On The Come Up: Top 5 Prospects Fighting This Weekend (June 28-29)
It’s almost overwhelming at first glance just how jam-packed this weekend’s worldwide MMA slate really is. Some of the most well-known UFC feeder organizations across the globe are all in action this weekend, with the likes of Cage Warriors, M-1 Global, the LFA and Titan FC all putting on very entertaining fights on what appears, when you scratch the surface vary entertaining card this weekend thus effectively culminating .
5. Lightweight: Jack Grant (15-4) vs. Jai Herbert – Cage Warriors 106
Fighting our #3 entry on this week’s list, Jai Herbert, for the vacant Cage Warriors lightweight title will be fellow Englishman, Jack Grant. Grant has flown under the radar on the UK scene, but in the last two years, he has been putting on excellent performances and has put together a five-fight win streak. Grant is an all-action type fighter who will go for the kill regardless of if that’s on the feet or on the mat as he has a knack for putting guys to sleep. 13 of his 14 fights has come by the way of finish with seven KO/TKOs and six submissions proving how diverse he is. This will be for the Vacant Cage Warriors Vacant Lightweight Championship
4. Welterweight: (C) Shavkat Rakhmonov (11-0) vs. Tiago Varejão – M-1 Challenge 102
Despite there being an abundance of options that could effectively fill these spots on this week’s five-pack of prospects, M-1 Global welterweight champion Shavkat Rakhmonov is a guy that just has to be invited to the party. Rakhmonov laid claim to his newly-acquired M-1 welterweight strap in his last outing back in March, a fight for the vacant belt that saw the referee intervene mid-combat to call a stop to the fight at 2:16 of the second round.
For Rakhmonov’s first defense of his title, he will be facing a guy in Tiago Varejão that is far and away the most experienced fighter Rakhmonov has ever faced. Varejão enters Friday’s welterweight title bout with Rakhmonov havng had 35 pro fights already under his belt, with a not-so-shabby mark of 28-6-1 up to this point.
3. Lightweight: Jai Herbert (8-1) vs. Jack Grant – Cage Warriors 106
Jai Herbert, I would say, is still unknown to the majority of the fanbase but I predict that will change as he has the potential to become a Cage Warriors champion. Herbert has decent wrestling and good jiu-jitsu to fall back on but he is much more talented on the feet. He does a great job fighting long with an excellent toolset of kicks, punches, knees, and elbows. Herbert is dangerous in all aspects on the feet but his right hand is his money shot. Fighting of England Herbert has fought for BAMMA and now for Cage Warriors.
2. Middleweight: Jared Gooden (14-3) vs. Bruno Oliveira – Titan FC 55
We understand the nature in which following the never-ending merry-go-round of fight promotions Jared Gooden jumps to and from can be confusing, as his fight opposite 7-1 Bruno Oliveira comes inside a Titan FC promotion that is the only promotion to house Gooden throughout the span of his last six bouts. Ironically enough, the last time Gooden fought for the Florida-based fight promotion, he ultimately came up short against former UFC veteran Mike Graves. That loss to Graves is the only defeat Gooden has suffered over a span that stretches across his last eight professional contests.
Gooden is very highly thought of as a prospect and is and a consensus choice as one of MMA’s most high-potential up and comers. Gooden is wasting no time to get where he needs to go either, taking the fight with Oliveira to ultimately make it four fights in as many months, for as many promotions.
1. Lightweight: (C) Nate Landwehr (12-2) vs. Viktor Kolesnik – M-1 Challenge 102
Hailing from Clarksville, Tennessee, Landwehr has been tearing it up in Russia and other countries as of late for the M-1 Global promotion. He is the current M-1 champ with one title defense and has beat some solid competition. Only one of his opponents has had a losing record and that was in his pro debut. Landwehr will defend his title against Viktor Kolesnik (16-3-1). This will be there second meeting after their first one gone to a razor close split decision.
