Prospect in the Spotlight (Dec 6-7): Richie Lewis

Introduction

Friday, December 6th, American lightweight prospect Richie Lewis will be in action for LFA where he will be looking continue his winning ways against Richie Miranda. He will be looking for another win, as Lewis looks to inch closer to a contract with the UFC. He represents the Kill Cliff FC, a top camp in MMA. Let’s take a closer look at this prospect as this week’s “Prospect Spotlight.”

Strengths

Wrestling: Lewis is a Division I wrestler out of Rutgers University, as well as a Team USA qualified wrestler, showing his skills are top notch. That style is apparent in the cage, as Lewis heavily relies on his wrestling skills to control fights. He is aggressive in pursuing the takedown and gets them at a high clip. Once down, he is extremely heavy on top and physically overpowers his opponents. He has some solid ground-and-pound, but we have not seen him score a finish with a submission. When he wins, he does so on points but in dominant fashion.

Athleticism: Being a D-1 wrestler means that Lewis is a superior athlete, which also aids him in the cage. He is an impressive mix of quick, explosive and agile, which aids him in not only pursuing his wrestling, but keeping his opponents off balanced.

Needs Improvement

Decision Machine: If there is one thing that we know about Dana White, especially recently, is that he will pass on wrestlers he perceives as boring that don’t finish fights. For Lewis, he is six fights into his pro career and has finished just two of those opponents. That could make it a tad more difficult to catch Dana’s eye in pursuing a UFC contract. However, having that LFA Championship wrapped around his waist could counteract that.

Outlook

UFC Top-25: Lewis’ wrestling is so good and he’s improving at such a solid rate that I cannot see him staying away from the UFC. He has the potential to be in the top half of the UFC lightweight division. That said, he’s 30 years old, so the time to strike is now, as he’s in his prime. There are guys who could defend his wrestling at the top level of this game, but he certainly has the skills to compete and score wins. I think he makes the UFC’s roster by 2025.