Author: Riley Kontek

Mixed martial arts is spreading like wildfire, and it’s evident in the UFC’s expansion throughout the world. Not long ago, MMA had a couple of main hot spots in the United States, Brazil and Japan, among other places.

MMA outreach has become rapid, spreading to places that are now MMA-crazy. The sport has blown up, with fighters looking to make their way in the MMA world.

For four days this week, we are going to examine four of the newest hot spots in MMA. These are places where prospects and stars are starting to pop up, and they have a chance to provide great talent to the sport. We have chosen Ireland, Poland, Mexico and Russia for this series, as they seem to be the biggest hot spots right now.

Russia may be the hottest of spots for talent in MMA right now, as it has a mixture of seasoned vets and super prospects. It was almost impossible to narrow them down because there is so much talent, but we settled on 15 for right now.

Here are those 15 prospects this MMA hot spot could send to the UFC soon.

Begin Slideshow

Mixed martial arts is spreading like wildfire, and it’s evident in the UFC’s expansion throughout the world. Not long ago, MMA had a couple of main hot spots in the United States, Brazil and Japan, among other places.

MMA outreach has become rapid, spreading to places that are now MMA-crazy. The sport has blown up, with fighters looking to make their way in the MMA world.

For four days this week, we are going to examine four of the newest hot spots in MMA. These are places where prospects and stars are starting to pop up, and they have a chance to provide great talent to the sport. We have chosen Ireland, Poland, Mexico and Russia for this series, as they seem to be the biggest hot spots right now.

Mexico has a rich history in combat sports, especially when it comes to boxing. However, there has been a recent explosion in MMA interest, as seen with the UFC’s first trip there last year and the popularity of The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America.

Here are four prospects this MMA hot spot could send to the UFC soon.

 

Alexa Grasso (7-0, Strawweight, Lobo Gym)

One of two women on this list, Alexa Grasso has become one of the best female prospects in the sport. She’s young, undefeated, exciting and skilled. That will make her a star in the near future.

Grasso is a striker, but she showed in her most recent fight that she can also grapple a bit. She is explosive on the feet, possessing heavy punches, snapping kicks and some violent knees.

Plus, she’s just 21 years old, which means she’ll have longevity in this sport. Her age is especially impressive considering she’s already 3-0 in Invicta. She has defeated the likes of Ashley Cummins, Alida Gray and highly touted Japanese fighter Mizuki Inoue.

Expect her to be a staple of the UFC women’s strawweight division.

 

Irene Aldana (5-1, Bantamweight, Lobo Gym)

The other woman on this list, Irene Aldana, proves the two best MMA fighters from Mexico are likely females. She and Alexa Grasso have proved this with their impressive starts in the sport and their jumps onto the scene via Invicta.

A bantamweight, Aldana is just 26 years old and has already racked up some impressive wins. Despite a discrepancy to former top prospect Larissa Pacheco, Aldana has scored wins over TUF 18 vets Colleen Schneider and Peggy Morgan, both via submission.

Aldana is a brute on the feet and has shown that in every one of her wins. Although she does have two submissions, they came as a result of Aldana hurting her opponent on the feet. Plus, she has three sub-minute knockouts in Mexico, which resulted from knees, punches and a spinning wheel kick.

Aldana has the skills to add talent to a bantamweight division that needs bodies. She’s an exciting prospect with a killer instinct, which will only benefit the division.

 

Jorge Gonzales (9-1, Light Heavyweight, A.D.A.M.)

It’s no secret that the UFC needs fighters in the light heavyweight division. That’s why Jorge Gonzales, a top Mexican fighter, could be a great add for the company.

Gonzales is an exciting fighter and a finisher, as George St. has never gone to decision. Most of his wins come via knockout, as he is a good striker with some developing submissions.

Not only has he never gone to decision, but he’s also never left the first round. And despite a submission loss to veteran Vinny Magalhaes, Gonzales has proved to be a savage, including his most recent bout, in which he tapped out Brazilian Fernando di Pierro.

He is a decent size for the division, but his savagery is the thing to watch with this guy. He would be an exciting addition to a division in need of fresh faces.

 

Antonio Duarte (18-5, Bantamweight, Entram Gym)

A member of one of Mexico’s best training grounds, Entram Gym, Antonio Duarte is a nine-year veteran of the sport and one of the more experienced fighters from the country. A 23-fight combatant, Duarte has proved his worth in taking fights north and south of the border.

Duarte is a submission specialist, as 11 of his 18 wins have come via tapout. Many of those submissions were chokes, as he has a tight squeeze.

He has a couple of good wins as well. In addition to choking out Bellator veteran Ed West with a beautiful anaconda choke, Duarte has secured wins over WEC vet Seth Dikun and veteran Jesse Miramontes.

With the UFC’s return to the country at UFC 188, there is room to sign some of these fighters. Between Grasso, Aldana, Gonzales and Duarte, the UFC could have some new talent to pack on that card.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Mixed martial arts is spreading like wildfire, and it’s evident in the UFC’s expansion throughout the world. Not long ago, MMA had a couple of main hot spots in the United States, Brazil and Japan, among other places.

MMA outreach has become rapid, spreading to places that are now MMA-crazy. The sport has blown up, with fighters looking to make their way in the MMA world.

For four days this week, we are going to examine four of the newest hot spots in MMA. These are places where prospects and stars are starting to pop up, and they have a chance to provide great talent to the sport. We have chosen Ireland, Poland, Mexico and Russia for this series, as they seem to be the biggest hot spots right now.

In the heels of a huge UFC title victory for Joanna Jedrzejczyk, we will now examine Poland. There has been a boom in talent surge in this country, as it has one of the best talent pools rising in the world.

Here are 10 prospects this MMA hot spot could send to the UFC soon.

Begin Slideshow

Mixed martial arts is spreading like wildfire, and it’s evident in the UFC’s expansion throughout the world. Not long ago, MMA had a couple of main hot spots in the United States, Brazil and Japan, among other places. 

MMA outreach has become rapid, spreading to places that are now MMA-crazy. The sport has blown up, with fighters looking to make their way in the MMA world.

For the next four days, we are going to examine four of the newest hot spots in MMA. These are places where prospects and stars are starting to pop up, and they have a chance to provide great talent to the sport. We have chosen Ireland, Poland, Mexico and Russia for this series, as they seem to be the biggest hot spots right now.

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, we will start in Ireland. Not long ago, it was a country that was barely associated with the sport. Now, thanks to guys such as Conor McGregor, the sport has exploded, and its popularity will bring a new wave of fighters.

Here are four prospects this MMA hot spot could send to the UFC soon.

 

Karl Moore (5-0, Light Heavyweight, Fight Academy Ireland)

OK, Karl Moore is from Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. So what? We will count him here.

The UFC should make sure the light heavyweight division is constantly filled and backed up with light heavyweights. That’s why an undefeated prospect such as Moore should get a chance. 

Moore is just five fights into his pro career and has already competed twice for Cage Warriors. He was also 3-0 as an amateur, and all of those wins came by knockout.

Moore has shown good striking as well as decent submissions. He is a work in progress, but given a little bit of time, this 6’2″ 205-pounder could be a solid addition.

 

Tommy McCafferty (6-0, Featherweight, PT’s Kickboxing)

Speaking of undefeated fighters from Northern Ireland, Tommy McCafferty is a 6-0 featherweight who looks to be a solid prospect. The only thing he needs now is a step up in competition.

McCafferty is a striker, as seen in most of his bouts. He has left the first round just twice, including his first and only appearance with Cage Warriors.

He trains Brazilian jiu-jitsu with Sebastiano Torres, which will go great with his kickboxing when he rounds things off.

Like some of the men on this list, McCafferty won’t be a title contender in the near future, but he’s a guy who could carry the Irish torch.

 

Catherine Costigan (5-0, Strawweight*, Pankration Kickboxing Academy)

Catherine Costigan is an atomweight, but there is no reason she can’t fight as a strawweight in the UFC. She’s undefeated and has looked good in the process, and she can follow others who came up from 105 to compete at 115, such as Jessica Penne.

Costigan has looked good in her five pro fights, three of which have come with Cage Warriors (a common theme with top European talents). She is a talented submission artist, which has led to her tapping out four foes.

She could be a great addition to a female strawweight division that is still developing. It needs bodies—skilled bodies, at that—and there is no doubt Costigan can provide that.

Although she’d be a bit undersized, she could use her quickness to her advantage.

 

Ryan Roddy (7-1, Lightweight, Knuckledraggers)

A three-time Cage Warriors veteran, Ryan Roddy has the tools to be a top-level fighter in the near future. The 25-year-old Irishman has been around for a while and has gone to a decision only once.

A ground fighter, Roddy constantly pressures forward until he can get the fight down. From there, he has secured three submissions and three ground-and-pound stoppages, showing he has a killer instinct.

He has been a pro fighter since the age of 17, and his first fight was eight years ago. He has experience and seasoning, which means he could be the most ready to go at this point.

Also consider that he’s stepped into the cage with The Ultimate Fighter veteran Ali Maclean and UFC employee Paul Redmond, and you can see he’s taken on some tough opposition. He’s a guy who could grace a UFC card.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com