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[Fedorlei Gomipierre]

Top MMA Prospects 2010 Vol. I & 2
Posted by Cory Brady on Thursday, January 28, 2010

As we crack open a new decade with the coming of 2010, there’s no better time than right now to take a close look at the cream of the crop talent that is poised to make a significant impact on the landscape of mixed martial arts in the years to follow.

Come along as FiveOuncesofPain.com gives you dozens, upon dozens of reasons to get excited about the future of this passion driven sport we have come to understand and love.

So make sure to etch these names in your head and don’t say we didn’t tell you so.

Ben Askren: A twenty-five year old welterweight, Askren was a two-time NCAA wrestling champion along with being a 2008 Olympian. “Funky” is currently 3-0 during his professional stint in MMA while currently poised to wreak havoc on the 2010 edition of Bellator’s 170 pound tournament.

Luke Rockhold: Sporting a 6-1 record and training out of the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, California, Rockhold has won his last five straight while showing the type of potential that demands attention. Rockhold absolutely blew through a pair of experienced fighters in Cory Devela and Jesse Taylor in his last two outings and is currently slated to face off with fellow rising prospect Paul Bradley during “Strikeforce: Prangley vs. Amoussou”.

Cole Konrad: Konrad is a two-time NCAA champion wrestler out of Minnesota at 285 pounds along with being a 2008 Pan-American Games gold medalist. Cole is one of Brock Lesnar’s personal training partners and recently came out victorious in his MMA debut, winning the bout in the first round via “polar bear choke”.

Evan Dunham: With an undefeated record of 10-0, this Xtreme Couture trained lightweight has put together a series of victories over the likes of Per Eklund, Marcus Aurelio and Efrain Escudero during his time with the UFC. Evan is a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, a strong wrestler and an extremely capable striker.

Tim Kennedy: While thirteen professional fights in mixed martial arts may indicate that Kennedy should not be considered a prospect any longer, the revitalized career of this real American hero really began two fights ago with his second round pulverizing of Nick Thompson and a recent stoppage of the previously undefeated Zak Cummings. Kennedy is the total package. A big league banger with a strong wrestling and submission skill set to match.

Phil Davis: A 2008 NCAA wrestling champion at 197 pounds, Davis is only four fights into his MMA carer and already set to make his UFC debut against the battle tested Brian Stann. Phil’s wrestling is of the highest pedigree and possesses the type of raw striking talent which has recently been fine tuned by Brandon Vera that promises to carry the Penn State alumni far at 205 pounds.

Alexander Gustafsson: 9-0 with only one of his victims managing to make it to the final bell, the 6′5″ Gustafsson has earned himself as a light heavyweight knockout artist with 7 of his 9 wins coming by either KO or TKO. “The Mauler” from Sweden recently made his UFC debut count as he leveled Jared Hamman with a series of punches in the opening round of their meeting at UFC 105.

Shane Del Rosario: When you talk about a World Muay Thai champion that’s going around pulling high level omoplatas out of his hat in the world of mixed martial arts, you’re talking about a seriously dangerous man. Del Rosario currently boasts an undefeated record of 9-0 with not a single one of his bouts making it to the judges.

Goran Reljic: Having spent a large majority of his career with the Gracie Barra UK Academy, this 6′3″ Croatian submission specialist sports an undefeated record of 9-0, and recently made the trip to Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas to prepare with Neil Melanson for his UFC 110 clash with C.B. Dollaway. Although known for his savvy on the canvas, Goran finished Wilson Gouveia via TKO in his UFC debut back in May of 2008.

Ryan Bader: Much like Jon Jones and Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal, “Darth” Bader teeters on the brink of being a rising prospect or legitimate contender to the championship. With an untarnished record of 10-0, extremely heavy hands and a decorated wrestling background, Ryan could clearly establish himself as a force to be reckoned with in the UFC with a convincing win over Keith Jardine at UFC 110.

Tyron Woodley: A Big 12 champion and two-time All American wrestler out of the University of Missouri, Woodley has trained with some of the best in the business at the American Kickboxing Academy and American Top Team while stringing together an unblemished record of 5-0 with 5 submissions to his credit.

Josh Grispi: With a record of 13-1, Grispi’s sole professional defeat in his still developing career could easily be chalked up to inexperience as the just eighteen year old fighter out of Plympton, Massachusetts was caught in a first round heel hook before going on a berserker rampage in his next nine bouts, stringing together consecutive wins with notable victories over the likes of Mark Hominick, Micah Miller and Jens Pulver.

Patricio Pitbull: Patricio is a 145 pound Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt known for finishing his bouts with dazzling head kicks and flying knees, much like another fellow Brazilian that currently occupies the featherweight throne in the WEC. Pitbull will put his undefeated 12-0 record to the test in 2010 when he enters the Bellator featherweight tournament.

Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal: At just six wins into his still developing career, Mo has found himself in the unique position of being one prospect that has been thrust into contender status due to the lack of opposition in the paper thin Strikeforce 205 pound division, when the only fight he’s had with the promotion has been at heavyweight. A top level wrestler with a knockout punch to back it up, Lawal promises to be a force to reckon with at both heavyweight and light heavyweight for many years to come.

Mario Miranda: A four-time Brazilian Champion in both Freestyle and Greco Roman wrestling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, the thirty year old Miranda came to the United States from his native Rio de Janeiro, Brazil a decade ago and has been working with Matt Hume at AMC in Seattle, Washington ever since. The results have been impressive as Mario has compiled an undefeated record of 9-0 in the light heavyweight division, with only two of his bouts making it to the judges.

Steve Abas: Abas is a four-time NCAA All American wrestler, along with being a three-time NCAA champion at 125 pounds. Also a silver medalist in freestyle wrestling during the 2004 Olympic Games, Abas is currently training out of The Arena in San Diego, California alongside Diego Sanchez and others, and plans to make his professional mixed martial arts debut in the near future.

Bryan Baker: Nicknamed “The Beast” for good reason, Baker currently boasts an impressive record of 11-1 with seven finishes to his credit, and his sole defeat coming at the hanbds of Chael Sonnen via hard fought unanimous decision.This Team Wildman fighter is currently under contract with the MFC.

Jacob McClintock: While extremely talented on the feet as well as on the ground, McClintock’s greatest asset is something you just can’t teach: A natural, god given fighter’s instinct. Training out of Arizona Combat Sports with a brown belt in Braziian Jiu-Jitsu, “Tick Tock” holds an unblemished record of 6-0 while finishing four of his bouts by either KO or TKO, and the other two via submission.

Karl Amoussou: The crazy thing about Amoussou is that he’s widely respected as a lethal knockout artist, and seven of his eleven wins have come by way of submission. “Pyscho” is dangerous no matter where the fight ends up, but he has been led to the hornet’s nest in his Strikeforce debut where Trevor Prangley is poised to make an example out of this up and comer with plenty of room to develop.

Jon Jones: Jones barely deserves to make this list due to his prior impressive performances in the UFC, but there’s no denying the seemingly unlimited potential of this 22 year old phenom. A win over Vera during the first UFC on Versus event would springboard “Bones” into the title picture overnight

Top MMA Prospects 2010 Vol. I | Five Ounces of Pain
Top MMA Prospects 2010 Vol. II | Five Ounces of Pain

Pretty LONG READ, but thought it was really articulate and deeply investigative and offered some pretty solid insight into alot of new faces for the coming year.

[The8thPlague]

yeah that was good. A Few new names whose videos I'll be tracking down.

[Fedorlei Gomipierre]

I'm surprised Rolls Gracie Jr. didn't make the list, seeing as how he's about to make his UFC debut in a week and isn't really as "hyped" as Roger is.

[tucker50]

I think two guys in the UFC that they missed are Terry Etim and Rory Macdonald, especially Macdonald whose 10-0 with 10 finishes.

[CoL]

What about todd duffee? That guy is huge and hes only 24. Hes got some serious knockout power too.

[KevoOnTheRadio]

Really interested to see how Phil Davis does in his debut. I think that kid has the look of a future championchip. Don't know why, but I see him holding a belt somewhere.

[Fedorlei Gomipierre]

I'm really high on Shane Del Rossario, he's got some serious tools to do some serious damage and if they bring him along slowly, he can be a wonderful homegrown talent for Strikeforce. IMO, he'd have definately beat the shit outta Lashley had they matched them up like originally intended.

Tim Kennedy is also a really REALLY cool fighter who has some great marketability if utilized correctly. I'm also interested to see if Daniel Cormier can maybe lose some weight and try to cut to 205, because he's certainly got the wrestling cred, but is quite undersized to really utilize his style and he truly needs to push his striking to another notch. He's at AKA and I think he has some potential too.

Just reading the pedigree of Mario Miranda makes me want to start taking a close look at his matches. Really interested to study what he's gonna be bringing.

Peewee Herman is also somebody who I think could make a pretty big impact within the next 12 months. I'd like to see Todd Duffee a little more before I really say he's a top prospect. He reminds me of Ron Waterman for some reason.

[Firemass]

Very fine post my man

[willpunisher]

ryan bader? wtf.
those lists are almost always the same. 80% of those guys are wrestlers.
one guy that stands out to me is Patricio Pitbull! i seen him before. he is a beeeassttt!!! hope he wins Bellator and signs with either DREAM or WEC after and wreck havoc!

[bottlerocks]

Originally Posted by willpunisher

ryan bader? wtf.

I think he's going to make a splash this year. The only thing he hasn't really proven yet is his chin. I'd bet he destroys Jardine.

I'd say Tod Duffee just based on how everyone at Xtreme Couture says he's the next big thing.

Hopefully Amir Sadollah gets a solid opponent next, he could make some good impressions.

Jon Jones is a scary scary man. In a good way.