After a great weekend of prospect action, we have another solid weekend in the regional MMA scene. Here are quick notes on ten prospects to look out for this weekend:
- Akbar Abullaev (Lightweight, Kyrgyzstan, DWCS): Akbar Abdullaev may be the best prospect on the Contender Series all season, as the former ONE Championship roster member is an undefeated proven commodity with a win over ONE champ Kai Tang. Abdullaev is a sledgehammer who has all wins by finish, with all-but-one of his wins coming by knockout. He takes on Ednilson Santos on the Contender Series.
- Igor Cavalcanti (Middleweight, Brazil, DWCS): Returning to the Contender Series for the first time since 2024, Igor Calvancati likely gets the invite back because he’s an exciting striker who hunts for the knockout frequently. He’s had his wrestling and submission game tested and it’s been exposed in his losses, but he’s very strong and athletic, which he tries to use to stay out of that range. He gets a favorable matchup in Oscar Ravello this week.
- Luis Hernandez (Middleweight, United States, DWCS): The notorious Luis Hernandez gets the nod for this week of the Contender Series against Hugo Guillone. Hernandez, a sheriff’s deputy, is best remembered for getting jumped by Sean Strickland and Chris Curtis after taunting the two as a post-fight celebration. He’s no pushover, though. Hernandez is undefeated at this point in his career and is a finisher. He’s well-rounded and tough as nails, making him a tough out. I prefer him at welterweight, but he takes this fight at 185
- Zevan Hunt (Welterweight, United States, DWCS): Though he’s a lesser-known welterweight prospect in the Untied States regional scene, Zevan Hunt is an under-the-radar fighter especially considering he has two wins over Contender Series vets. Hunt is pretty sharp everywhere, though he doesn’t necessarily stand out in one place more than the other (if I had to say he did, it would be submission wrestling). He takes on Mayton Perea in what should be a very winnable fight for Hunt.
- Tyshawn Williams (Featherweight, United States, DWCS): The last Contender Series fighter we will look at this week is Xtreme Couture product Tyshawn Williams. A powerful wrestler and standout athlete, Williams moves well in the cage and is very explosive. He has power in his hands and in his takedowns, making him more of a Mack truck more than a technical master. He is no pushover. He takes on Brazilian veteran Antonio Monteiro here, who returns for his second chance on the Contender Series.
- Hunter Lee (Middleweight, Canada, Unified MMA): It seems there have been fewer Canadian prospects in recent years, but one of their standout fighters right now is Hunter Lee. A wrestler by trade, he’s best known for his twister finish at the end of last year which really put him on the map. He’s very powerful and aggressive in looking to land hammers and grab takedowns, which he does proficiently. He takes on UFC veteran Darian Weeks at Unified MMA, which is north of the border.
- Davi Bittencourt (Flyweight, Brazil, LFA): Contender Series veteran Davi Bittencourt gets the LFA main event this weekend against Devon Lozej, where he looks to continue to show he’s one of the better 125ers outside the UFC. A striker by trade but possessing good submission grappling, Bittencourt likes to fight in exciting scraps, which is why he’s got a bit of a cult following. When he’s unable to get MMA fights, he has stayed busy by taking grappling or boxing bouts. One would think a win in the LFA main event would put Bittencourt toward the top of the UFC’s signing list.
- Marcos Breno (Bantamweight, Brazil, LFA): Marcos Breno move over to LFA after his most recent fight in PFL in an attempt to get back into the win column. The well-rounded Brazilians loss has not made him any left a covetous prospect. He fights veteran Shuya Kamikubo this weekend.
- Steve Collins (Lightweight, United States, LFA): Our under-the-radar prospect of the week is Steve Collins, an undefeated fighter who is looking to establish his name. Collins is just 25 years old but approaches his fight like a longtime veteran. The Gilbert Grappling disciple is a power wrestler who has won by slam knockouts and brutal ground-and-pound. He’s a great athlete as well, which aids him in closing the distance and exploding into those takedowns. He takes on Kevin Carrier this weekend in an attempt to keep his perfect record.
- Millie Eriksson (Women’s Bantamweight, Sweden, ICF): We finish of this weekend with the lone female on the list this week in Millie Eriksson. Eriksson is a gifted Muay Thai specialist who has been thrown into the deep end in her four-fight pro career, including taking on longtime Finnish vet Maiju Suotama in her pro debut, as well as Invicta vet Kate Bacik and Contender Series alum Mabelly Lima in her last two fights. Obviously, she’s going to look to strike from a distance and stay out of grappling exchanges for opponents who obviously don’t want to test her Thai skills. She is matched up this weekend with fellow undefeated prospect Sani Brannfors in a bout that will provide the women’s division with the next top Scandinavian prospect.
LAST WEEK’S PROSPECT RESULTS
- Arlind Berisha was brutally knocked out by Quentin Pasley via elbows at the Contender Series.
- Reginaldo Junior dropped a close unanimous decision to Isaac Moreno on the Contender Series.
- Martin Kozak dominated Christian Echols to a second-round knockout at the Contender Series, grabbing a UFC contract.
- Christian Natividad scored a massive first-round knockout at the Contender Series to score a UFC contract.
- Razhabali Shaydullaev scored the biggest win of his career over AJ McKee in the Rizin main event.
- Karshyga Dautbek was upset by split decision in Rizin to Ren Hiramoto.
- Rafael Pereira scored the biggest win of his career, knocking out Vinicius Pires in the LFA main event.
- Thalyta Silva scored a first-round knockout win over Monica Fontes at the LFA event.
- Giovanni Garcia had his fight cancelled and did not compete at LFA’s event in Brazil.
- Dani Barbir scored a TKO win over Piotr Strus to defend his FNC title.
MMA Intel 