Best Prospects of the Week (3/27-3/29)

After a solid week of regional MMA, we have another busy weekend in the regional MMA scene. Here are quick notes on ten prospects to look out for this weekend:

1. Norbert Novenyi Jr (Middleweight, Hungary, Hexagone); One of the casualties of of PFL’s acquisition of Bellator was Norbert Novenyi Jr, a talented wrestler and overall mixed martial artist who is still only in his mid-20s. He suffered just one loss with Bellator to Dalton Rosta, but that was enough to join the list of fighters receiving their walking papers. Novenyi has since won two in a row since that exit, reminding people why he was such a highly regarded prospect. He looks for his third-straight win this weekend against Clement Giordenengo in the French Hexagone promotion.
2. Richie Lewis (Lightweight, United States, CFFC): Speaking of strong wrestling backgrounds, Richie Lewis will compete for CFFC this weekend in an attempt stay in the win column. The Rutgers University alum has had a fairly dominant MMA career, though he does have one loss to Richie Miranda. In that fight, Lewis was winning most of the fight before getting caught and finished. Either way, Lewis remains a top prospect with his grappling acumen and his constantly improving striking. He fights UFC vet Nick Fiore this weekend.
3. Richard Martins (Welterweight, Brazil, LFA): A veteran of The Ultimate Fighter, Richard Martins was viewed as a favorite in the welterweight division in that season but was eliminated in the first round by eventual winner Daniil Donchenko. There’s no shame in that loss, as Donchenko looks to be the real deal. Martins is a strong fighter with powerful striking. He has a submission game, but his striking is certainly the more menacing of the two. He fights Vanderlei Goncalves in the main event of the LFA card.
4. Phumi Nkuta (Flyweight, United States, A1 Combat): If there’s been a prospect that has deserved a UFC shot for years and has been curiously denied, it has to be Phumi Nkuta. The Ray Longo disciple is a combination of outstanding athleticism and overall skill. He has a good striking acumen, a solid wrestling attack and a strong mat grappling game. He’s yet to fall in his MMA career and he looks to continue that run in the A1 Combat main event against Namiki Kawahara.
5. Naertai Kezibayi (Featherweight, China, JCK Kings): Over in China, top prospect Naertai Kezibayi looks to continue his winning ways as he marches toward the UFC. Kezibayi is well-rounded, but his striking is what really catches my eye, as his kickboxing ability is impressive. He pieces together good combinations and has big knockout power, which is how he finishes most of his fights. He also has a solid submission game. He looks for his 13th straight win this weekend against Nulikuwati Bahatuoli.
6. Asaf Chopurov (Bantamweight, Azerbaijan, UAE Warriors): Another one of the top prospects outside the UFC is Asaf Chopurov, showing how stacked the prospect lineup is this weekend. Chopurov is a wrestling-heavy fighter that has a good submission game and has a solid striking arsenal that helps set up said wrestling. He is a finisher in the cage, which is why his grappling style is appealing. He defends his UAE Warriors title this weekend against ONE veteran Reece McLaren.
7. Dzhamaludin Aliev (Bantamweight, Russia/Turkey, UAE Warriors): On that same UAE Warriors card weekend, undefeated Russo-Turk Dzhamaludin Aliev also looks to keep his record perfect when he fights Adriano Ramos. Aliev is a very good wrestler, but has been using his one-punch knockout power to run through the competition. In fact, nine of his eleven wins have come by way of knockout, which shows the brutality of his game.
8. Ernesto Rodriguez (Welterweight, Cuba/United States, PFL): There are a number of solid prospects competing for the PFL this weekend, with one of the better ones being Ernesto Rodriguez, who makes his PFL debut in Pittsburgh. Rodriguez has a solid wrestling base that he has combined with good boxing. He has put it all together at Xtreme Couture, where he has developed that signature style. He squares off with Masayuki Kikuiri in that PFL debut, a fight that is definitely winnable for Rodriguez.
9. Jakub Kaszuba (Lightweight, Poland, PFL): The other PFL fighter that sticks out as a top prospect this weekend is Jakub Kaszuba, a fighter who cut his teeth winning the PFL Europe tournaments. Kaszuba is a grappling heavy fighter, possessing strong takedown ability and excellent submission grappling skills on the mat. He mixes in ground-and-pound well, which can also lead to finishes. He takes on his toughest test to date this weekend against Natan Schulte, who will challenge his grappling and grinding skills thoroughly.
10. Alisson Murilo (Bantamweight, Brazil, SFT): Moving up to bantamweight this weekend, normal flyweight Alisson Murilo is a very entertaining fighter known for his violent style. He has one-strike knockout power and a slick ground game with impressive submissions. Unlike many Brazilian prospects, he has built his record fighting solid opposition, not crushing cans. He takes on 23-fight vet and LFA fighter Fernando Laurenco in a pivotal fight at a higher weight class.

LAST WEEK’S PROSPECT RESULTS:

1. Jacinta Austin made quick work of late-replacement Benita van Rooij, scoring a first-round knockout at PFL Madrid.
2. Luciano Pereira destroyed opponent Kevin Cordero with a power punching display, scoring a knockout win at PFL Madrid.
3. Nicolas Leblond had his main event fight cancelled with Cage Warriors, so did not compete.
4. Ollie Sarwa saw his hype train derail, as he fell to Weslley Maia in the main event of the Cage Warriors event.
5. Pavel Andrusca was set to fight UFC vet Vinicius Salvador, but Salvador missed weight and the fight was cancelled.
6. Valentina Escobar fell via unanimous decision to a late replacement opponent, effectively removing her from the prospect rankings.
7. Lajuan Davis fell to UFC veteran Markus Perez in the main event of Peak Fighting.
8. Albert Tadevosyan likely saw his last chance at making the UFC slip through his fingers, falling in a UNF title fight to Tommy Aaron Saturday night.
9. Gabrielle McComb scored another stoppage win to stay undefeated at UWC.
10. Christian Turner was knocked out in the APFC main event by Jalin Turner via knee strike.