Amidst roster cuts the UFC has added fighters, this time in the form of international talent.
It appears that the UFC has signed Polish middleweight Krzysztof Jotko, who will look to follow in the footsteps of fellow Poles Daniel Omielanczuk and Piotr Hallmann. They also added to their light women’s roster when they inked Bethe Correia, a Brazilian who seems to have tremendous upside.
Jotko, who is undefeated at 13-0, has fought professionally since 2010. His career was put on track when he was given the spotlight in one of the better European regional promotions in MMA Attack, where he went 2-0.
The Polish middleweight has won most of his fights via decision, but he appears to be a solid top-game artist on the ground. He has heavy ground-and-pound that outshines his wild, recluse striking.
It will be interesting to see where the Pole ranks among the UFC’s 185-pound division. He does not have any keynote victories to his name yet but his raw talent and young age (24) make him an intriguing prospect.
The UFC is targeting its first event in Poland for 2014, so his signing may just be for that purpose. A couple of months ago, there was little, if any, Polish talent in the UFC. But in recent weeks, both Omielanczuk (knockout of Nandor Guelmino) and Hallmann (submission of Francisco Trinaldo) may have paved the way for more Polish talent.
That is a great sign, as the country has an influx of untapped talent in guys such as Mamed Khalidov, Damian Grabowski and Aslambek Saidov, to name a few.
As for Correia, her signing is definitely a welcomed addition to a women’s division that is still in its building stages.
Correia, who is undefeated at 6-0, has been tearing up the Brazilian regional circuit. A training partner of the famed Bellator brothers, Patricio and Patricky “Pitbull” Freire, Correia brings a well-rounded style to the cage.
The step up in competition will show us if Correia is the real deal or not.
She has just one finish in her six fights and they have mostly come against little-known Brazilian talent. Her biggest win to date came in her last outing when she outpointed Erica Paes, the only woman to ever beat Cris “Cyborg” Justino. She should be a good attraction piece for the UFC in Brazil, especially considering how often they have been going there.
Both new signings show the UFC’s commitment to global expansion, something Bellator was beating them at not long ago.
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