My big stupid hype trains thread.

[Hellowhosthat]

So I'll use the first post to keep a record of upcoming fights involving people I have ranked and to post the rankings themselves (linked to Tap lists). For the purposes of the OP I'll use my long list rather than the top 15. Please bear in mind that there's probably not a massive difference between someone being ranked #30 or #35 in a division.

Heavyweight rankings

Light Heavyweight rankings

Middleweight rankings

Welterweight rankings

Lightweight rankings

Featherweight rankings

Bantamweight rankings

Flyweight rankings

Women's Bantamweight + rankings

Women's Flyweight rankings

Strawweight rankings

 

[careto]

All of them are from EFC, right? That is Khabib's promotion, I'm assuming we will see them in the UFC at some point.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

This is probably more for me than anything else as I forget the names of half the dudes I see in smaller promotions that impress me. I'm just gonna mention people that impress me when I watch a card, although I'm not including guys already signed to UFC, Bellator or PFL.

Georgy Shakhruramazanov

Country - Russia
Weight Class - Featherweight
Age : 25
Promotion - EFC
Record : 10-0

So I was watching this guy's fight against 10-3 Ali Dikaev and was getting really impressed with the way he was managing distance and doing damage, then he starts to land some hard knees to the gut and I'm getting even more impressed and then he does this shit.





Needless to say I can't wait to see this dude fight again.

Ruslan Sariev

Country - Kazakhstan
Weight Class - Bantamweight
Age : 24
Promotion - EFC
Record : 12-1

So this guy actually lost his title fight, but I was transfixed by his style. He has this weird almost hypnotic slow motion stance switches and shadow boxing that he uses to lure his opponent into a false sense of security before suddenly changing speeds and cracking them with something. Also has good TDD and when he does get taken down uses butterfly guard really effectively to create space and stand back up. Was winning the fight comfortably in my opinion before he fucked up and got caught in a D'arce, which I imagine he'll learn from. I would bet he'll have a better career than his opponent.

Mansur Malachiev

Country - Russia
Weight Class - Bantamweight
Age : 29
Promotion - EFC
Record : 9-0

Of course it would be remiss of me not to give the guy who actually beat Sariev a bit of shine. He strikes me as a bit more of a meat and potatoes kind of fighter, but he keeps coming forward and keeps trying even if things aren't working until he can get them to work, which is what happened in this fight. There'll always be room in MMA for hard working technically sound guys.

 

[GueseGuy]

Nice thread man will keep an eye out

 

[careto]

https://m.sherdog.com/fighter/record/Daniel-Zellhuber-238903

Weird UFC hasnt signed him, he is a solid Mexican LW. He is young and still developing but he could be good for a future forray into Latin America.

Fought last in the same event as Bella Mir. He seems talented enough to warrant a chance.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

https://m.sherdog.com/fighter/record/Daniel-Zellhuber-238903

Weird UFC hasnt signed him, he is a solid Mexican LW. He is young and still developing but he could be good for a future forray into Latin America.

Fought last in the same event as Bella Mir. He seems talented enough to warrant a chance.

They still haven't signed Rafa Garcia yet and that seems like a no brainer to me.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

Darian Weeks

Country - USA
Weight Class - Welterweight
Age : 27
Promotion - LFA
Record : 5-0

I liked what I saw from this guy at LFA against Craig Fairley. Granted Fairley isn't exactly the best opponent, but Weeks displayed good powerful offence and aggression and good cardio to keep a high output of explosive offence going when Fairley was tough, didn't go away and started trying to get him in leg entanglements. Had an extensive 15-4 ammy career including a couple of IMMAF tournaments, so far more experienced that his record suggests. I'd like to see him given a step up in competition if possible.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

Alberto Montes

Country - Venezuela
Weight Class - Bantamweight
Age : 26
Promotion - Titan
Record : 5-0

Very impressed with the performance of this MMA masters product on last night's Titan show. Fighting a tough guy who's been on DWCS series in Richie Santiago, he started by throwing all kinds of fluid looking shit on the feet and then when Santiago tried to grapple with him, he choked the grappling specialist unconscious with an anaconda choke.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

On the Titan and LFA shows I was also pretty impressed with Fabio Cherant (7-1) grinding out a tough 5 round decision win over a vet in Myron Dennis to win the LHW belt, Fernando Padilla (13-4) had some great hands and good moments against Nate Richardson, but started to gas a little. Olivier Murad (5-0) won out a tough back and forth fight with fellow prospect Muhammad Naimad for the Titan FW title which was pretty impressive too.

None of them quite impressed me enough for me to be willing to throw them on the hype train yet though.

Also Brant Moore (9-1) and Danny Sabatello (10-1) won easily against decent opponents, but both those guys are an absolute chore to watch fight, so whatever. I can't imagine a major promotion would sign them unless they want to send all their fans to sleep.

 

[careto]

On the Titan and LFA shows I was also pretty impressed with Fabio Cherant (7-1) grinding out a tough 5 round decision win over a vet in Myron Dennis to win the LHW belt, Fernando Padilla (13-4) had some great hands and good moments against Nate Richardson, but started to gas a little. Olivier Murad (5-0) won out a tough back and forth fight with fellow prospect Muhammad Naimad for the Titan FW title which was pretty impressive too.

None of them quite impressed me enough for me to be willing to throw them on the hype train yet though.

Also Brant Moore (9-1) and Danny Sabatello (10-1) won easily against decent opponents, but both those guys are an absolute chore to watch fight, so whatever. I can't imagine a major promotion would sign them unless they want to send all their fans to sleep.

For Cherant, that loss against Camur hasnt aged well, though.

 

[careto]

They still haven't signed Rafa Garcia yet and that seems like a no brainer to me.

I think there is something wrong with Rafa, though. Maybe visa or PED issues. He just quit Combate and hasnt fought in over a year.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

For Cherant, that loss against Camur hasnt aged well, though.

It hasn't, but it was two inexperienced guys fighting at the time and he's done quite well since (although he has had some weight issues). I think he'll probably get a chance in a major organisation at some point, but I'm undecided as to how long he'd be able to stick around if it's the UFC.

 

[careto]

It hasn't, but it was two inexperienced guys fighting at the time and he's done quite well since (although he has had some weight issues). I think he'll probably get a chance in a major organisation at some point, but I'm undecided as to how long he'd be able to stick around if it's the UFC.

He is 25 or 26 if im not mistaken. How young is too young to be successful in the UFC? 26 might be too young to make a successful run in the UFC, unless you are one of those truly elite fighters. I have no stats to back up my opinion, but I think only truly elite fighters can be successful in the UFC from young age, the rest are destined to be middle of the pack guys forever.

In other words, he might need a few more fights and a couple more years of experience to make a successful run at the UFC.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

He is 25 or 26 if im not mistaken. How young is too young to be successful in the UFC? 26 might be too young to make a successful run in the UFC, unless you are one of those truly elite fighters. I have no stats to back up my opinion, but I think only truly elite fighters can be successful in the UFC from young age, the rest are destined to be middle of the pack guys forever.

In other words, he might need a few more fights and a couple more years of experience to make a successful run at the UFC.

I think it depends really, some people came into the organisation at a youngish age and have been middle of the road guys there for basically their whole career (I'm thinking of people like Stefan Struve, Evan Dunham etc)

 

[careto]

I think it depends really, some people came into the organisation at a youngish age and have been middle of the road guys there for basically their whole career (I'm thinking of people like Stefan Struve, Evan Dunham etc)

True, there is no formula to this. I wonder if there is a "rule of thumb" kind of thing to figure out what do most successful fighters have in common.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

True, there is no formula to this. I wonder if there is a "rule of thumb" kind of thing to figure out what do most successful fighters have in common.

I don't think there is anything tbh, that's the great thing about such a diverse sport and what makes it so unpredictable.

 

[Feniamin]

This is probably more for me than anything else as I forget the names of half the dudes I see in smaller promotions that impress me. I'm just gonna mention people that impress me when I watch a card, although I'm not including guys already signed to UFC, Bellator or PFL.

Georgy Shakhruramazanov

Country - Russia
Weight Class - Featherweight
Age : 25
Promotion - EFC
Record : 10-0

So I was watching this guy's fight against 10-3 Ali Dikaev and was getting really impressed with the way he was managing distance and doing damage, then he starts to land some hard knees to the gut and I'm getting even more impressed and then he does this shit.





Needless to say I can't wait to see this dude fight again.

Ruslan Sariev

Country - Kazakhstan
Weight Class - Bantamweight
Age : 24
Promotion - EFC
Record : 12-1

So this guy actually lost his title fight, but I was transfixed by his style. He has this weird almost hypnotic slow motion stance switches and shadow boxing that he uses to lure his opponent into a false sense of security before suddenly changing speeds and cracking them with something. Also has good TDD and when he does get taken down uses butterfly guard really effectively to create space and stand back up. Was winning the fight comfortably in my opinion before he fucked up and got caught in a D'arce, which I imagine he'll learn from. I would bet he'll have a better career than his opponent.

Mansur Malachiev

Country - Russia
Weight Class - Bantamweight
Age : 29
Promotion - EFC
Record : 9-0

Of course it would be remiss of me not to give the guy who actually beat Sariev a bit of shine. He strikes me as a bit more of a meat and potatoes kind of fighter, but he keeps coming forward and keeps trying even if things aren't working until he can get them to work, which is what happened in this fight. There'll always be room in MMA for hard working technically sound guys.

I'm pretty sure that name of Shakhruramazanov is Gergi/Gergy (Герги in Russian) but for some strange reason some sites like Tapology changes his name to Georgy. And such name for a Dagestani guy with such surname -- it's like if there were some Japanese mma fighter named Gaylord Sugiyama.

 

[careto]

I know this isnt the right forum, but after seeing Messi play today I dont care who shitty the UFC card is today, my day has been made already.

 

[tehMoose]

I know this isnt the right forum, but after seeing Messi play today I dont care who shitty the UFC card is today, my day has been made already.

My day has been made also. I watched basketball, derby game in my country and my team won by one point

 

[Hellowhosthat]

Ramazan Kishev

Country - Russia
Weight Class - Featherweight
Age : 29
Promotion - ACA
Record : 17-3

My personal just bleed god didn't let me down at the weekend with a really hard fought for win against top prospect Askhab Zuliev. Kishev might be a win some/lose some guy if he ever got signed to the UFC, but he always comes to bang and is just never in a boring fight. He said something about wanting to sign a new ACA contract after the fight, which might mean he's potentially available if anyone wanted to move for him now he's on a 3 fight win streak. Guaranteed entertainment from this dude.