Your local scene.

[Get these Hands]

So which fighters have you guys followed from your territories all the way to the UFC? Any one and done showings? Did they end up making a name for themselves?
I watched big Tim Hague coming up, and all the way to the end of his career. RIP.
Mitch Clarke I watched come up.
Shane Campbell as well, you know, the fireball guy from WSoF. I met him on a failed reality show where he coached across from my coach Victor Valimaki.
Sheldon Westcott is another one I have followed.
Honorable mention to Ryan Ford from Bellator. That guy sold out every friggin show he was in.

Who are your guys.

 

[jpadilla295]

Groovy Lando. Been watching him do fun shit in the cage at casinos here in New Mexico. Fun Times

 

[Chad W]

I'm from baltimore and I'm pretty sure all we have was mike easton lol

 

[chinarice]

I saw Rory fight Kajan Johnson in Moncton at King of the Cage: Avalanche.... I knew Rory would make it to the UFC after that fight.

Probably the only MMA fighter I've seen live worth a damn that was not on a UFC card.

 

[TheIrishPsycho]

The homeless guys on my street look pretty promising.

They'd fight for a chicken wing to show and another chicken wing to win.

 

[Londonjitsu]

Everyone who fought in cage warriors and ucmma ( manuwa, pickett) etc

 

[punky brewster]

Originally from Indianapolis. Always followed Chris Lytle's career. One of those rare guys that everybody was a fan of here on sherdog.

 

[Otto!]

Originally from Indianapolis. Always followed Chris Lytle's career. One of those rare guys that everybody was a fan of here on sherdog.

Chris was pure class in and out of the octogon. Hard not to be a fan!

 

[punky brewster]

Chris was pure class in and out of the octogon. Hard not to be a fan!

Agreed. He should run an MMA finishing school where he teaches young fighters how to act and behave in and out of the cage. Sadly, MMA role models seem harder to come by these days.

 

[Hotora86]

Not an MMA fighter but Izu Ugonoh is my homie. IBF Mediterranean, WBA Oceania and WBO Africa HW champ. Currently ranked as the WBO number 12 and IBF number 13 heavyweight boxer in the world.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Izu_Ugonoh

And this dude here trains at the same gym as me:

http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Michal-Wlazlo-44724
https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/56415-michal-wlazlo

EDIT: How could I forget - Kamila Balanda is my friend's friend and I've met her in person at his parties.

http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Kamila-Balanda-73526
https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/19834-kamila-balanda

She's a multiple time boxing and kickboxing champion (both national and international) but in MMA she is, sadly, 2-2.

 

[Headkicktoleg]

Derek Brunson is from Wilmington which is only like 1 1/2 away, but I honestly never heard of him until he was in Wilmington.

 

[fortheo]

Font and Kattar were both pretty well known on the new England scene for a while. I wouldn't say I followed them exactly, but I had seen a couple of their fights and my brother trained with Font once or twice. I'm glad that they're both doing well in the UFC right now. I'm pumped for Kattar vs. Moicano.

 

[chrisdiaz]

Brian Ortega from RFA till now. Actually, just watch LFA and you will see a lot of up and commers that make it into the UFC. I have watched many fighters like dominick reyes come from nowhere to the ufc and it makes for a lot more fun to watch some of the smaller UFC cards since you know them from the go.

 

[Erocthadon]

Kyle Bradley and Tim Credeur, both were a bust. Dustin Poirier is the fucking manAnd the undisputed LHW champ

 

[Get these Hands]

I saw Rory fight Kajan Johnson in Moncton at King of the Cage: Avalanche.... I knew Rory would make it to the UFC after that fight.

Probably the only MMA fighter I've seen live worth a damn that was not on a UFC card.

Kajan fought on some shows I was at too. I didn't really pay attention. He always got some good fan reactions though.

 

[Bacco]

The homeless guys on my street look pretty promising.

They'd fight for a chicken wing to show and another chicken wing to win.

The Hound will kill him

 

[NRG]

Kalindra Faria is from my city, but I didn't know she existed. I didn't watch her fight either lol

 

[BTard]

UCC ( Ultimate Combat Challenge) & TKO. Both Montreal based. GSP, David L'Oiseau, Mark Hominick, Ivan Menjivar, Jonathan Goulet.

 

[John makfresshi]

Cody "no dad" has been to my house parties in high school. He lived like 15 minutes away and went to a neighboring high school. He was a grade or 2 younger then me tho. Fucking prick irl also
Edit: I don't give a single fuck about his personality, he is a joy to watch in the cage. And he has been since his ammy days at local shows

 

[Geo_Mac]

TJ Grant is my local here.

Just saw another post about the guy the other day one here, so it seems like everyone who remembers him was pretty fond of what he was able to accomplish in such a short time regardless of the injury that essentially retired him.

Apparently now he's partnered up with a local gym in town and is grooming the next generation in the fight game.