him and watching him fight is that he rarely ever gets hit, he’s so elusive. He’s almost like Lyoto Machida in the way that he moves and dodges strikes. He’s also a finisher, I think he’s got something like eight first-round finishes. I expect to see him in the UFC with me one day.”
– Andre Fili, Team Alpha Male teammate
Aljamain Sterling
Age: 24 / Bantamweight / 8-0
From: New York, US
Gym: Serra-Longo Fight Team
“Aljamain Sterling has a great wrestling pedigree. His nickname is ‘The Funkmaster’ for a reason. He is very unorthodox, he is very explosive, he is very tricky.
“Plus he has great jiu-jitsu, and he also has great striking and is very well rounded.
“He kind of reminds me of a guy with the body type of a mini Jon Jones.”
– Ray Longo, head coach of Ray Longo MMA Academy
Carlos Diego Ferriera
Age: 28 / Lightweight / 9-0
From: Texas, US
Gym: Team Ferriera/ Silverback Fight Club
“Carlos Diego Ferreira is a legitimate undefeated talent who has already proven capable of besting competition on the North American regional scene. Ferreira earned most of his early career wins with his slick submission skills, but since joining the LFC roster has shown he can go the distance as well, be it three or five rounds. Ferreira still has work to do on his striking, but if he can bring his skills on the feet anywhere close to what he possesses on the mat, the 28-year-old will be a dangerous outing for opposition on all levels.”
– Mike Bohn, MMAJunkie.com contributor
Graham Spencer
Age: 29 / Lightweight / 10-1 (1NC)
From: Canada
Gym: Team Alpha Male/Impact MMA Nanaimo
“MFC lightweight champion Graham Spencer isn’t going to be worrying many with stand-up, but his jiu-jitsu would give the UFC’s 155lb’ers some concerns. The Canadian splits his training between the Great White North and Team Alpha Male in California. A decision win over UFC vet Shane Nelson doesn’t hurt his 10-1 (1 NC) record, although at least one (T)KO win might mean that a UFC call comes quicker.”
– Richard Cartey, FO associate editor
GUAN WANG
Age: 26 / Featherweight / 12-1
From: Beijing, China
Gym: Xi’an Sports University
“Having fought in China his entire career (AOW, Legend FC and RUFF), Wang has been one of the top Chinese MMA prospects for some time. He suffered his first loss during his last fight with undefeated Russian prospect Bekbulat Magomedov by way of decision. A former Olympian, Wang is known as one of the hardest hitting fighters in the country. He began martial arts at the age of 14 as a sanda combatant and is a member of the highly touted Xi’an Sports University team, the deepest, most talented stable of fighters in China.”
– Michael Hackler, AsianMMA.com contributor
Isao Kobayashi
Age: 25 / Lightweight / 14-1-4
From: Yokohama, Japan
Gym: Sakaguchi Dojo
“Kobayashi is on a 10-fight unbeaten streak in Pancrase with his last loss coming to One FC featherweight champ Koji Oishi. Isao has stunning KO power and knows how to finish a fight, which he showed when he finished Kenichiro Togashi in under 20 seconds of their fight in December of 2012. Isao has fought with Pancrase most of his career and is their current lightweight champion. He also holds a win over UFC veteran Kazuki Tokudome, whom he knocked out in the first round at Pancrase Impressive Tour 13 in December 2011.”
– Michael Hackler, AsianMMA.com contributor
Shizuka Sugiyama
Age: 26 / Bantamweight / 10-3-1
From: Japan
Gym: Zendokai Yokohama
“A very experienced fighter, Sugiyama has competed with Deep and Jewels (now Deep Jewels). She has a very strong following in Japan due to time competing in those organizations, and at 26 years of age, and with the experience she has in the cage, if she chose to fight in the USA, she could have an immediate impact with Invicta FC. Also, being a bantamweight, the UFC’s deepest division for the ladies, picking up a few wins would be imperative before making the switch to the big time. She has dabbled with shootboxing, has a heavy striking game and recently she has been finishing opponents with her fists. Fun facts: Sugiyama was born in New York City and is also a very talented rugby player.”
– Michael Hackler, AsianMMA.com contributor
Michinori Tanaka
Age: 23 / Bantamweight / 9-0
From: Yokohama, Japan
Gym: Reversal Gym / Yokohama GroundSlam
“A 23-year-old prospect out of Japan’s GroundSlam, Tanaka has a grappling-heavy MMA game and has won five of his nine fights by way of submission. He is the current PXC bantamweight champion and has experience as a main eventer and as a champion. He’s also received high praise from teammates Michihiro Omigawa and BJ Kojima.”
– Michael Hackler, AsianMMA.com contributor
Jumabieke Tuerxun
Age: 27 / Bantamweight / 14-0
From: Xi’an, China
Gym: Xi’an Sports University
“The former Legend FC champion has reportedly been signed by the UFC although it hasn’t been confirmed. He turned down a fight to compete as RUFF China’s first national MMA champion to pursue free agency. A teammate of Guan Wang at Xi’an Sports University, Tuerxun is also a consistent finisher having stopped half his bouts.”
– Michael Hackler, AsianMMA.com contributor
Ruslan Magomedov
Age: 27 / Heavyweight / 11-1
From: Moscow, Russia
Gym: MMA Academy Russia
“Part of the new wave of heavyweights to come out of Russia, Ruslan Magomedov has already defeated former UFC heavyweight champions in Tim Sylvia and Ricco Rodriguez. Like the other Dagestani fighters who have recently popped up, Magomedov has good wrestling, good boxing and has spent some time working with Greg Jackson.”
– Aundre Jacobs, FO assistant editor
Viktor Pesta
Age: 23 / Heavyweight / 8-0
From: Czech Republic
Gym: Penta Gym Prague
“Six-foot-four Czech heavyweight Viktor Pesta has one preferred finishing method above all others: strikes from the crucifix position. There’s barely a bout in his 8-0 career where he hasn’t gone for it, and several where it has earned him a bloody, brutal win. A lack of power in his takedowns at the moment might mean he struggles to implement that game against someone with smart defense, but he’s only 23 with plenty of years to put in on the mats and pack on the muscle. Should he keep winning and finishing (as he has with 75% of his bouts) don’t be surprised to see the UFC pick Pesta up as it makes inroads into Central Europe.”
– Richard Cartey, FO associate editor
Karolina Kowalkiewicz
Age: 28 / Flyweight / 4-0
From: Lodz, Poland
Gym: Gracie Barra Lodz
“Kowalkiewicz really caught the eye when she defeated flyweight veteran Simona Soukpouva in 2013. She’s a very good all-rounder who seems to be able to mix up her strikes and takedowns very well. Most importantly, with the UFC creating a 115lb division in 2014 the KSW champion could very well be on her way to the US sooner rather than later.”
– Aundre Jacobs, FO assistant editor
Marina Shafir
Age: 25 / Featherweight / 3-0 (amateur)
From: Soroca, Moldova
Gym: Glendale Fight Club/Gracie Barra Northridge
“Shafir may only be an amateur right now, but being a long-time friend and training partner of Ronda Rousey is a great way to start any mixed martial arts career, especially when you’ve got zero professional fights to your name. Like Rousey, she has a very strong judo background and recently won the Tuff-N-Uff women’s featherweight title, and once she turns pro will probably be looking to make a name for herself in Invicta FC.”
– Aundre Jacobs, FO assistant editor
Bekzod Abdurakhmonov
Age: 23 / Lightweight / 4-0
From: Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Gym: Team NoWhere
“Bekzod is hard to peg in terms of athleticism. You see lots of guys like him who come from the Caucasus region and Central Asia who don’t really look athletic, but really are. I think he’s in that category. You don’t execute the sort of slick technical wrestling he has without being very athletic. Bekzod has some nice top skills, which makes a big difference in the transition to BJJ-style grappling. Bekzod has a ton of talent and is a very good prospect. You should expect to see him fight in the UFC and do respectably.”
– Mike Riordan, Bloody Elbowcontributor
Ricardo Lucas Ramos
Age: 18 / Featherweight / 4-0
From: Sao Paulo, Brazil
Gym: Andre Gomes Team/Impacto Jiu-Jitsu
“Ramos is only 4-0 in MMA, but he achieved one of the upsets of the year in Brazil by defeating Allan Nascimento in Sao Paulo. Nascimento was building his record back up again after a disappointing loss to Will Campuzano at Legacy FC, and nobody expected ‘Carcacinha’ to be able to threaten him. He did, but still is too young to point as a future champion.”
– Guilherme Cruz, MMAFighting.com contributor
Mario israel
Age: 29 / Bantamweight / 9-0
From: Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
Gym: Top Life Amazonas
“Mario Israel is another good prospect from Amazonas, Brazil. He hasn’t fought so many tough opponents throughout his career, but his last win, Ricardo Vieira, proved he is a talent to keep an eye on. Vieira is far from the best, but only two were able to beat him before (UFC’s Rony Jason and RFA’s Pedro Munhoz), and Israel stopped him at Jungle Fight.”
– Guilherme Cruz, MMAFighting.com writer
Jordan Stiner
Age: 27 / Featherweight / 6-0
From: Hatfield, Pennsylvania, US
Gym: Renzo Gracie Jiu-Jitsu PA
“With an unblemished record in his young career, Jordan Stiner has made some noise on the northeastern regional scene in the United States since his MMA debut in 2012. The 27-year-old has won an equal number of fights by knockout, submission and decision, a record that, despite his inexperience, shows he is far from a one-dimensional mixed martial artist.”
– Mike Bohn, MMAJunkie contributor
Renato Carneiro
Age: 23 / Bantamweight / 7-0
From: Brasilia, Federal District, Brazil
Gym: Constrictor Team
“‘Moicano’ is one of the top prospects in the bantamweight division in Brazil today. He’s fought his entire career at Jungle Fight, with wins over the likes of Iliarde Santos and Joao Paulo Souza, so he’s proven to be good enough to sign with a major promotion outside of Brazil. The UFC recently passed on him when they needed a replacement in the bantamweight division, signing Wilson Reis.”
– Guilherme Cruz, MMAFighting.com writer
Henry Cejudo
Age: 26 / Bantamweight / 5-0
From: Pheonix, US
Gym: Fight Ready
“In terms of pure wrestling skills and physical abilities, he’s without a doubt the best MMA prospect ever to come out of the American wrestling scene at 135lb
or below. His Olympic gold medal came, essentially, out of nowhere and then he disappeared. We should keep in mind the fact that unlike almost every American wrestler in MMA, Cejudo is a freestyle wrestler first and an American folk-style wrestler second.
“He never wrestled in college competition. This rather unique wrestling background may manifest itself in his fighting at higher levels where he is able to take opponents down easily, but might not possess other elite wrestlers’ uncanny ability to keep his opponent on the ground.”
– Mike Riordan, Bloody Elbow contributor
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Wondering what exactly happened to the Fighters Only prospects of 2013? Here are just a few of the highlights enjoyed by our graduating class…
Much in the same way that16th century seer Nostradamus was said to have been able to predict the future, here at Fighters Only, we decided last year to see if we could foretell which of MMA’s prospects would make the step up and join the ranks of the elite.
And as prescient as we were, even we failed to truly predict how successful our class of 2013 would go on to be.
Now, with a new generation of fighters taking over from last year’s graduates, we take a quick look back at what our top-25 prospects for 2013 managed to achieve.
The most successful of the 25 has to be Team Alpha Male bantamweight and recently crowned TUF 18 champion Chris Holdsworth. Seen by many as a very talented grappler with rudimentary striking skills, Holdsworth surprised many when he showed how well-rounded his skill-set actually is when he defeated Louis Fisette, Chris Beal, Michael Wooten and then Davey Grant at the TUF Finale to earn himself a coveted UFC contract.
But Holdsworth wasn’t the only FO pick in the house, because he was joined by another of our top tips, Canadian grappler Josh Hill.
Many of our prospects won and defended their regional circuit titles too, showing an early ability to win the gold. Sergio Pettis won two titles in two different weight classes when he defeated Dillard Pegg via devastating knockout for the RFA flyweight strap and then submitted James Porter three months later for the NAFC bantamweight title.
Lance Palmer took the RFA featherweight title in a back-and-forth five-round decision victory against Jared Downing, Lowen Tynanes won the King of the Cage Jr. welterweight strap and highly-touted Brit Tom Breese earned himself the BAMMA British welterweight title when he took out Warren Kee in early 2013.
Sean Strickland defended his King of the Cage middleweight title three times on the trot in 2013, while Sean Santella defended his Cage Fury Fighting Championship title twice and Kyoji Horiguchi managed to hold onto his 132lb Shooto title.
A number of our prospects were also signed up to the big promotions in 2013. Justin Scoggins, Alex Garcia, Jared Rosholt, Pettis and Horiguchi were all signed by the UFC last year. Elsewhere, Michael Page was snapped up by Bellator and Chris Gruetzemacher, Lance Palmer and Rick Glenn signed contracts with WSOF. Lastly, Joanne Calderwood was one of the first 11 females to instantly get a chance to fight on the 20th season of TUF where she will compete against 15 other women for a chance to be the UFC's first strawweight champion.
It's clearly been an incredibly successful year for our fighters, as they swept up titles and earned accolades from fans, fellow fighters and coaches from around the world, and most importantly proved to everyone who might have doubted them that they are the true stars of the future.
Photo Credits: Michael Dantas, Gong Kakutogi, Legend FC, Sherdog, Tapology, Twitter
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