Prospect in the Spotlight (Sept 27-28): Rose Conceicao

Introduction

Tuesday, September 24th, Brazilian strawweight prospect Rose Conceicao will be in action for Dana White’s Contender Series, where she will be looking continue her winning ways against Alexia Thainara. She will be looking for another win, as Conceicao looks to score a contract with the UFC. He represents Pitbull Brothers, a strong camp in MMA. Let’s take a closer look at this prospect as this week’s “Prospect Spotlight.”

Strengths

Submission Wrestling: Brazil is not really known for their amateur wrestling as much as their Brazilian jiu-jitsu, but Conceicao has a solid wrestling base that aids her in the cage. She has a solid outside-in wrestling game that allows her to shoot in on her opponents and get them to the mat with efficiency. She’s also good about closing the distance and putting her opponent’s against the cage, where she can grind on them. Once on the mat, though, she’s very good. She is heavy from the top, has solid ground-and-pound to open her opponents up and then moves to score a submission. She only has two wins by tapout, but that does not mean she’s not skilled in the art of the submission. She’s a force to reckon with on the mat.

Needs Improvement

Striking Intangibles: Conceicao’s striking usually serves as a mechanism to set up her takedowns and get to the ground, which is effective for her. That said, she has many intangibles on the feet that could make her more effective in both striking and setting up takedowns further. She can be flat footed and keep her head on the line, which can make her hittable. Her combos can be basic and make her easier to guess. If she becomes more complicated on the feet and fixes a few of the holes, she will be a very complete fighter that makes a good run at the top.

Outlook

UFC Prelim Fighter: Conceicao is definitely UFC level, and at 27 years old, she’s approaching her prime. In a few years, she’s going to be at the top of her game and could be a problem, especially considering that a good portion of female fighters don’t have top-notch wrestling. Conceicao has that advantage over others and also has the jiu-jitsu chops to boot. If she gets past Alexia Thainara, a solid prospect in her own right, she should sign with the UFC and get to prove herself there.