Introduction
Friday, May 30th, Canadian bantamweight prospect Cody Chovancek will be in action for Unified MMA, where he will be looking continue his winning ways against Jordan Howard. He will be looking for another win, as Chovancek looks to inch closer to a UFC contract. He represents Niagara Top Team, a solid camp in MMA. Let’s take a closer look at this prospect as this week’s “Prospect Spotlight.”
Strengths
Submissions: Chovancek really burst onto the radars of MMA scouts with his most recent fight, where he tapped out undefeated opponent Gage Gill with a rarely seen calf slicer, which takes immense amount of skill. That highlighted the fact that the Canadian fighter is slick on the ground and can finish opponents in odd positions. It’s just one of two submissions on Chovancek’s record, but it proves that he’s not a guy to take lightly if engaging in a mat war with.
Kickboxing: Chovancek has a kickboxing background, including having amateur kickboxing bouts on his record. That has translated to his on-the-feet style, where he uses strong kicks and movements to score points on the feet. He also has solid power on the feet as well, which makes him a threat for the knockout. Three of his seven wins come by way of knockout and even in his decision wins, he has shown good technique and movement on the feet that as aided him in those wins.
Needs Improvement
Quality Experience/Strength of Schedule: Through Chovancek’s seven pro fights, his opponent’s combined records are 17-6, which is not terrible for a prospect. That said, two of his opponents were making their pro debuts. On top of that, he has not really fought a top prospect or well-known opponent yet, which also isn’t completely indictable given he’s still gathering cage experience. That said, his best opponent is 6-0 Gage Gill, who we mentioned earlier succumbed to the highlight-reel calf slicer at the hands of Chovancek. We also need to see him tested against a fighter with a strong wrestling background to really get a gauge on the all-around parts of his game.
Outlook
UFC Low-to-Mid Carder: At 26 years old, Chovancek is approaching the prime of his athletic career in the next couple years. If he continues to fight the way he has fought a pro, there is no doubt this guy will make the major leagues. In fact, I think this current fight is a set up to bring him on the Contender Series, if there are any more slots available. Jordan Howard represents the most experienced and reputable fighter Chovancek has fought to this point, so this could really be his coming out party. Also, when you consider that Canada has not been as big of a prospect hotbed as it was a few year ago, he has some Canadian marketability that the UFC may be looking for.
MMA Intel 