Introduction
Friday, March 10th, Brazilian flyweight prospect Jean Matsumoto will be in action for LFA, where he will be looking continue his winning ways against Marlon Basilio. He will be looking for another win, as Matsumoto looks to inch closer to a contract with the UFC. He represents Inside Muay Thai, a lesser-known camp in MMA. Let’s take a closer look at this prospect as this week’s “Prospect Spotlight.”
Strengths
Submissions: Matsumoto is a talented jiu-jitsu artist, holding a brown belt in BJJ. Matsumoto is slick on the mat and has scored four of his wins by way of tapout. He has great grip and choking strength, which have led to all of those submission wins. Matsumoto has finished via guillotine, brabo, anaconda and arm-triangle choke. His sweeps and transitions are also good, showing he’s good all around in the grappling exchanges.
Kickboxing: In addition to good jiu-jitsu ability, Matsumoto has good striking skills. Running with a Muay Thai gym, Matsumoto is obviously getting high-quality training in the art of eight limbs. Three of his wins come by way of knockout, as Matsumoto has heavy, quick hands. He also has sharp kicks, especially low kicks that soften up his opponents. He likes being aggressive, but can also counter. He is athletic and quick on the feet, which also helps him get the advantage on the feet.
Needs Improvement
Wrestling Question Marks: Matsumoto has spent his MMA career fighting in Brazil, so the abundance of wrestlers down there isn’t aplenty. So, for that reason, we have question marks about Matsumoto’s wrestling chops, especially defensively.
Outlook
UFC Midcarder: Matsumoto is a still a young fighter, but has provevn thus far he’s a prospect to watch. He’s yet to lose as a pro and has looked impressive in doing so. Like we’ve mentioned, he has to test himself against a meat and potatoes American wrestler, which will give us a better insight on his ceiling. As of now, I can definitely see him being a competitor on the UFC roster, where he wins many of his fights and falls to guys higher in the ranks of the division. If he scores another win against Basilio on the LFA show, his next fight should be on the Contender Series or the UFC.
MMA Intel 