Sherdog Prospect Watch: Five UFC-Ready Fighters

Gleristone Santos (27-4)

No fighter has done more to deserve a shot at a big promotion than Brazilian Top Team’s Santos. He has beaten every featherweight of note on the Brazilian scene, won a pair of recent fights against credible American opponents in the Titan Fighting Championship organization and has zero holes in his game that would point to him needing more development time. Now 26 and with nine years’ experience under his belt, “Toninho Furia” might be watching his prime years slip away.

Santos is big, strong and athletic, and he can do it all, like a slightly less physically talented and right-handed Dustin Poirier. The core of his game is striking, and he has taken multiple trips to Thailand to sharpen his muay Thai. He throws technically sound punch-kick combinations mixed in with the occasional lightning-fast spinning kick to keep his opponents honest. He counters well and packs big power in his punches, and while he could stand to throw a little more volume, this is essentially nitpicking a skill set that would make him one of the better strikers in the UFC’s featherweight division.

While striking may be the best facet of Santos’ game from a skill perspective, he shows a distinct preference for wrestling and clinch fighting. His shot is explosive, and his takedown defense has been generally solid. Although he is not a particularly technical traditional wrestler, his trips and throws from the clinch are slick. He knows how to grind in the clinch with head pressure and under hooks, and when he gets the Thai clinch, his opponent is certain to eat a barrage of vicious knees to the body and head. Santos’ strength and size are top-notch, and no phase of the fight better shows off those advantages than wrestling and infighting.

Once the fight hits the mat, “Toninho Furia” goes to work. As one would expect from a fighter who has trained for many years under Murilo Bustamante, Santos’ top game is outstanding. His base is impossible to move; he passes fluidly; his ground striking has ridiculous power; and he mixes in strikes and submission attempts. Consider the beating he put on UFC veteran Alvin Robinson in May to get a sense for the way he melds these things together.

Santos has nothing left to learn or prove against regional competition, and he could compete against fringe top-10 fighters in the UFC or Bellator tomorrow. He is a polished and finished product with an excellent training situation, and the clock is ticking on the remaining years of his prime.

Continue Reading » Leandro Higo