Introduction
Friday, December 21st, Belgian middleweight prospect Alain van de Merckt will be in action for KSW, where he will be looking continue his winning ways against Laid Zerhouni. He will be looking for another win, as van de Merckt looks to inch closer toward the KSW title. He represents Combat Brothers, a lesser-known camp in MMA. Let’s take a closer look at this prospect as this week’s “Prospect Spotlight.”
Strengths
Striking: On the feet, van de Merckt is very effective and hard to deal with. His boxing is very good, using good movement and utilizing his length to keep at a good distance while landing. He’s got good power and accuracy, especially with his hands. Four of his finishes come by strikes, which he mostly set up on the feet and finished on the mat. He has solid kicks as well, which helps round off his skill set.
Top-Ground Game: On the mat, van de Merckt is a savage from top position, where he does his best work. He has a very effective ground-and-pound game while from top, landing good, accurate, powerful shots that can finish off an opponent or open them up for a potential submission. He has finished four fights with rear-naked and arm-triangle chokes, set up from top. That variety of ground-and-pound and submissions make him tough to deal with when he’s on top and in control.
Needs Improvement
Unproven Against Wrestlers/Step Up in Competition: While van de Merckt is undefeated and been on a tear in the European circuit, he needs a step up in competition to really see where he’s at. Not only that, but we have yet to really see him against a notable wrestler, though he does own a 2019 amateur victory over Slim Trabelsi. As he steps up levels in MMA, he is going to face top-level to world-class wrestlers, and we don’t know how he will respond. It’s the biggest question mark facing van de Merckt.
Outlook
Eventual UFC Midcarder: van de Merckt is a very good prospect and one of the most intriguing coming out of Europe. He’s got a good, rounded game and is getting better each time we see him. Being a Level Fight League Champion and undefeated, he has a bit of hype around him, but it seems to be warranted. I think he’s a guy that will make the UFC eventually and will hold a steady place in the midcard. He has chosen the path of KSW, though, so he could be tied up with them for a minute. They will provide plenty of competition for him to prove himself.
MMA Intel 