Mattandbenny’s top 30 amateur prospects 2016

[mattandbenny]

First off, happy new year everyone! Thought I’d kick off 2016 with my yearly prospect list – though a little different this time.....

So normally I do my big list of the top unbeaten (professional) prospects – I decided a few months ago to leave this for a year, so the January 2017 version will pretty much be all new fighters that I haven’t profiled in previous years. But rather than do nothing, I decided to turn my attention towards the amateur fighters, and thus this thread was born! I thought it would be fun to test my scouting ability on a bunch of amateur fighters and see how these get on in the pro ranks (if they even turn pro), and to see how they develop as professionals; and if any of them ever become good enough to fight for the top organisations. Can’t wait to bump this thread in 7-8 years and to see how well / badly I have done! ;D

I created 4 rules to go by for this. All fighters must:
- Have had a minimum of 3 amateur fights
- Be aged 27 years old or younger
- Have competed in the past 12 months
- Not have had a professional fight yet

I have spent countless hours these past few months doing research and watched hundreds (possible thousands) of YouTube video’s of amateur fighters’ various fights. I started with a shortlist of around 1000 fighters and managed to cut it down to a top 350 – which I have ranked by weight class (top 30 HW & LHW, top 35 MW & Women’s, top 40 WW, BW & FLW, top 50 LW & FW). From these 350 fighters I did further research & watching and have come up with a top 30 list of fighters from all weight classes combined.

Rather than making a thread for each weight class as I normally do for my unbeaten fighters’ lists, I am just going to post the final ‘pound for pound’ top 30 list. If anyone is interested to see the full 350 man rankings, just drop me a pm with your e-mail address and I will be happy to e-mail you the spreadsheet with the detailed rankings.

So without further ado, I present to you mattandbenny’s top 30 amateur prospects 2016!


1) William Starks – 9-1 - USA – 22 Years Old – Welterweight - Last Fought: Jul ’15
Fight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpNZLWwm7AE

2) Clayton Carpenter – 5-0 - USA – 19 Years Old – Bantamweight - Last Fought: Aug ’15
Fight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJlZMDbfOqE

3) Lance Lawrence – 8-0 - USA – 26 Years Old – Lightweight - Last Fought: Nov ’15
Fight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fD_UTWnAj8A

4) Steve Mowry – 7-0 - USA – 23 Years Old – Heavyweight - Last Fought: Jun ’15
Fight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=tt9m64yqTVQ

5) Damion Minor – 7-1 - USA – 20 Years Old – Lightweight - Last Fought: Nov ’15
Fight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=iv9ND2wqUpE

6) Dontale Mayes – 8-0 - USA – 23 Years Old – Heavyweight - Last Fought: Nov ’15
Fight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbFuoBLL9XE

7) Cain Lugar – 6-1 - USA – 20 Years Old – Featherweight - Last Fought: Dec ’15
Fight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=bh8miE9NFzk

8) AJ Dobson – 7-1 - USA – 23 Years Old – Welterweight - Last Fought: Dec ’14
Fight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSQnEUE1bJc

9) Renaldo Weekly – 8-1 - USA – 22 Years Old – Featherweight - Last Fought: Sep ’15
Fight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-Z09zhpnJk

10) Maxx Smith – 6-1 - USA – 21 Years Old – Middleweight - Last Fought: Jul ’15
Fight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1Ex-qBpni0 **Watch**

11) Tommy Cuozzi – 4-0 - USA – 16 Years Old – Flyweight - Last Fought: Aug ’15
Fight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKKaSSnBYfM

12) Jose Torres – 17-0 - USA – 23 Years Old – Bantamweight - Last Fought: Jul ’15
Fight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzJKeH8GzRk

13) Marco Hutch – 8-1 - USA – 22 Years Old – Middleweight - Last Fought: Oct ’15
Fight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7F1__DU6F0

14) Jamie Harrington – 7-0 - Canada – 24 Years Old – Women’s Bantamweight - Last Fought: Jul ’15
Fight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFbLyS4BQ1g

15) Sabir Bagautdinov – 4-0 - Russia – 25 Years Old – Lightweight - Last Fought: May ’15
Fight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvBbYzQtb-k

16) Amberlynn Orr – 11-1 - USA – 23 Years Old – Women’s Flyweight - Last Fought: Sep ’15
Fight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjxb8Kh6T2I

17) Brandon Lewis – 6-1 - USA – 18 Years Old –Flyweight - Last Fought: Oct ’15
Fight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-tMQ1O-wRE

18) Jared Richardson – 7-1 - USA – 22 Years Old –Featherweight - Last Fought: Dec ’15
Fight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTepC1DXdj8

19) Jerome Ward – 4-0 - USA – 26 Years Old –Light Heavyweight - Last Fought: Aug ’15
Fight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEWNFIcz3UI (Wrestling)

20) Hunter Joffre – 6-0 - USA – 21 Years Old –Flyweight - Last Fought: May ’15
Fight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQ_2jcqNoq4

21) Jerico MacPhee – 6-0 - Canada – 19 Years Old –Featherweight - Last Fought: Aug ’15
Fight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyLu96UlP4U

22) Jamal Pogues – 9-1 - USA – 19 Years Old –Light Heavyweight - Last Fought: Oct ’15
Fight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ix1PLTkp1KA

23) Andre Hall – 9-0 - USA – 25 Years Old –Middleweight - Last Fought: Jul ’15
Fight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-U1JZjrXKM

24) Jailin Turner – 6-2 - USA – 20 Years Old –Lightweight - Last Fought: Oct ’15
Fight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjQoBxQ7hHo

25) Isaac Purnell – 4-0 - USA – 24 Years Old –Lightweight - Last Fought: Apr ’15
Fight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdjiYFUpTN4

26) Blake Bilder – 4-0 - USA – 25 Years Old –Featherweight - Last Fought: Aug ’15
Fight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgDhREiht8E

27) Bassil Hafez – 6-1 - USA – 23 Years Old –Welterweight - Last Fought: Jun ’15
Fight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqbJY1NuQUE

28) Joe Harding – 7-0 - England – 21 Years Old –Lightweight - Last Fought: Jun ’15
Fight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ni5LcZpNlk0

29) Chris Teague – 7-1 - USA – 25 Years Old –Featherweight - Last Fought: Aug ’15
Fight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwlDp7f66Mo

30) Michael Trizano – 6-0 - USA – 23 Years Old –Lightweight - Last Fought: Nov ’15
Fight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYGKQT0icrc

 

[CC27]

Nice but think you should do a top 30 unsigned prospect list. Not an unbeaten one just guys who arent signed to UFC/Bellator/WSOF.

 

[BisexualMMA]

Good stuff. I can't keep track of stuff like this so I'm glad whenever someone consolidates it. Bump this thread in a couple years when one of these guys gets ranked by the UFC.

 

[DoctorTaco]

You're sleeping on David "kid Kryptonite" converse. 17-3 in 3 weight classes, titles in two classes simultaneously. Lost his first fight ever via sub, and didn't lose again until a dec. loss challenging the title holder two weight classes up. He's the current 125lb KOTC ammy title holder and is going pro after his fight in Feb.

http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/David-Converse-71230

 

[CDF47]

Nice but think you should do a top 30 unsigned prospect list. Not an unbeaten one just guys who arent signed to UFC/Bellator/WSOF.

I agree. This is a great list and I appreciate all the work but the unsigned prospect list excluding fighters from the major orgs. was best IMO.

 

[ricanth]

All the prospect lists are fun, appreciate you posting!

IMHO it's a bit unrealistic to have lower weights at top unless they have a ridiculous background. The top of the list has to be mostly heavies and LHW, especially those that can wrestle, eg JD Ramsey or a Jahsua Marsh. I don't think anyone would put their money on a Lance Lawrence or Clayton Carpenter before Mowry or Mayes, or even one of the other guys I mentioned.
A 135 typically has to get to 10-0 for the UFC to call (eg Luke Sanders), a HVY/LHW needs to get to 5-0, a lot can happen personally/physically/professionally during 5-10... I know this stuff is a lot of work, thanks for posting.

 

[mattandbenny]

You're sleeping on David "kid Kryptonite" converse. 17-3 in 3 weight classes, titles in two classes simultaneously. Lost his first fight ever via sub, and didn't lose again until a dec. loss challenging the title holder two weight classes up. He's the current 125lb KOTC ammy title holder and is going pro after his fight in Feb.

http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/David-Converse-71230

In my weight class rankings i had converse ranked about 15th of 40 flyweights. He'a solid and i think will go on to be a decent pro, but personally didn't see him as someone that would go on to ufc etc.

 

[DoctorTaco]

In my weight class rankings i had converse ranked about 15th of 40 flyweights. He'a solid and i think will go on to be a decent pro, but personally didn't see him as someone that would go on to ufc etc.

He's planning a move to Vegas after his fight in February and joining a team there. With the right coaches I think he's going to raise some eyebrows. He's been training on his own for a while now without a team or coaches to help him out. Tapology has him at #1 in the PNW and #2 on the west coast.

I'm obviously bias though because I know him personally, but from the fights of his I've seen (his 5 rounder with Sean gee comes to mind) he's got a ton of heart and no ego/attitude to contend with.

 

[MilesAbove]

Makes me sad to see I hardly even know the ammys anymore. Ohhhhh the times, they are a chaaaaanging.


Also, 17-0 Jose Torres.... step it up, fella. There's no reason to have more than 5-6 ammy fights.

 

[Paul L]

Just wanted to give you props for this post, combing the amateur scene is way more difficult than the pros, and you've developed a great list. Dontale Mayes will be making his pro debut in Feb, as a note on the heavyweight side. I expect to see a ton of KO's on his pro record on his way to a big org.

 

[ryanrandy]

Makes me sad to see I hardly even know the ammys anymore. Ohhhhh the times, they are a chaaaaanging.


Also, 17-0 Jose Torres.... step it up, fella. There's no reason to have more than 5-6 ammy fights.

Pretty sure he was supposed to make his pro debut at the cancelled Titan event last month.

 

[InfinityLens]

Someone needs to bump this 1Jan2017.

 

[Nathanli]

I have to give a shoutout to Marco Smallman. Tapology has him as 9-0 but he probably has more. He's looked unbeatable in Michigan.

 

[Paul L]

Bump since this is a great post I think people may have missed.

 

[InfinityLens]

Someone needs to bump this 1Jan2017.

Excellent suggestion.

 

[EndlessCritic]

hwo the fuck can anyone follow amateur MMA when the pro mma world is so massive?

 

[mattandbenny]

Haha yea this took some scouting back then!!

Small update - 14 of the 30 fighters have turned professional, but most of them are just 1 or 2 fights into their pro career.

I think we need to give it until about 2020 to have a good indication of how each of their careers are progressing. I'll come back to this thread in the future with a more detailed update!

 

[InfinityLens]

hwo the fuck can anyone follow amateur MMA when the pro mma world is so massive?

Actually watched bits and peaces of something called Hard Rock MMA this weekend that was ammy this weekend (they had a youtube stream).

 

[ConnieCuozzi]

Haha yea this took some scouting back then!!

Small update - 14 of the 30 fighters have turned professional, but most of them are just 1 or 2 fights into their pro career.

I think we need to give it until about 2020 to have a good indication of how each of their careers are progressing. I'll come back to this thread in the future with a more detailed update!

Tommy Cuozzi, #11 on your list had to stop fighting due to age regulations and restrictions that took place one month after he won the 125 lb title. However...he is coming back this Saturday night 9/16 for the bantamweight title. Would be worth a watch...

 

[mattandbenny]

Yea i noticed that on tapology the other day. I did wonder why he had stopped fighting, thanks for the info. Will definitely look out for the result and try find a video after somewhere.