Breaking into our top five on the 2012 World MMA Welterweight Scouting Report, France’s Nordine Taleb (6-1) is the first to grace the upper-tier of our countdown. The 30-year-old Tristar fight team member is riding an impressive five-fight winning streak, capping off his 2011 in stunning fashion by zapping UFC veteran Pete Sell with a beautiful right cross counter to win the Ring of Combat welterweight crown in November.
The 6’3″ fighter is a monstrosity at welterweight, possessing a physically superior frame that dwarfs most of his opposition. He uses those gifts to manhandle opponents, driving them into the fence to bombard their midsections with a steady diet of knees. If his opponents don’t falter from his Muay Thai assault, Taleb isn’t without other means to winning a fight.
From range, Taleb possesses a skillful striking attack. Combined with intelligent footwork, he’s elusive and tough to nail down as evidenced by his evasion of Pete Sell’s punches at Ring of Combat 38. Conversely, the same quickness allows him to counter with speed and ferocity. If his opponents happen to get sloppy in their pursuit, Taleb is great at changing levels, burying his adversary into the canvas, and finishing with a devastating ground and pound attack.
Similarly to Jouban, Taleb is no spring chicken. He’s 30 years old and coming into his own as a top prospect at a late stage in his athletic career. That isn’t to say he can’t succeed well into his late 30’s, but it’s uncommon in most sports. The prime physical shape he’s in combined with the training he’s receiving at Tristar gym in Montreal make one believe he’ll continue to progress however. With a well-balanced attack and overwhelming power, there isn’t a promotion that wouldn’t love to have Nordine Taleb fighting for them in 2012.
Check out video footage of Nordine Taleb after the jump…
| Flyweight | Bantamweight | Featherweight | Lightweight |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 – #2 – #3 – #4 – #5 – #6 – #7 – #8 – #9 – #10 – |
#1 – Rony Mariano #2 – Aljamain Sterling #3 – Chris Holdsworth #4 – Josh Hill #5 – Fabiano Fernandes #6 – Claudio Ledesma #7 – Sirwan Kakai #8 – Kyoji Horiguchi #9 – Leandro Hygo #10 – Pedro Munhoz |
#1 – Hacran Dias #2 – Joey Gambino #3 – Brandon Bender #4 – Lance Palmer #5 – Jim Alers #6 – Anthony Gutierrez #7 – Max Holloway #8 – John Teixeira #9 – Cody Bollinger #10 – Bubba Jenkins |
#1 – Fabricio Guerreiro #2 – Alessandro Ferreira #3 – Adriano Martins #4 – Justin Salas #5 – Neilson Gomes #6 – Eduard Folayang #7 – Zorobabel Moreira #8 – Anton Kuivanen #9 – Jordan Rinaldi #10 – J.P. Vainikainen |
| Welterweight | Middleweight | Light Heavyweight | Heavyweight |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 – #2 – #3 – #4 – Nordine Taleb #5 – Hernani Perpetuo #6 – Brock Jardine #7 – Alan Jouban #8 – Mohsen Bahari #9 – Andre Santos #10 – Stephen Thompson |
#1 – #2 – #3 – #4 – #5 – #6 – #7 – #8 – #9 – #10 – |
#1 – #2 – #3 – #4 – #5 – #6 – #7 – #8 – #9 – #10 – |
#1 – #2 – #3 – #4 – #5 – #6 – #7 – #8 – #9 – #10 – |
Nordine Taleb vs. Pete Sell
Ring of Combat 38 – November 18, 2011
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