Introduction
Saturday, December 17th, Polish featherweight prospect Daniel Rutkowski will be in action for KSW, where he will be looking continue his winning ways against Lom-Ali Eskijew. He will be looking for another win, as Rutkowski looks to inch closer to a contract with the UFC. He represents Cross Fight Radom, a lesser-known camp in MMA. Let’s take a closer look at this prospect as this week’s “Prospect Spotlight.”
Strengths
Wrestling: Rutkowski has a memorable Greco-Roman wrestling background, which makes sense when you watch him fight in the cage. He is very good at standing grappling, especially against the cage. He also has explosive takedowns that he’s able to get with ease. Once he scores the takedown, he is very heavy from top position. He has very violent, effective ground-and-pound that he has used to end fights. His submissions aren’t as evident as his GnP, but Rutkowski certainly does have the ability to submit his opponents.
Boxing: For a guy who came into MMA with just a wrestling background, Rutkowski has developed his striking nicely, namely his boxing ability. Rutkowski has pro boxing experience in recent years, where Rutkowski has continued to develop his hands. In the cage, he not only has dangerous hands on the feet, but he uses his hands to successfully set up his takedowns. That development has made Rutkowski into a more rounded, dangerous fighter.
Needs Improvement
Gas Tank Down the Stretch: Rutkowski does not have a lot of holes in his game, but as seen in his most recent loss to Salahdine Parnasse, Rutkowski’s gas tank can empty down the stretch. By the time Rutkowski got to the later rounds, the Pole had slowed down and tired, which allowed Parnasse to score the eventual submission win. There’s no shame in losing to Parnasse, but it was one of the things I noticed in that bout.
Outlook
UFC Midcarder: Rutkowski is under contract with KSW for now, so he’s not going anywhere right now. However, when he becomes available, I think the UFC should sign him and bring him in. His style would lend him well in the UFC featherweight division, although there are a lot of wrestlers on the roster as well. He’s a guy that would certainly crack the top 50% in the rankings on the UFC roster and win some solid fights.
MMA Intel 