Created a list of top prospects to watch this year who will sign with UFC or Bellator in 2022. Can write a list of the top 100 prospects because the MMA talent continues to progress since the explosion of MMA in 2006.
I love the underrated, Reason why I started writing about MMA prospects in the first place because I felt like they didn’t feel like they were being written about enough.
Matt Dixon
Former Xtreme Fighting Welterweight Champion, One of the best wrestling welterweights right now is my #1 Sleeper prospect to watch in 2022.
Bad night at the house when fighting on the Dana White Contender Series. Lost to Orion Cosce back in 2020.
MMA Fighter/ Personal trainer looks shredded right now and hungry to return to the cage in 2022.
Fighting for one of the bigger regional promotions/feeder leagues in 2022.
Wouldn’t be surprised if Matt Dixon get signed by UFC or Bellator, Other option is fighting on the Dana White Contender Series.
Edwin Cooper Jr
Jackson Wink always breeds champions like Jon Jones, George St Pierre, Holly Holm, BJ Penn, Rashad Evans, Carlos Condit.
Edwin Cooper Jr is part of the next batch of champions. Guarantee it.
Recent signing news is Edwin Cooper Jr taking his talents to the Professional Fighters League. Smart move by his management and himself by signing with PFL hunting down the million dollar prize.
Will compete in the PFL Featherweight division with fighters Brendan Loughnane, Movlid Khaybulaev, Lance Palmer, Bubba Jenkins. Won’t be some easy ride to the title but some fun fights for hardcore MMA fans.
However Edwin is an accomplished wrestler, Former wrestler at IOWA, Former JUCO Wrestling Champion. Will see how wrestling and MMA skills translate to MMA against top notch Featherweights.
Adrian Bartosinski
KSW Welterweight prospect will become a KSW Welterweight Champion in the next few years once Roberto Soldic leaves.
Adrian Bartosinski is one talented welterweight. Winning the Tylko Jeden Tournament that leads to a opportunity to fight for KSW.
Adrian is a polish savage with two bricks as hands. With that KO Power with one punch he can KO anybody for a win.
Toughest test yet for him is against former FEN Welterweight Champion Andrzej Grzebyk. Win against Andrzej.
Francesco Patron Manzo
Mexico got there first UFC champion in Brendan Moreno, Plenty more to come as Mexican boxers or soccer players turn to Mix Martial as a professional athlete career.
Francesco Patron Manzo remember the name as he’s only 22 years old with a 7-0 record.
Toughest test is his next fight against former UFC fighter Marco Beltran for the Lux Fight League Bantamweight Champion.
Manzo wins that would rise his name in the top prospect discussion. Only 22 years old Manzo if he beats Beltran can defend the Lux Fight League Bantamweight title multiple times till he’s FULLY READY to compete in the UFC. There’s no rush for him he’s still young, Let him grow into his body more and build his name big as possible that UFC hypes your name up HIGH as possible.
Mark Martin
Former Ohio State wrestler Mark Martin transferred over to MMA, Becoming a 7-1 fighter. Wins under the LFA promotion and now signed with Combate Americas.
Every fight Martin continues to improve with every fight, Helps training down in Arizona with Benson Henderson, Sean O’Malley, Jared Cannonier that your striking is automatically going to get better.
Watch out for Mark Martin in 2022 he’s going to make a big splash in 2022, Winning a Combate Global tournament or make a surprise signing with Bellator.
Martin is at the perfect age of 28 looking forward to what he has in stored in 2022. GONNA be GREAT.
Altynbek Mamashev
#8th ACA Welterweight is a well rounded fighter from Kyrgyzstan. Dude is a beast flying under the radar right now but a climb to the top of the welterweight division would ignite his name.
Recent win was against Elias Silverio at ACA 130 back in October. Love to see him rematch Vitaly Slipenko.
Ayk Kazaryan
Armenia is more known for there world class kickboxers like Giorgio Petrosyan, Harut Grigorian and Marat Grigorian. There some talented MMA fighters as well.
Ayk Kazaryan is one of them, One of the best MMA prospects coming out of Armenia.
I love his fighting style of picking his shots, Controlling his pace, Nasty low leg kicks and timing well for takedowns. Dude has a killer cardio training like a savage down at LionHeart MMA with Arman Tsarukyan future UFC Lightweight Champion, Eduard “LionHeart” Vartanyan,
28 years old 11-2 record love to take his talents to the next level by fighting for Eagles Fighting Championship, ACA, UAE Warriors, Brave CF or One Championship. He’s in his prime right now and needs his name to get noticed by MANY.
Harry Hardwick
England, United Kingdom has some talented fighters always upcoming from Cage Warriors and BAMMA.
Harry Hardwick is a upcoming fighter from England, Top ten UK Featherweight prospects fighting for Cage Warriors right now.
Impressive list of wins from Jean N’Doye, Nathan Rose & Karlo Caput. Won a fight in Bellator against Nathan Rose.
Hardwick is a very good fighter Five Foot Ten Featherweight that takes advantage of his long reach for striking his opponents in short range. For a MMA striker he has good striker is only going to get better as he trains more and understands that his REACH is a real advantage.
Last fight against Konmon Deh at Cage Warriors 129 was a very good performance striking inside the box. I love how he uses his push kick in the fight, Definitely should add that to his arsenal.
27 years old time to get those big Cage Warriors fights like Swedish prospect Tobias Harila, William Gomis.
Gerardo Fanny
One of the best prospects coming out of the Netherlands. First debut in Cage Warriors was right AWAY for the Cage Warriors Bantamweight title. Understand the opportunity winning a Cage Warriors title but it was in a different weight class.
Fanny should remain fighting in the flyweight class and challenge Luke Shanks for the Cage Warriors Flyweight Title.
Only 27 years old, Fighting for a contender title next than fight Shanks is the best option. Riding a two fight winning streak with two big time finishes.
Vugar Keramov
One of my favorite prospects is one of the best fighters on the Rizin roster. HIGH LEVEL 29 year old Featherweight coming from a Pankration background and training partners with Former Rizin Lightweight Grand Prix winner Tofiq Musayev.
Watch this domination performance against Kyle Aguon. Watched his fight against Yutako Saito. He lost by a split decision but I watched the fight several times and I think Vugar won.
Time for Vugar Karamov vs Mikuru Asakura Rizin Featherweight Title in 2022.
Billy's MMA Blog 