Prospect in the Spotlight (Oct 31-Nov 1): Roland Dunlop

Introduction

Sunday, November 2nd, American middleweight prospect Roland Dunlop will be in action for Anthony Pettis Fighting Championship, where he will be looking continue his winning ways against Miguel Tovar. He will be looking for another win, as Dunlop looks to score a UFC contract. He represents Finish Strong MMA, a solid camp in MMA. Let’s take a closer look at this prospect as this week’s “Prospect Spotlight.”

Strengths

Wrestling: A member of the underrated University of Wisconsin-Whitewater wrestling team, Dunlop has taken that background in the grappling arts and applied it to his MMA game. He is heavy in his pursuit of the takedown, though he is quite proficient at it. He has strong, powerful takedowns, including a slam knockout in his second pro fight. On top, he’s tough to shake, as he’s positionally sound. It’s not always the most active, entertaining top grappling, but it’s certainly effective.

Strength/Athleticism: As stated, he has a slam knockout, which takes a great deal of power. That makes sense, as Dunlop is a physical specimen with great strength and athletic ability. He uses those natural abilities to his advantage, especially when implementing his game in the cage.

Needs Improvement

Extended Striking Exchanges: On the feet, Dunlop isn’t terrible, but when he’s forced to strike for an extended period of time, he can be exposed. He has experience in Karate Combat and has shown competence on the feet, but he’s far better suited when he shoots takedowns and is fighting at close quarters.

Outlook

UFC Prelim Fighter: At 32 years old, the time is now for Dunlop to make his move toward the UFC. As you know, Dana White isn’t too fond of mid-30s fighters coming to the UFC, so Dunlop’s window is closing faster than most. That said, he’s a physical specimen with a solid skill base that could carry him to the UFC. There, he will have some winnable opportunities, but he will run into plenty of guys who can defend his wrestling. Will he have enough skills outside his wrestling to get the job done if that arises? We will see, but he has Miguel Tovar to defend his APFC belt against first.