Issue 151
February 2017
Ferris Bueller warned us that, ‘Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it.’ But as wise as he is, we still don’t listen. What’s next, what’s next, what’s next? That’s all we care about. What’s the next thing? The next smartphone iteration. The next technological gadget. The next fitness craze.
The world of MMA is no different – a winning fighter is immediately asked who they want to fight next, most times before the blood and sweat from their latest triumph has been washed away.
With Conor McGregor reportedly going to be on the sidelines changing diapers for a while, and Ronda Rousey hinting at retirement, the sport is already looking for its a next big thing.
Here are 25 fighters who can audition to fill those roles:
1: MACKENZIE DERN
Based: Phoenix, Arizona
Division: 115lb
Gym: MMA Lab
Pro record: 7-1-0
Multiple time world jiu-jitsu champion.
If anyone is poised to take over Rousey’s title as the face of women’s MMA, it’s Dern. The brilliant black belt has all the attributes needed for the position: she’s photogenic, charismatic, young and a beast in the cage. An amazing grappler, she just needs to shore up her striking skills to become unstoppable.
2: LIVIA RENATA SOUZA
Based: Sao Paulo, Brazil
Division: 115lb
Team Maximo
Pro record: 13-2-0
Former Invicta flyweight champion. The first time this BJJ black belt fought outside of her native Brazil, she captured Invicta gold. She went on to defend it successfully once.
Though she was bested by a resurgent Angela Hill in 2016, she’s still only 25 and has plenty of potential to come back stronger. This submission queen should have more golden days in her.
3: KAYLA HARRISON
Based: Danvers,
Massachusetts
Division: 145lb
Gym: Renzo Gracie Academy
Pro record: 6-0-0
Two-time Olympic judo gold medalist
An American Olympic judoka decides to give MMA a try since there is no such thing as ‘pro judo’. Sound familiar? Harrison, a former teammate and roommate of Ronda Rousey, has long hinted at a move into MMA, and she made it official this year, signing with WSOF after winning her second gold medal in the summer.
4: TAILA SANTOS
Based: Santa Catarina, Brazil
Division: 135lb
Gym: Astra Fight Team
Pro record: 15-1-0
Touted youngster with a
glossy slate
Already 15-1-0, Santos’ resume reads like a Bruce Lee movie script: KO – body punch; KO – elbows; TKO – head kick; submission – keylock. She was expected to make her Invicta debut last July, but visa issues stopped her.
But beware North American bantamweights, sooner or later she’s coming.
5: JI YEON KIM
Based: South Korea
Division: 135lb
Gym: Impact Gym
Pro record: 9-2-2
Reigning Deep Jewels & Gladiator 135lb champ It only took four fights for Kim to get gold around her waist, as she secured the Gladiator title in March of 2015, and followed that up two months later by winning the Deep Jewels crown by besting arguably China’s best female fighter, Jin Tang.
She has now moved on to the Top FC promotion to try to add another belt to her mantel.
6: STEVE KOZOLA
Based: San Diego, California
Division: 155lb
Gym: Team Quest
Pro record: 9-4-0
Well traveled, heavyhanded finisher. To say ‘Thunderbeast’ has powerful in his hands is an understatement – his last six fights all ended by KO or TKO. Having already enjoyed two wins in Bellator and one in WSOF, Kozola is no stranger to the big stage.
He’s already been approached by the UFC, so expect him on the biggest one soon.
7: BRYCE MITCHELL
Based: Searcy, Arkansas
Division: 145lb
Gym: Barata MMA
Pro record: 12-0-0
WSOF’s suffocating submission assassin ‘Thug Nasty’ is definitely that on the ground – he’s made all seven of his victims tap out. What’s more, only one fighter has made it into the second round before succumbing to his vice-like grip during his young career.
Once Mitchell gets a hold of you, your best bet is to cut your losses because there seems to be no escape.
8: PAULO HENRIQUE COSTA
Based: Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Division: 185lb
Gym: Team Rubens Dorea
Pro record: 13-0-0
Jungle Fight middleweight champion, Costa already sniffed the big time, appearing on TUF: Brazil 3 as Wanderlei Silva’s second middleweight pick.
‘Borrachinha’ lost via split decision in the elimination round to eventual runner-up Marcio Alexandre Jr, but rebounded nicely, and has maintained his perfect pro record featuring nothing but first-round finishes.
9: AMANDA LEMOS
Based: Belem, Brazil
Division: 135lb
Gym: Marajo Brothers Team
Pro record: 6-1-1
Jungle Fight bantamweight champion ‘Amandinha’ is another Jungle Fight champion with a habit of finishing her opponents quickly and violently.
Her last two fights are the only ones that went out of the first round, and she showed in her last outing that shooting for a takedown on her isn’t a good idea – she KO’d her diving opponent with a well-timed knee to the face.
10: MATHEUS MATTOS
Based: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Division: 135lb
Gym: Team Nogueira
Pro record: 12-1-1
Heavy hands and crushing chokes Jungle Fight should consider making their slogan ‘nothing but finishes’, because ‘Adamas’ is another of its fighters who has never been the distance.
He is another TUF: Brazil elimination-round casualty, but bantamweights who can bang are at a premium and Mattos has earned more wins since that mean he’s looking primed to get a shot in the Octagon.
11: TOM DUQUESNOY
Based: Paris, France
Division: 135lb
Gym: Jackson-Wink MMA
Pro record: 14-1 (1NC)
BAMMA 135lb & 145lb champion Conor McGregor isn’t MMA’s only current two-weight champion, as Frenchman and Jackson-Wink product Duquesnoy added BAMMA’s bantamweight title to his featherweight belt at BAMMA 25 in May. Not bad for a guy who legally wasn’t allowed to practice MMA in his home country of France until he turned 18.
12: RANY SAADEH
Based: Berlin, Germany
Division: 125lb
Gym: IMAG
Pro record: 9-1
BAMMA’s flyweight champion One BAMMA belt Duquesnoy doesn’t have is the flyweight one belonging to Rany Saadeh. Praised by his coaches as a sponge in the gym, Saadeh should only improve with age and experience.
His multi-fight BAMMA deal means he might not move on anytime soon, yet, time is on his side.
13: CHRIS FISHGOLD
Based: Liverpool, England
Division: 155lb
Gym: Next Generation UK
Pro record: 16-1-1
Cage Warriors lightweight champion. With 18 pro fights under his belt already, Fishgold has become a problem for all other Cage Warriors lightweights.
Need proof of how busy the submission wiz likes to keep? Having won the title in July 2016, he’s already defended it twice. His ground game is both vicious and relentless.
14: FREDDY ASSUNCAO
Based: Recife, Brazil
Division: 155lb
Gym: Ascension MMA
Pro record: 10-1
Reigning Titan FC lightweight champion Freddy will try to make it three for three for Assuncao brothers making it to the UFC.
Oldest brother Junior had two UFC runs between 2006 and 2011, while Freddy’s twin, Raphael, has been a UFC mainstay for the five years. Knee surgery stalled his career a few years ago, Freddy has won nine-straight and should definitely be on the UFC’s radar.
15: JARED GORDON
Based: Queens, New York
Division: 145lb
Gym: Renzo Gracie Jiu-Jitsu
Pro record: 11-1
CFFC featherweight champion ‘Flash’s path to becoming a professional athlete was a harrowing one.
After starting smoking marijuana at age nine, Gordon progressed into the harder stuff, resulting in numerous relapses, overdoses, technically dying for several minutes and a jail stint. Now sober for almost five years, he’s no longer known as a junkie, but rather as an MMA champion.
16: PADDY PIMBLETT
Based: Liverpool, England
Division: 145lb
Gym: Next Generation UK
Pro record: 13-1
Cage Warriors featherweight champion If Mackenzie Dern is the next Ronda Rousey, then Paddy ‘The Baddy’ could be the next Conor McGregor. Not only does he own his former Cage Warriors belt, he also has the flair, mic skills, and fanbase that put ‘The Notorious’ on the UFC’s radar. The fact he generally finishes his opponents is icing on the cake.
17: ASPEN LADD
Based: Folsom, California
Division: 135lb
Gym: MMAGold Fight Team
Pro record: 4-0
Invicta’s relentless babyfaced assassin. Why doesn’t Aspen Ladd have a nickname? According to her, it’s because “my name is weird enough.” What’s also odd is debuting in a promotion like Invicta as a teenager, then earning four straight stoppage wins.
Starting her career at 125lb, she’s since run amok at 135. ‘Constant pressure’ is her aim and she’s a fun fighter to keep an eye on.
18: KENTO KANBE
Based: Shizuoka, Japan
Division: 115lb
Gym: Alliance-Square
Pro record: 10-0
Pancrase light flyweight champion. Kanbe was the king of Pancrase’s now-defunct light flyweight (120lb) division, and he won the title in style via the dreaded heel hook.
Having made his pro debut at just 16, Kanbe already has 10 pro fi ghts on his ledger and is yet to taste defeat. The UFC could always use more quality Asian stars and Kanbe could be the youngster to fit that bill.
19: THIAGO MOISES
Based: Sao Paulo, Brazil
Division: 155lb
Gym: American Top Team
Pro record: 9-1
Reigning RFA lightweight champion. It’s rare for a 20-year-old to win a title in a respected MMA promotion like RFA, but Moises did just that, capturing the its lightweight crown in early 2016, a month before he was old enough to legally drink in the US.
He’s gone on to defend his title twice already, and being an ATT product, he’s bound to only get better with age.
20: JANAISA MORANDIN
Based: Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil
Division: 105lb
Gym: Killer Bees
Pro record: 9-0
Ruthless finisher in the smallest division. Already on the cusp of the world atomweight top 10 at the tender age of 22, The ‘Evil Princess’ has finished six of her nine opponents so far.
After missing 2015 and the chance to debut in Invicta due to injury, she bounced back this year with two more TKOs. Expect her to finally test herself against the world’s best in the US soon.
21: SHAMIL GAMZATOV
Based: Makhachkala,
Dagestan
Division: 205lb
Gym: Tataev Team
Pro record: 9-0
Blood-thirsty WSOF middleweight powerhouse. The light heavyweight division needs an injection of fresh blood, and Gamzatov might just be that blast of fresh plasma. Nine fights, nine wins, all finishes, most recently in WSOF.
A wrestler growing up, he transitioned into BJJ, sambo, and kickboxing, which all speaks to his well-rounded game.
22: MAGOMED BIBULATOV
Based: Grozny, Chechnya
Division: 125lb
Gym: MMA Factory
Pro record: 13-0
Reigning WSOF flyweight champion, Bibulatov is yet to defend the WSOF title that he won in 2015, although he’s fought twice in his homeland since, and still has two fights left on his WSOF contract.
But ‘Gladiator’ has bigger ambitions. His goal is to make it to the UFC in 2017, and some experts peg him as a difficult matchup for Demetrious Johnson.
23: RASHID YUSUPOV
Based: Republic of Dagestan
Division: 205lb
Gym: Gorets
Pro record: 6-0
M-1 Global light heavyweight champion. Another up-and-comer in the light heavyweight class is Yusupov, who secured M-1 Global’s 205lb crown early in 2016, besting two-time
champion Viktor Nemkov. All that in only his sixth pro fight and a couple of weeks past his 24th birthday.
Known for vicious kicks, Yusupov is yet another in a long line of Russians uprising in the sport.
24: ISLAM MAMEDOV
Based: Derbent, Dagestan
Division: 155lb
Gym: Champion
Pro record: 13-1
WSOF’s armbarring lightweight contender. If Ronda Rousey is the queen of armbars, then we’ve found the king. The 26-yearold Russian has reeled off six of them already – almost half of his wins come via that submission.
Yet when he joined WSOF, he earned two of the three wins on his résumé by. TKO. He’s been out of action since 2015, but is in the running for a shot at the strap when he gets back.
25: YANA KUNITSKAYA
Based: Saint Petersburg
Division: 135lb
Gym: Patriot Team
Pro record: 9-2 (1NC)
Reigning Invicta FC bantamweight champion. Even though her stunning upset to usurp Invicta champion Tonya Evinger in November was overturned, ‘Foxy’ remains on fans’ watch lists because of her performance as an overwhelming underdog at Invicta 20.
If she can get a legitimate win in a rematch, she’ll prove she’s capable of achieving great things at an even higher level.
...
