Introduction
Friday, February 4th, American featherweight prospect Daniel Argueta will be in action for LFA, where he will be looking to score a headline victory against Mairon Santos. He will be looking for another win, as Argueta looks to score a contract with the UFC. He represents Jackson-Winklejohn MMA, a top camp in MMA. Let’s take a closer look at this prospect as this week’s “Prospect Spotlight.”
Strengths
Wrestling: Like many in MMA, Argueta has a wrestling background, which is the dominant attribute in his fights. He was a Division II wrestler at University of Wisconsin-Parkside, an underrated school. In terms of his MMA stylings, he is an excellent takedown artist. He’s quick and explosive, as well as technical with his takedowns. Once on top, he’s hard to get off. He has very good ground-and-pound, as well as…
Submissions: …very good submissions. Argueta gets after it on the mat and is aggressive in hunting for the tapout. His most proficient technique is the rear-naked choke, as he is very dominant from the back. He also has a win via armbar, showing he’s not a one-technique submission grappler. This completes his ground game and shows he’s a tough out for anybody on the mat.
Needs Improvement
Striking Intangibles: While Argueta continues to improve on the feet and is not the worst guy you will see throw hands/feet, there are parts to his game that are basic and could use continued attention. Sometimes he’s stationary and easy to hit. Also, he could throw more diverse combinations and in more numbers. His movement is also somewhat solid, as he’s a good athlete, but can be hittable. In his Ultimate Fighter bout with Ricky Turcios, he was consistently out-boxed/kickboxed by the superior striker. He’s definitely getting better, though, which is important to point out.
Outlook
UFC Curtain Jerker: Argueta is certainly a skilled guy, and under the tutelage of Greg Jackson and Mike Winklejohn, he’s got the guidance to make a run in this sport. With a strong wrestling base, good physical strength and his ability to learn quickly, I can see him making the UFC at some point in his career. He’s 28 years old, so he’s approaching his prime. The featherweight division is a shark tank, so there aren’t a ton of great matchups for him, but he will definitely get a few fights in with the world’s biggest MMA promotion.
MMA Intel 