Welterweight, Malcolm Wallace
Malcolm Wallace grew up around martial arts, so it’s no surprise he’s making the jump to the professional ranks undefeated. He trains out of his family gym, Inferno MMA, under his head coach and former UFC and Strikeforce fighter Crafton Wallace. Recently, he’s also begun cross-training at Kill Cliff FC, which should only help his development.
“The Ronin” compiled a 9–0 amateur record with wins by KO/TKO, submission, and decision. His record reflects a well-rounded skill set, though his striking stands out the most. Wallace does a great job mixing his offense together, throwing a variety of kicks with a particularly nasty calf kick. He’ll attack all three levels and isn’t afraid to get flashy at times.
Wallace is a clean, technical striker. One thing I especially like is his ability to double up strikes from the same side—such as a left jab into a left hook to the body or head. His striking looks best in tight at dirty boxing range, where he rips the body and lands accurate short punches.
His wrestling is still a work in progress. The entries are there, but the finishing ability needs improvement. He favors the high-crotch takedown, but it would serve him better as a way to chain attempts rather than relying on it as the primary finish. Wallace makes his pro debut with a big opportunity on a CFFC card against a formidable opponent.
Welterweight, Spartak Mikayelyan
Spartak Mikayelyan is the next standout IMMAF product making the transition to the professional ranks. His last amateur fight came in October, where he captured the IMMAF World Championship. Nearly a year earlier, he also won the IMMAF Junior World Championship. He finished his amateur career with a 15–3 record and enters the pro level on a strong run.
Outside of MMA, Mikayelyan has also had success in grappling competition. In 2023, he won gold at a grappling world championship tournament in Warsaw while representing Armenia.
Unsurprisingly, grappling has been the foundation of his MMA game. His striking remains a work in progress, but once the fight hits the mat he becomes extremely dangerous. Mikayelyan is a serious submission threat whether he’s attacking from top position or off his back.
He makes his professional debut with Tuff-N-Uff against an opponent he should match up well with.
Featherweight, Oneal Thompson
Oneal Thompson is an emerging prospect from South Africa chasing big goals early in his career. He trains out of CIT MMA alongside notable fighters like Bokang Masunyane from ONE Championship and UFC bantamweight Cameron Saaiman.
Thompson began competing at just 17 years old and wrapped up his amateur career undefeated at 4–0 by the age of 19. Before MMA he was a seven-time national kickboxing champion.
On the feet, he’s a solid kickboxer, but his grappling is where he really shines. Thompson uses his length effectively to control opponents on the mat while constantly hunting submissions. He’s also a strong scrambler who stays dangerous throughout grappling exchanges.
All of his amateur wins have come via submission, with his finishes largely stemming from dangerous front-choke attacks.
Welterweight, Lasha-Giorgi Meskhi
There are still plenty of unknowns surrounding Lasha-Giorgi Meskhi outside of what’s available on tape. I do know he’s competed a ton in local jiu-jitsu competitions winning multiple gold medal. Based on his MMA footage, he also appears to have some judo experience, given how naturally he executes certain throws.
Meskhi now lives in Las Vegas and trains out of Syndicate MMA alongside high-level teammates, including former UFC bantamweight champ Merab Dvalishvili.
The footage available isn’t the best quality, but Meskhi looks like a legitimate problem. On the feet, he pushes a high pace and throws with solid volume. His wrestling also appears to be a major strength, combining traditional takedowns with strong hips that allow him to hit judo-style throws.
Once the fight hits the mat, he looks relentless and maintains a strong work rate without slowing down. He makes his professional debut at Rkene FC 2 against a lower-level opponent, but it will at least give us a chance to get a clearer look at his skill set.
Flyweight, Hannah Taylor
Hannah Taylor is one of Canada’s top freestyle wrestlers in the women’s 57-kg division. A native of Summerside, Prince Edward Island, she built her reputation on the international circuit with medals at the Pan American Championships and the 2022 Commonwealth Games, and she represented Canada at the 2024 Summer Olympics after qualifying through the Pan-American Olympic qualifier.
Her MMA debut will go down this Saturday in Tegucigalpa, Honduras for UCC 83. She’s fighting a lesser foe but a kickboxer so a good eye test for Taylor early on.