Author – Cangrejo Ruiz
Hello everyone, in this section I will be highlighting the best pro debuts of the month, emphasizing background, strengths, and expectations of the new professional MMA fighters.
Heavyweight, Gable Stevenson
The highlight of the month was, of course, Gable Steveson’s MMA pro debut and MMA debut altogether. Chances are if you are reading this article you have heard about the Olympic Gold medalist, but it was a necessary mention.
There were some remarkable aspects that still need to be mentioned. Striking looked serviceable at least in the few seconds that we witnessed, and the instincts when dropping the ground and pound were really solid too.
Expectations are high, and we saw the fundamentals for Steveson to transition to a well-rounded MMA fighter.
Middleweight, Fraser Paterson
One of the main characters from the UK was Fraser Patterson, going 10-1-1 as an amateur. Paterson’s only loss came on his debut when he was just a 16-year-old. Now at 20 years old, Paterson had a tough debut against Geoff Pavey (2-0), who was ten years older than Paterson.
Despite that, Paterson was the one looking like the veteran, establishing some respect with some mid-distance kicks and jabs to the body before going for the takedown. Despite going for it from a bit too far for my liking, it proved to be super effective, taking Pavey to the ground immediately.
Once there, Paterson was able to show his BJJ purple belt with some scrambles around the half guard position, showcasing high-level agility for a middleweight. After a few more scrambles, Paterson was able to pass to mount, forcing Pavey to go on his back, where Paterson was able to land highly effective G&P.
In just four minutes, Paterson showed great promise and should be a major player for Cage Warriors, especially in a middleweight division that is full of grapplers.
Featherweight, Anvarjon Goyibov
There is little information about Goyibov’s ammy career, but he made a really impressive pro debut this month. Highly touted from Uzbekistan, he participated in the 2024 IMMAF tournament.
Anvarjon had a tough debut against 2-0 Aidar Zhamalov, who is a solid young wrestler. Zhamalov wasn’t able to show it due to Goyibov’s impressive takedown defense. He tired Zhamalov by escaping from every takedown attempt, even incredibly deep ones. Meanwhile, he used his jab brilliantly to set up other combinations, especially a knee that can be aimed anywhere from the head to the ribs.
He also proved to be a capable grappler by transitioning a stuffed takedown into a triangle choke. In the second round, Goyibov eventually found the finish while keeping the high volume and pressure. Being a featherweight in Central Asia is like swimming in a shark tank, but Anvarjon has the tools to deal with most threats while keeping a flashy and entertaining style.
He should be a major player in Octagon in the upcoming years.
Light-heavyweight, Rafael Kveldstad
Coming from one of the most prestigious gyms in Europe in All Stars, Kveldstad had a remarkable ammy career, getting a gold senior medal and a silver junior medal in IMMAF, while fighting on relevant promotions like Cage Warriors or FCR.
The first thing you would notice about Kveldstad’s debut is his size. He used to compete at middleweight during his ammy career, but he still looked enormous for a 200-pound catchweight. Once the fight started, Kveldstad immediately took the center of the octagon, and after a few feints and punches, he shot for the takedown.
There, Kveldstad proved his high-level grappling, being able to pass to multiple positions while holding top control. He eventually landed in mount, where he unleashed heavy G&P for a quick finish. Nice pro debut for a highly regarded guy who was able to showcase his strengths.
We could have the next great middleweight from All Stars here.
Ismail Umalatov
With a 9-1 ammy record on Tapology, Ismail Umalatov rose through the ranks by having relevant performances in the ammy Russian scene, specifically in this year’s Russian Cup, where he placed second, and in the 2024 Russian Junior tournament, which he won. He also won the 2024 Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov Memorial Tournament.
Making his pro debut at 19 years old, Umalatov didn’t face any opposition, as he quickly hit a double-leg takedown. Once on the ground, he showed a lot of activity, using his knees for some cheeky G&P. Lastly, he cleanly transitioned into an arm triangle, ending the fight in less than a minute.
Even in such a short amount of time, Umalatov showed his skills, and he should quickly become a staple of the Russian scene.
Other relevant debuts:
Ezayah Gomez
Jake Ferri
Souhil Arezki
Denis Malikov