Introduction
Saturday, July 12th, Congolese welterweight prospect Eliezer Kubanza will be in action for Brave CF, where he will be looking continue his winning ways against Jack Grant. He will be looking for another win, as Kubanza looks to inch closer to a potential UFC contract. He represents Soma Fight Club, a smaller camp in MMA. Let’s take a closer look at this prospect as this week’s “Prospect Spotlight.”
Strengths
Kickboxing: Kubanza is a wrecking machine on the feet using immense power and a variety of techniques to really pick apart his opponents. As a pro, six of his seven wins have come by way of knockout, five of which have come in the first round. Kubanza doesn’t screw around. His most impressive knockout was his head kick knockout of Rayan Atmani, which is the headline of his highlight reel. His punches, kicks, elbows and knees are all weapons to look out for.
Quickness/Athleticism: A naturally gifted athlete, Kubanza uses those intangibles to his advantage in the cage. He’s very quick and explosive, which aids in not only his footwork and movement but his forward momentum when he unleashes those strikes from the outside. All of these aid his previously mentioned kickboxing ability.
Needs Improvement
Counter Wrestling: Due to his quickness and athleticism, which we just noted, Kubanza is able to avoid takedowns more easily from his outside movement. That said, he still needs to work on his counter-wrestling, especially since he will be moving up the talent ladder where guys are more dependable on the shot. To this point Kubanza has taken on some decent wrestlers, but none on the level of guys in the major leagues. He’s improved this since his amateur days, but it’s still something to keep working on.
Outlook
Regional Champion/UFC Prelim Fighter: Kubanza seemed to be linked to Dana White’s Contender Series last year, but that did not pan out and that’s a shame. His style is right up Dana’s alley, as is the fact he’s another African fighter to help continue to build that market. Right now, Kubanza has his toughest opponent to date in 20+ fight veteran Jack Grant, who can definitely test Kubanza on the feet and the mat. A win here should give Kubanza a higher calling, whether it’s for a title shot in Brave, a spot in the PFL or the UFC.
MMA Intel 