Road to UFC Season 5 is backed by an improved roster of fighters. Before we move on, I will mention a few thoughts on the season.
- Of the 32 fighters on the roster, I view 20 as UFC-level.
- While they did an excellent job assembling the roster, they did a terrible job with the bracket placement. A lot of the best fighters ended up on the same side, which is unfortunate.
- They also need to stop filling these cards with UFC bouts. It’s lazy matchmaking when those slots could be used to bring in additional prospects for non-tournament fights, as they’ve done in the past.
- We are seeing returning fighters from previous seasons, but it’s starting to become a bit much. Fans want fresh names, not fighters who have already shown they aren’t quite good enough for the UFC.
Featherweights
George Mangos (8-1) Vs. Yuito Yanagawa (8-1)
George Mangos
Pros:
-Good volume
-Slick back take
-Sticky ground control
-Submission threat
-Good kicks
-Strong defensive grappling
-Good clinch control
-Good cardio
Cons:
-N/A
I still don’t see any glaring holes in Mangos’ game, even after his recent loss to Radley da Silva, a legitimate prospect in his own right. Mangos is coming off a win over Justin Van Heerden in a rematch of their first meeting, where he earned a come-from-behind submission victory. This time, Mangos left no doubt, stopping Van Heerden in the first round and showing just how much he has improved.
His striking has developed rapidly, but it’s his grappling that truly separates him. Mangos has faced quality grapplers and consistently held his own. He can be pressed against the cage and taken down, but he never accepts bad positions. He fights hands, gets his hips back underneath him, and scrambles intelligently. Control time can be an issue—it’s largely what cost him against da Silva—but opponents rarely keep him pinned for long.
On top, he’s sticky and composed, especially when he takes the back. His instincts around the neck are excellent, and while early on he looked like a pure neck hunter, his flying triangle finish showed just how versatile his submission game really is. He doesn’t rush positions; he builds them methodically. Mangos is a strong contender to win the whole tournament.
Yanagawa Yuito
Pros:
-Heavy ground and pound
-Scrambles well
-Athletic
-Submission threat
-Explosive
-Heavy leg kicks
-Knockout power
Cons:
-Can be sloppy in position
-Chin in the air/Lacks defense
I wish Pancrase did more to showcase its fighters, because Yuito looks like someone who could become a real prospect. From the limited tape available, he appears well-rounded with no glaring weaknesses.
That said, there are still some concerns, particularly on the defensive side. On the feet, he can leave his hands low and his chin high. He hasn’t been stopped by strikes, but he has been dropped a few times. His takedown defense is solid overall, though he does make mistakes that can put him on his back. In his last fight, for example, he slipped in less than 10 seconds and had to work from there.
He can also get overzealous in dominant positions, climbing too high in mount or on the back, and sometimes rushing submission attempts. Even in his lone loss, he was clearly winning before getting caught in an armbar in the third round.
Outside of those mistakes, Yuito is a nightmare matchup. He carries real power, both with his hands and his kicks. He’s at his best in the top position, where he dishes out brutal ground-and-pound and maintains a relentless pace. That pressure often opens up the rear-naked choke, a submission he’s finished with multiple times. He’s one of the more underrated fighters in Japan and would likely be the betting favorite to win the entire tournament if he gets through this fight.
Prediction:
Mangos is the cleaner, more polished fighter. If he gets too focused on putting on a show, though, he could find himself in trouble against Yuito’s power. While Mangos can absolutely win a firefight with his volume and speed, that’s still a dangerous game to play.
The clearest advantage in this matchup is Mangos’ edge in the grappling. Yuito is the bigger threat, but Mangos is too mobile and too active to be an easy target. He won’t stay in front of Yuito long enough to consistently absorb clean shots.
Ultimately, I think Mangos will be too slick and too aggressive for Yuito to handle over three rounds. His pace should eventually force Yuito into a mistake, and that’s where Mangos will capitalize. My prediction is Mangos by third-round submission.
