Every fighter starts somewhere. Before the hype, before the Contender Series, before the UFC call — there’s the grind. Before They Blow Up is where Shawn Bitter shines a light on prospects still in that phase. This time, the spotlight shifts, and I’ll be the one doing it — Cangrejo Ruiz. I’m looking at […]
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Come this weekend, the 46th edition of Full Contact Contenders arrives with a loaded card! Below, I will discuss who you should be paying extra attention to while you watch this Saturday: Liam McCracken, 24, 7-1, Lightweight The 24 year old scouser’s seven wins come by four TKOs and three submissions, with
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She’s Next – WMMA Weekly Preview Each week, I’ll highlight one women prospect on my radar and in action in the upcoming days Veronika Smolková Record: 9-3 Weight Class: Flyweight Age: 23 years old Training: Dracula Gym Combined opponents record: 33-25 Veronika Smolková has steadily developed into one of the most notable
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Touching down in Bratislava, Slovakia, Oktagon 89 is headlined by a highly anticipated clash with double-champ status on the line. This weekend, flyweight champion Zhalgas Zhumagulov moves up to bantamweight, where he’ll challenge Igor Severino for the Brazilian’s newly earned title. With plenty of hype surrounding the matchup, the stakes are clear. Zhumagulov has
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May is in the books, and several regional standouts used the month to push themselves closer to a UFC opportunity. From dominant title wins to statement finishes, these fighters made the kind of noise that should have matchmakers paying attention. Here are the top five UFC-ready prospects from May: Richie Miranda, 31,
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Weight Class: Welterweight Record: 6-0 Age: 25 Height: 6’2” Born In: Russia Training Out Of: The Academy Fight Club Combined Opponent Records (at the time they fought): 76-41 Key Wins: Serik Razgaliev, Yurik Smoyan Originally slated to face Trukon Carson at welterweight before being booked to meet Chris Ewert at middleweight, Alan Salamov will
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Weight Class: Strawweight Record: 7-1-1 Age: 24 Height: 5’3” Born In: Japan Training Out Of: TRIBE TOKYO MMA Combined Opponent Records (at the time they fought): 58-46-4 Key Wins: N/A Riding the momentum of five-straight wins, Kazusa Kurobe challenges Koyuru Tanoue for the Shooto strawweight belt this weekend in the headlining bout for Shooto
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Brave Combat Federation returns to Kazakhstan for the fourth time in the history of the promotion. They partner with the questionable Alash Pride to give us a lengthy card at 4 a.m. Pacific Time on Sunday, May 31st. The prelims are a bit lackluster, but the main card is sure to be fun, as
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Road To UFC Review | Season 5 Opening Rounds: Day 2 Road to UFC Day 2 is officially in the books, and as always, the tournament delivered a mix of standout performances, brutal finishes, and a few surprises along the way. Several prospects took a major step toward UFC contracts tonight, while others
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Road To UFC Review | Season 5 Opening Rounds: Day 1 Road to UFC Day 1 is officially in the books, and as always, the tournament delivered a mix of standout performances, brutal finishes, and a few surprises along the way. Several prospects took a major step toward earning UFC contracts, while others
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