Introduction
Sunday, December 31st, Brazilian middleweight prospect Igor Tanabe will be in action for Rizin, where he will be looking continue his winning ways against Shinsho Anzai. He will be looking for another win, as Tanabe looks to inch closer to a UFC contract. He represents Igloo, an unknown camp in MMA. Let’s take a closer look at this prospect as this week’s “Prospect Spotlight.”
Strengths
Jiu Jitsu: Tanabe is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu wizard, possessing a number of impressive wins in the BJJ circuit. My favorite win of his came over the notoriously tough Tommy Langaker at Polaris 18, where Tanabe won by bow-and-arrow choke. In the MMA ring/cage, Tanabe is no different. His goal is to get close and find a way to get the fight to the mat. All four of his wins are by first-round submission with time stamps of 0:57, 1:58, 3:40 and 4:34. The man works quick once on the mat, and like in his BJJ bouts, loves hunting for leg locks. He owns two wins by heel hook and two by triangle choke.
Strength of Schedule: For a guy with four pro fights, Tanabe has already been tested by experienced, tough opponents. His four opponents have a combined record of 50-31-1, which is crazy for a newcomer to be matched up against. His biggest win to date was a submission of legendary kickboxer/MMA fighter Melvin Manhoef last year around this time. He also holds a win over UFC veteran Daichi Abe, which shows Tanabe can beat UFC-level fighters.
Needs Improvement
Striking Question Marks: Obviously the one big thing that will need to be proven in time is Tanabe’s striking. We have not seen much of him on the feet, and given his extensive background in BJJ, it’s highly unlikely that his striking, if needed for an extended period of time, would hold up well. He’s young at 23 years old, so there’s plenty of time to close that gap. However, if he runs into a wrestler that can defend his attempts to get to the mat and throw with him on the feet, Tanabe could find some trouble.
Outlook
Regional Champ/Big League Midcarder: Tanabe is a clearly a talented fighter and has proven in his young MMA career he is already capable of beating experienced, battle-tested fighters. That means Tanabe has a high ceiling. Where his career takes him is yet to be seen, but a lot of fighters under the Rizin banner don’t typically make it to the UFC. If he did, he’d find success. However, when you consider Bellator was purchased by PFL and they had a working relationship with Rizin, perhaps there will be a shift in how fighters under the Rizin banners run their careers. I would love to see Tanabe under UFC control, but if we never see him there, he will be a champion in other organizations, whether it be Rizin or ONE, another Asian MMA promotion.
MMA Intel 