Mattandbenny's Undefeated Prospects 2017 - #2 The Flyweight's

[mattandbenny]

2 days ago I released the first weight class of my undefeated prospect list 2017 – the Lightweights. The link for this can be found here: http://forums.sherdog.com/threads/m...ed-prospects-2017-1-the-lightweights.3439747/


Next up it is time for the Flyweights turn.

A quick recap the rules I go by. In order to be included in the list, each fighter must pass all 6 rules:

1) All fighters must be unbeaten in professional MMA
2) Any fighters signed to UFC or Bellator will be excluded from the lists
3) All fighters must have fought at least once in the year 2016 - Inactive fighters are not included
4) Fighters in the Heavyweight, Light Heavyweight & Women's divisions must have at least 2 professional fights. Fighters in all other divisions must have had at least 3 professional fights.
5) *New Rule* Maximum age limit of 29 years old. Fighters aged 30 or older will not be included. (Heavyweight & Women's division are allowed up to 32 years old, although I have tried to keep these to a minimum).
6) *New Rule* Champions from the 10 largest promotions (other than UFC & Bellator) have been disallowed. Promotions I am disallowing champions of are WSOF, M1, One, KSW, Rizin, Invicta, Legacy, Titan, Cage Warriors & RFA.

Due to rule 6, fighters missing from this Lightweight list are Kairat Akhmedov (One Championship Champion), Magomed Bibulatov (Former WSOF Champion) & Jose Torres (Titan FC Champion). Also for anyone wondering, I have also left out Pietro Menga as last fight was for Bellator, plus he has been my #1 ranked Flyweight for a previous year.


On with the Flyweight list! 40 fighters are included in this list. Some guys just missing out on the top 50 include Javier Baez (5-0), Yari Orsini (6-0), George Lusadan (6-0), Islam Madarov (5-0) & Arthur Soares (5-0). Fighters not eligible due to inactivity include Kento Kanbe (10-0), Elielton Fernandes (11-0), Jerome Rivera (5-0), Austin Ryan (6-0) & Raul Coronado (6-0).


The Flyweights

1) Jarred Brooks - 11-0 - USA - 23 Years Old
Signed to: Pancrase; Finish Ratio: 62% (2 KO, 5 Sub, 4 Dec)
Key Wins: Chris Miah (7-0), Jun Nakamura (7-0), Junji Ito (13-6), Abdiel Velasquez (5-1), Joey Diehl (8-5), CJ Hamilton (4-2)
Height: 5’3”; Amateur Record: 11-0

2) Rogerio Bontorin - 10-0 - Brazil - 24 Years Old
Signed to: Pancrase; Finish Ratio: 90% (9 Sub, 1 Dec)
Key Wins: Takeshi Kasugai (20-4), Israel Lima (14-4), Cristiano Souza (6-0), Ivonei Pridonik (8-5)
Height: 5’5”; Amateur Record: 1-0

3) Gustavo Gabriel - 12-0 - Brazil - 22 Years Old
Signed to: N/A; Finish Ratio: 83% (4 KO, 6 Sub, 2 Dec)
Key Wins: Stenio Barbosa (15-6), Marcelo Dias (6-1), Alex Bassani (7-3), Wallyson Rossiny (4-1)
Height: 5’6”; Amateur Record: N/A

4) Pongsiri Mitsatit - 7-0 - Thialand - 20 Years Old
Signed to: One Championship; Finish Ratio: 86% (5 KO, 1 Sub, 1 Dec)
Key Wins: N/A
Height: 5’4”; Amateur Record: N/A

5) Dominic Wooding - 3-0 - England - 20 Years Old
Signed to: WFS; Finish Ratio: 100% (3 KO)
Key Wins: N/A
Height: 5’9”; Amateur Record: 8-2

6) Casey Kenny - 5-0 - USA - 25 Years Old
Signed to: Tachi Palace; Finish Ratio: 80% (1 KO, 3 Sub, 1 Dec)
Key Wins: N/A
Height: 5’7”; Amateur Record: 4-0

7) Naoki Inoue - 9-0 - Japan - 19 Years Old
Signed to: DEEP; Finish Ratio: 78% (7 Sub, 2 Dec)
Key Wins: Yuya Shibata (12-4), Tsuyoshi Minimade (5-2)
Height: 5’8”; Amateur Record: 1-0

8) Joseph Morales - 7-0 - USA - 22 Years Old
Signed to: GKO; Finish Ratio: 71% (1 KO, 4 Sub, 2 Dec)
Key Wins: Josh Paiva (8-1)
Height: 5’6”; Amateur Record: 6-0

9) Rickson Thai Zenedim - 7-0 - Brazil - 17 Years Old
Signed to: Paulao Fight; Finish Ratio: 86% (6 Sub, 1 Dec)
Key Wins: N/A
Height: ??; Amateur Record: 1-0

10) Sean O’Malley - 5-0 - USA - 22 Years Old
Signed to: N/A; Finish Ratio: 80% (3 KO, 1 Sub, 1 Dec)
Key Wins: N/A
Height: 5’11”; Amateur Record: 5-0

11) Takumi Tamaru - 7-0 - Japan - 20 Years Old
Signed to: Shooto; Finish Ratio: 83% (2 KO, 4 Sub, 1 Dec)
Key Wins: Yasuhiro Urushitani (21-7), Hiroshi Osato (8-4), Hiroyuki Tanaka (10-7), Masusashi Nakasone (4-1)
Height: 5’5”; Amateur Record: N/A

12) Aleff Machado – 8-0-1 - Brazil - 21 Years Old
Signed to: N/A; Finish Ratio: 44% (4 Sub, 4 Dec)
Wins: Alex Valanzuela (5-0), Rodrigo Lobato (6-2)
Height: 5’2”; Amateur Record: N/A

13) Louis Jourdain – 3-0 - Canada - 19 Years Old
Signed to: TKO; Finish Ratio: 67% (1 KO, 1 Sub, 1 Dec)
Key Wins: N/A
Height: 5’9”; Amateur Record: 6-0

14) Carls John De Tomas – 5-0 - Philippines - 20 Years Old
Signed to: URCC; Finish Ratio: 60% (3 Sub, 2 Dec)
Key Wins: Hideo Morikawa (8-3)
Height: 5’7”; Amateur Record: N/A

15) Askar Askarov – 8-0 - Russia - 24 Years Old
Signed to: ACB; Finish Ratio: 100% (3 KO, 5 Sub)
Key Wins: Jose Maria Tome (37-5), Ruslan Abiltarov (19-6), Marcin Lasota (9-2), Kirill Medvedovsky (6-0)
Height: 5’5”; Amateur Record: N/A

16) Sylvester Chipfumbu – 3-0 - Zimbabwe - 25 Years Old
Signed to: EFCA; Finish Ratio: 33% (1 KO, 2 Dec)
Key Wins: N/A
Height: 5’7”; Amateur Record: 6-0

17) Matheus Silva – 6-0 - Brazil - 21 Years Old
Signed to: IFC; Finish Ratio: 67% (2 KO, 2 Sub, 2 Dec)
Key Wins: N/A
Height: ??; Amateur Record: N/A

18) Carlos Candelario – 4-0 - USA - 25 Years Old
Signed to: CES MMA; Finish Ratio: 75% (1 KO, 2 Sub, 1 Dec)
Key Wins: N/A
Height: 5’7”; Amateur Record: 5-0

19) Deiveson Figueiredo – 11-0 - Brazil - ?? Years Old
Signed to: Jungle Fight; Finish Ratio: 93% (5 KO, 5 Sub, 1 Dec)
Key Wins: Denis Fontes (10-0), Rayner Silva (5-2), Joel Silva (4-2)
Height: 5’5”; Amateur Record: N/A

20) Velimurad Alhasov – 4-0 - Russia - 25 Years Old
Signed to: ACB; Finish Ratio: 75% (2 KO, 1 Sub, 1 Dec)
Key Wins: Ruslan Abilatarov (19-5), Mikael Silander (12-3)
Height: 5’4”; Amateur Record: N/A


*Fighters ranked 21 - 40 Continued in next post.

 

[mattandbenny]

21) Hiroba Minowa – 5-0 - Japan - 17 Years Old
Signed to: Shooto; Finish Ratio: 100% (1 KO, 4 Sub)
Key Wins: N/A
Height: 5’3”; Amateur Record: N/A

22) Wellington Souza – 3-0 - Brazil - 19 Years Old
Signed to: N/A; Finish Ratio: 33% (1 KO, 2 Dec)
Key Wins: N/A
Height: 5’7”; Amateur Record: 2-0

23) Shamil Irashanov – 5-0 - Russia - 25 Years Old
Signed to: WFCA; Finish Ratio: 40% (2 KO, 3 Dec)
Key Wins: Ivan Andruschenko (6-3)
Height: ??; Amateur Record: N/A

24) Hayato Ishii– 7-0 - Japan - 21 Years Old
Signed to: Shooto; Finish Ratio: 50% (1 KO, 2 Sub, 3 Dec)
Key Wins: Musashi Nakasone (6-3)
Height: ??; Amateur Record: 1-1

25) Wingrisson Santos – 6-0 - Brazil - 22 Years Old
Signed to: Aspera FC; Finish Ratio: 100% (3 KO, 3 Sub)
Key Wins: N/A
Height: ??; Amateur Record: 10-3

26) Makoto Takahashi – 3-0 – Japan - 16 Years Old
Signed to: DEEP; Finish Ratio: 0% (3 Dec)
Key Wins: N/A
Height: 5’4”; Amateur Record: N/A

27) Artur Bagautinov – 4-0-1 – Russia - 29 Years Old
Signed to: Fight Nights; Finish Ratio: 40% (1 KO, 1 Sub, 2 Dec)
Key Wins: Oscar Dolchin (6-1)
Height: 5’5”; Amateur Record: N/A

28) Assu Almabaev – 3-0 – Kazakhstan - 23 Years Old
Signed to: N/A; Finish Ratio: 67% (2 Sub, 1 Dec)
Key Wins: N/A
Height: ??; Amateur Record: N/A

29) Ryan Curtis – 3-0 – Ireland - 23 Years Old
Signed to: N/A; Finish Ratio: 67% (1 KO, 1 Sub, 1 Dec)
Key Wins: N/A
Height: 5’6”; Amateur Record: 7-1

30) Takeshi Matsuba – 8-0-1 – Japan - 25 Years Old
Signed to: N/A; Finish Ratio: 33% (3 Sub, 5 Dec)
Key Wins: Kirihito Kodama (10-4)
Height: 5’6”; Amateur Record: 5-0

31) Greg Fischer – 5-0 – USA - 25 Years Old
Signed to: SF; Finish Ratio: 60% (3 Sub, 2 Dec)
Key Wins: Martin Davila (3-0)
Height: 5’8”; Amateur Record: 3-1

32) Klinger Pinheiro – 4-0 – Brazil - 24 Years Old
Signed to: N/A; Finish Ratio: 75% (3 KO, 1 Dec)
Key Wins: Ralph Alves (8-6), Ericley Da Silva (3-0)
Height: 5’6”; Amateur Record: 0-1

33) Danny Kingad – 4-0 – Philippines - 22 Years Old
Signed to: One Championship; Finish Ratio: 50% (1 KO, 1 Sub, 2 Dec)
Key Wins: Eugene Toquero (8-3)
Height: 5’0”; Amateur Record: 2-0

34) Fritz Biagtan – 3-0 – Philippines - 21 Years Old
Signed to: URCC; Finish Ratio: 50% (1 KO, 1 Sub, 2 Dec)
Key Wins: Garie Tang (3-0)
Height: 5’0”; Amateur Record: 2-0

35) Jeremy Miado – 6-0 – Philippines - ?? Years Old
Signed to: N/A; Finish Ratio: 50% (2 KO, 1 Sub, 3 Dec)
Key Wins: Muhammad Imran (5-0)
Height: 5’8”; Amateur Record: N/A

36) Leandro Soares – 8-0 – Brazil - 28 Years Old
Signed to: Jungle Fight; Finish Ratio: 88% (1 KO, 6 Sub, 1 Dec)
Key Wins: Dener Dos Santos (13-8)
Height: ??; Amateur Record: 1-0

37) Adenilton Pimentel – 6-0 – Brazil - ?? Years Old
Signed to: N/A; Finish Ratio: 88% (1 KO, 6 Sub, 1 Dec)
Key Wins: N/A
Height: 5’2”; Amateur Record: N/A

38) Jaime Granados – 5-0 – Mexico - 25 Years Old
Signed to: N/A; Finish Ratio: 60% (3 Sub, 2 Dec)
Key Wins: N/A
Height: 5’5”; Amateur Record: N/A

39) Gabriel Pimenta – 7-0 – Brazil - 21 Years Old
Signed to: N/A; Finish Ratio: 100% (4 KO, 3 Sub)
Key Wins: N/A
Height: 5’8”; Amateur Record: N/A

40) James Blair – 5-0 – USA - 29 Years Old
Signed to: N/A; Finish Ratio: 60% (3 KO, 2 Dec)
Key Wins: Cameron Page (4-0)
Height: 5’6”; Amateur Record: 3-1

 

[Nathanli]

Your #1 will be back in action on February 17th against Canadian Flyweight Malcolm Gordon. Brooks has to be 1 or 2 away from finally getting his shot.

 

[mattandbenny]

Here's a little more about the top 5.


1) Jarred Brooks

I think it is fair to say that Jarred Brooks is known as being the best unsigned Flyweight out there – I was very surprised when the 23 year old wasn’t signed for the last series of The Ultimate Fighter. Brooks has put together a perfect 11-0 record as an amateur and has done the same in his professional career. He was a state champion wrestler from Indiana and has several good wins in his career so far, including handing Chris Miah (7-0) & Jun Nakamura (7-0) their first losses. If he continues to improve he could fit the mold of a Henry Cejudo type fighter.

A video of Brooks’ hard fought win over CJ Hamilton (4-2)



2) Rogerio Bontorin

Brazilian Rogerio Bontorin recently signed to Japanese organsation Pancrase when he easily submitted one of their stars Takeshi Kasugai (20-4) in a fight which was later switched to a no contest as Bontorin missed weight. A high level Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, the 24 year old has submitted each of his past 8 opponents with 6 of them coming in the first round. Bontorin is more than ready for UFC, and I believe would already be a top 15 Flyweight there.

A (poor quality) video of his win over Daniel Santos (If you have UFC Fight pass, a video of his win over Takeshi Kasugai is on there



3) Gustavo Gabriel

With a 12-0 record at just 22 years old on paper Gabriel looks the real deal. He has some solid wins on his resume already including Stenio Barbosa (15-6) & Marcelo Dias (6-1), but has recently signed for American promotion Titan FC, so bigger tests are to be expected. He trains out of a good team at Diego Lima’s Chute Boxe gym in Brazil.

Gabriel’s win over Marcelo Dias (6-1) in September



4) Pongsiri Mitsatit

At just 20 years old, this rising star of One Championship has the potential to be Thailand’s first big MMA star. At this point in his career he is basically a Muay Thai fighter competing in MMA, though with the combination his age and camp (Team Quest Thailand) he has the potential to improve the holes in his game and become an Asian Flyweight star.


Mitsatit’s TKO win over Wisawa Kaweewaskorm in October 2015



5) Dominic Wooding

The only English flyweight on the list, the 20 year old Wooding as a tonne of raw potential. He went a solid 8-2 as an amateur before turning professional late in 2015. Among his wins is a highlight reel knockout of IMMAF World Champion Iuri Benjari (2-0). The Brit is extremely tall for a flyweight at 5’9” and uses his reach for his impressive striking game. His style has a hint of Conor McGregor to it.

Video of Woodings brutal KO if Iuri Benjari (2-0)

 

[KhabibTheBeagle]

Why no mention of Pietro Menga?
13-0 Flyweight, with 11 finishes.

 

[mattandbenny]

Why no mention of Pietro Menga?
13-0 Flyweight, with 11 finishes.

See my below comment from opening post:

Due to rule 6, fighters missing from this Lightweight list are Kairat Akhmedov (One Championship Champion), Magomed Bibulatov (Former WSOF Champion) & Jose Torres (Titan FC Champion). Also for anyone wondering, I have also left out Pietro Menga as last fight was for Bellator, plus he has been my #1 ranked Flyweight for a previous year.

Basically he's excluded as his last fight was for Bellator - I don't include Bellator or UFC fighters. If he were included, he would have been either 2nd or 3rd, ranked similarly to my #2 Rogerio Bontorin. I really like Menga, he's more than ready for the UFC, i just wish he'd fight more regularly than once every 2 and a half years. He's not far off 30 now - he was my top flyweight pick in 2013 when he was fighting regularly at 25 years old, so i'm not sure if his career may turn out to be a bit of a waste.

 

[KhabibTheBeagle]

See my below comment from opening post:


Basically he's excluded as his last fight was for Bellator - I don't include Bellator or UFC fighters. If he were included, he would have been either 2nd or 3rd, ranked similarly to my #2 Rogerio Bontorin. I really like Menga, he's more than ready for the UFC, i just wish he'd fight more regularly than once every 2 and a half years. He's not far off 30 now - he was my top flyweight pick in 2013 when he was fighting regularly at 25 years old, so i'm not sure if his career may turn out to be a bit of a waste.

Ah, my apologies - I completely missed that part.

 

[Noxcho18]

IMO Askar Askarov should be a bit higher like in the top 5 but great list, havent heard many of these fighters but will check them out.

 

[CDF47]

Great job on the FLW list!

 

[Kinger85]

love these. thanks for doing them.

 

[Paul L]

I haven't dug into flyweight that much, so most of these guys I have never heard of. Love it, keep up the good work!

 

[mattandbenny]

IMO Askar Askarov should be a bit higher like in the top 5 but great list, havent heard many of these fighters but will check them out.

Yea to be fair on paper he is ranked too low - he has arguably the best wins out of any of the guys on this list. I just couldnt get excited for his fights - i watched about 4 of them, including his most recent win over Tome, and just didnt think he looked that great in any of them.

 

[Lucifer Alpha]

Casey Kenney needs to be more active. LFA should offer him a contract.

@Bevois

 

[fermaPY]

IMO Askar Askarov should be a bit higher like in the top 5 but great list, havent heard many of these fighters but will check them out.

Yep, when i entered the treath my firs tought was him beeing a top 5

Really good top @mattandbenny always making good things here

 

[BAMMA UK Guy]

Just a quick note. Wooding has now signed with BAMMA and will be fighting at BAMMA 28 in a bout to be announced.

 

[mattandbenny]

Just a quick note. Wooding has now signed with BAMMA and will be fighting at BAMMA 28 in a bout to be announced.

Awesome news, BAMMA will be a good platform. Really impressed by him, I think he has a big future.

 

[qw3rty]

Great as always
I'm surprised Joseph Morales isn't in the top 5