Leland Roling
2012 World MMA Flyweight Scouting Report: #1 – Dileno Lopes
Name: Dileno Lopes Nickname: — Age: 23 Height: — Location: Brazil We’ve finally made it. This is the end of the line for the 2012 World MMA Scouting Report, so without further adieu — I present to you our #1 flyweight prospect — Nova Uniao’s Dileno Lopes (8-0). Lopes is hands down the smoothest operator […]
Ring of Combat 39 Results: Tom DeBlass Proves He’s UFC-Ready, Wins Heavyweight Crown
A change of opponent on roughly one week’s notice and the news that his light heavyweight title defense would become a heavyweight title bout didn’t hinder Tom DeBlass from doing what he does best. Winning. The #3-ranked light heavyweight on the 2012 World MMA Light Heavyweight Scouting Report dispatched of sizable veteran Randy Smith in […]
2012 World MMA Flyweight Scouting Report: #3 – Sergio Pettis
Photo: US Combat Sports Name: Sergio Pettis Nickname: — Age: 18 Height: 5’6″ Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin One of the trends we’ve noticed between this year’s report and last year’s report is the rise of siblings in the ranks of MMA’s talent pool. The Lima brothers are the perfect example, but in a more broader sense […]
Ring of Combat 39 Preview And Predictions
Ring of Combat 39 will take place on Friday, February 10 from the Tropicana Resort and Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The main event will feature highly-touted light heavyweight Scouting Report prospect Tom DeBlass as he battles late replacement Randy Smith at a 240 lb. catchweight. Also on the line is the Ring of […]
Ring of Combat 39 Live Results And Play-By-Play
Ring of Combat 39 will take place on Friday, February 10 from the Tropicana Resort and Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The main event will feature highly-touted light heavyweight Scouting Report prospect Tom DeBlass as he battles late replacement Randy Smith at a 240 lb. catchweight. Also on the line is the Ring of […]
2012 World MMA Flyweight Scouting Report: #5 – Alexandre Pantoja
Name: Alexandre Pantoja Nickname: — Age: 21 Height: 5’5″ Location: Brazil After a brief trip back to the United States to conclude the latter half of our top ten flyweight countdown, we now journey back to Brazil to crack the top five. Surprisingly, we lead the second half of our climb to the summit with […]
2012 World MMA Flyweight Scouting Report: #6 – Hector Sandoval
Photo by Jeff Sherwood, Sherdog Name: Hector Sandoval Nickname: Kid Alex Age: 25 Height: 5’5″ Location: Sacramento, California It wouldn’t be a flyweight countdown without the presence of one of the MMA’s most successful training camps in the lighter weight classes being represented. Team Alpha Male has produced a steady stream of high-quality talent, fighters […]
2012 World MMA Flyweight Scouting Report: #7 – Jesse Riggleman
Photo by GatewayMMA.com Name: Jesse Riggleman Nickname: Mountain Man Age: 26 Height: 5’5″ Location: Harrisonburg, Virginia At #7 on the 2012 World MMA Flyweight Scouting Report, Virginia’s Jesse Riggleman (11-2) finds his deserved spot on this year’s countdown. After back-to-back losses in 2010 to The Ultimate Fighter contestants John Dodson and Louis Gaudinot, Riggleman bounced […]
2012 World MMA Flyweight Scouting Report: #8 – Sean Santella
Name: Sean Santela Nickname: Shorty Rock Age: 27 Height: 5’5″ Location: Whippany, New Jersey When New Jersey-native Sean Santella (9-3-1) looks back on his life decades from now, there won’t be any notion that it was a walk in the park. For the most part, nobody really believes it is. But there is a sense […]
2012 World MMA Flyweight Scouting Report: #9 – Claudir Dutkevis
Photo by Tatame Name: Claudir Dutkevis Nickname: — Age: 28 Height: — Location: Caxias do Sul, Brazil Shocking that we’ve landed in Brazil once again, isn’t it? We’re ahead of schedule on this return trip, but to our more committed readers — it’s an inevitable journey at this point. Brazil is a breeding ground for […]
2012 World MMA Flyweight Scouting Report: #10 – Kevin Belingon
Name: Kevin Belingon Nickname: The Silencer Age: 24 Height: 5’5″ Location: Manila, Philippines Relegated to the honorable mention spot on this year’s bantamweight report, Filipino striker Kevin Belingon (9-0) has finally convinced us that he’s worthy of a spot on our countdown… at flyweight. Standing at 5’5″ tall, it’s sensible to believe Belingon will eventually […]
2012 World MMA Heavyweight Scouting Report: #1 – Magomed Malikov
Name: Magomed Malikov Nickname: — Age: 28 Height: 6’0″ Location: Russia Claiming the top spot on the 2012 World MMA Heavyweight Scouting Report is none other than Russia’s Magomed Malikov (6-1). The Dagestani fighter has recorded an impressive 4-1 record in five appearances in 2011, capping off the year with a violent knockout victory over […]
2012 World MMA Heavyweight Scouting Report: #2 – Magomed Abdurahimov
Name: Magomed Abdurahimov Nickname: — Age: 28 Height: 6’2″ Location: Makhachkala, Dagestan,Russia On December 24th in the Dagestani city of Makhachkala, a small, prestigious one-night mixed martial arts tournament took place at the Ali Aliev Sports Complex. No, this isn’t the cheap version of Warrior. Presumably, the event was a showcase of Makhachkala’s hometown hero […]
2012 World MMA Heavyweight Scouting Report: #3 – Alexei Kudin
Photo by Elena Bondarenko Name: Alexei Kudin Nickname: — Age: 27 Height: 6’1″ Location: Minsk, Belarus Junior dos Santos’ dominating rise to the top of the UFC’s heavyweight division has caused many fans to re-think what weapons elite heavyweights need in order to compete at the highest level. Obviously, a well-balanced skill-set is the desired […]
2012 World MMA Heavyweight Scouting Report: #5 – Chris Birchler
Photo by Jennie Finken Photography Name: Chris Birchler Nickname: The Big Buck Age: 24 Height: 6’3″ Location: New Jersey If you’ve followed this year’s report diligently, you’ve likely discovered a trend. Many of America’s top prospects have been born or bred in the Northeastern region of the United States. Aljamain Sterling, Claudio Ledesma, Joey Gambino, […]
2012 World MMA Heavyweight Scouting Report: #7 – Adam Parkes
Name: Adam Parkes Nickname: — Age: 30 Height: 6’3″ Location: United Kingdom Surprisingly, the United Kingdom has been absent so far on the 2012 World MMA Scouting Report. Considering the fact that it was one of the UFC’s first international destinations, it’s difficult to believe the region isn’t producing quality talent in numbers by now. […]
2012 World MMA Heavyweight Scouting Report: #8 – Richardson Moreira
Name: Richardson Moreira Nickname: Monstro Age: 27 Height: 6’3″ Location: Brazil If you think about it, Brazil hasn’t produced heavyweight talent in massive quantities over the years. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Junior dos Santos, Fabricio Werdum, and possibly Antonio Silva are the names most fans would know, but past those elite fighters – Brazil hasn’t produced […]
2012 World MMA Heavyweight Scouting Report: #9 – Jan Jorgensen
Photo by Mark Johnston, Daily Herald Name: Jan Jorgensen Nickname: Janimal Age: 25 Height: 6’2″ Location: Utah Jan Jorgensen (1-0) is no stranger to the sound of two burly heavyweight athletes clashing in the midst of a heated battle for real estate. That was, in a nutshell, his job when he played defensive end for […]
2012 World MMA Heavyweight Scouting Report: #10 – David Oliva
Name: David Oliva Nickname: The Mayan Assassin Age: 28 Height: 5’11” Location: Chicago, Illinois Here we are, fight fans, standing at the base of the mountain, ready to ascend to the peak to reveal MMA’s best heavyweight mixed martial arts talent. I’ll be frank. It’s more of a hill than a mountain. But there is […]
2012 World MMA Light Heavyweight Scouting Report: #2 – Phelipe Lins
Name: Phelipe Lins Nickname: Monstro Age: 26 Height: 6’3″ Location: Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil We’re getting down to the best that the light heavyweight talent pool has to offer, and naturally Brazil is once again our destination. This time, however, we’ll focus on exactly what casual fans crave. At #2 on the 2012 […]
2012 World MMA Light Heavyweight Scouting Report: #3 – Tom DeBlass
Photo by Keith Mills, Sherdog Name: Tom DeBlass Nickname: — Age: 29 Height: 6’0″ Location: Forked River, New Jersey Tom DeBlass (6-0) is no stranger to the sweaty mats that fill every mixed martial arts gym in America. But that isn’t because he’s been part of the booming population of athletes in their twenties making […]
2012 World MMA Light Heavyweight Scouting Report: #4 – Misha Cirkunov
Name: Misha Cirkunov Nickname: — Age: 24 Height: 6’3″ Location: Canada Is Latvia the next region to explode with quality mixed martial arts talent? Probably not, but for thirteen years – it was home to one of MMA’s most talked about light heavyweight prospects in Misha Cirkunov (5-1). The 24-year-old emigrated from Latvia to Canada […]
2012 World MMA Light Heavyweight Scouting Report: #5 – Kyle Cerminara
Photo by Kevin Wuchter, TheGarv Name: Kyle Cerminara Nickname: — Age: 28 Height: 6’0″ Location: Philadelphia, PA The long, arduous journey of becoming a world-class wrestler is likely one of the most grueling goals, both physically and mentally, that anyone could ever attempt to accomplish. For Pennsylvania’s Kyle Cerminara (2-0), the journey ultimately led to […]
2012 World MMA Light Heavyweight Scouting Report: #6 – Robert Drysdale
Name: Robert Drysdale Nickname: — Age: 29 Height: 6’3″ Location: Las Vegas, Nevada 2007 Abu Dhabi Combat Club champion Robert Drysdale (3-0) hasn’t been in any rush to dive into the sport of mixed martial arts. At 29 years old, he’s a late starter in the sport, but he isn’t new to one of the […]
2012 World MMA Light Heavyweight Scouting Report: #8 – Thiago Perpetuo
Photo by Gleidson Venga, Sherdog Name: Thiago Perpetuo Nickname: Bodao Age: 24 Height: 6’0″ Location: Sao Paulo, Brazil The first Brazilian to claim a spot on the 2012 World MMA Light Heavyweight Scouting Report is Sao Paulo, Brazil-native Thiago Perpetuo (8-1-1). The Furacao Fight Team member has recorded eight wins since his debut back in […]
2012 World MMA Light Heavyweight Scouting Report: #9 – Steve Bosse
Photo by Instinct MMA Name: Steve Bosse Nickname: The Boss Age: 30 Height: 6’0″ Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada Nobody gave Steve Bosse (9-1) a chance of becoming something more than a novelty act when he made his mixed martial arts debut in the summer of ’07. The sport had already dealt with a number of […]
2012 World MMA Light Heavyweight Scouting Report: #10 – Juha Saarinen
Name: Juhn Saarinen Nickname: Juice Age: 28 Height: 6’3″ Location: Finland Playing second fiddle to its neighbors, Finland is normally on the losing end when it comes to inter-regional clashes. In the light heavyweight division, however, the tables have turned. Beginning our countdown on the 2012 World MMA Light Heavyweight Scouting Report, 28-year-old Finn Juha […]
2012 World MMA Middleweight Scouting Report: #1 – Antonio Braga Neto
Photo by Arthur Castro, GracieMag Name: Antonio Braga Neto Nickname: — Age: 24 Height: 6’3″ Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Brazil runs away with a clean sweep of the top three as slimmed down light heavyweight Antonio Braga Neto (7-1) chimes in at #1 on this year’s report. The Roberto ‘Gordo’ Correra Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black […]
2012 World MMA Middleweight Scouting Report: #3 – Claudio Henrique Da Silva
Name: Claudio Henrique Da Silva Nickname: Mineiro, Hannibal Age: 29 Height: 5’11” Location: England & Brazil Who’s the last pure grappling talent that broke into the sport of mixed martial arts with instant success? 2007 Abu Dhabi Combat Club champion Demian Maia comes to mind, and it’s been almost three years since he capped off […]
2012 World MMA Middleweight Scouting Report: #4 – Bojan Velickovic
Photo by borilacki-klub.com Name: Bojan Velickovic Nickname: Veli Age: 23 Height: 5’11” Location: Novi Sad, Serbia When it comes to high-quality mixed martial arts talent, the country of Serbia isn’t normally in the conversation. In fact, it’s hardly ever mentioned as a region that enjoys MMA, let alone producing top-tier talent. While that perception won’t […]