Eternal 102 shapes as one of the most important Australian MMA cards of the year, with UFC matchmakers in attendance and multiple title fights carrying global implications. From championship bouts to sleeper matchups with major upside, here’s a full fight-by-fight breakdown of the entire card. Be sure to check out Eternal 102 on UFC Fight […]
Eternal 102: Full Card Breakdown Read More »
Every fighter starts somewhere. Before the hype, before the Contender Series, before the UFC call — there’s the early grind. Before They Blow Up is my way of spotlighting prospects still in that stage. In this third edition, I’m looking at a few rising talents with five fights or fewer that are on my radar. These
Before They Blow Up Vol. 3 – Rising MMA Prospects Read More »
Weight Class: Featherweight Record: 12-1 Age: 25 Height: 5’10” Born In: China Training Out Of: Longyun MMA Gym Combined Opponent Records (at the time they fought): 135- 59 Key Wins: Jizheng Wang Naertai Kezibayi will headline his fourth-straight event for top Chinese MMA promotion JCK tomorrow when he takes on Hubulan Tuerxunbieke at JCK
Fighter In-Depth: Naertai Kezibayi Read More »
Weight Class: Featherweight Record: 6-1 Age: 28 Height: 5’8” Born In: Venezuela Training Out Of: Inside Muay Thai Combined Opponent Records (at the time they fought): 31-21 Key Wins: N/A After going 3-0 in 2025 and only a month removed from his last fight, Venezuela’s Leandro Solano returns this week to meet João Pedro
Fighter In-Depth: Leandro Solano Read More »
ACA Featherweight Champion Islam Omarov has maintained a flawless record throughout his MMA career, going 17-0 with his last ten fights in the notoriously tough ACA promotion. Omarov’s combination of physicality and grappling poses a scary threat to almost any featherweight on the planet. While his striking may not be at the same level, he
Russian Prospect of the Month: Islam Omarov Read More »
Weight Class: Flyweight/Bantamweight Record: 6-1 Age: 21 Height: 5’5” Born In: Poland Training Out Of: BRAWLER Fight Club Konskie Combined Opponent’s Record (at the time they fought): 31-24 Key Wins: Adrianna Kreft Rising KSW star Wiktoria Czyżewska makes her return to bantamweight this Saturday when she takes on UFC veteran Tamires Vidal at KSW
Fighter In-Depth: Wiktoria Czyżewska Read More »
With a 101-3 record across his amateur and pro career, 23-year-old Lucas Rafael is a walking highlight tape. His 5-0 record between MMA and Kickboxing in 2025 was capped off with his third straight knockout in MMA. This becomes more impressive when added to the WGP Kickboxing Tournament Championship he won in September. Rafael is
Brazilian Prospect of the Month: Lucas Rafael Read More »
Identifying elite prospects is always a balancing act between what a fighter is now and what they could realistically become. My list blends current ability with projected upside, leaning towards fighters with higher long-term ceilings rather than those whose games may already be closer to fully realised. That said, upside alone is not enough. If
Australia and New Zealand continue to churn out a remarkable depth of high-end MMA prospects. Even when narrowing the focus to fighters with five professional bouts or fewer, the technical sharpness, athleticism, and maturity on display across regional shows stand out. This isn’t merely a strong crop by local standards—it’s a group with legitimate international
Top 10 MMA Prospects With 5 or less Pro Fights in Australia & New Zealand Read More »
She’s Next – WMMA Weekly Preview Each week, I’ll highlight one women prospect on my radar and in action in the upcoming days Sani Brännfors Record: 1-0 Weight Class: Flyweight Age: 20 years old Training: Fight Ready for this fight Combined opponents record: 3-2 Sani Brännfors was born on February 4, 2005, in Finland. She
She’s Next – Sani Brännfors Read More »
