Name:	Dileno Lopes
Nickname:	--
Age:	23
Height:	--
Location:	Brazil

We've finally made it. This is the end of the line for the 2012 World MMA Scouting Report, so without further adieu -- I present to you our #1 flyweight prospect -- Nova Uniao's Dileno Lopes (8-0). Lopes is hands down the smoothest operator in the prospect pool, utilizing a slick, effortless Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu grappling game that's coupled with calculated, above average striking. Those well-balanced attributes have helped him record eight wins since his debut in late 2007.

Lopes' rise to prominence has been slowed by his low rate of activity during his early years, fighting only three times in three years. Once he signed to fight for Amazon Show Combat, work got steadier, submitting Adriano Balbi and Samuel Xavier in bouts a little over a month apart in late 2010.

Last year was by far the busiest of his career, beating Josenaldo Araujo Silva and Adson Jander by submission, then narrowly edging Wellington Davila in a rematch of their encounter two years prior. With the inclusion of the 125 lbs. weight class in the UFC, he should begin fielding phone calls for more action, possibly from Joe Silva.

Lopes' record is heavily weighted in submission wins, seven of his eight to be exact. While that's an obvious sign that he possesses quality grappling chops, most readers would glance at those stats and deem Lopes a one-dimensional fighter who will never make it without some semblance of a stand-up game. Fortunately, many of those wins were created from stunning shots that Lopes delivered on the feet. He has solid defense, good footwork and head movement, and counter punches accurately, leaving more aggressive strikers reeling.

Against rangier competition, Lopes has problems trying to get inside to land punches, and he isn't much of a knockout threat. Those issues haven't been problematic as of yet due to his top-tier grappling game, and some of those opponents were outside of his natural weight class. Regardless, Lopes has gotten far too aggressive when he's facing fighters with similar striking styles, going for broke at times when he can't use a ranged striking attack of his own.

Those are minor issues however. By all indications, Lopes is a legitimate talent who could have a long, successful career in the sport with steadier work and continued improvement. At only 23 years of age, time is on his side, and he's already one of the smoothest transition fighters we've seen among our prospects, moving effortlessly between striking and grappling as if he's done it for years. With any luck and a couple of more wins, Lopes will undoubtedly call the UFC home in 2012.

Tune in tomorrow for our honorable mentions for this year's report.

Footage of Dileno Lopes after the fold...

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Photo by Gleidson Venga, Sherdog
Name:	Jose Maria Tome
Nickname:	No Chance
Age:	30
Height:	5'5"
Location:	Brazil

This is a guest post by Rory MacLeod (smoogy)

In recent years, the formal adoption of fighting in the featherweight, bantamweight and flyweight divisions by the Ultimate Fighting Championships has transformed the landscape of mixed martial arts. The industry titan's acceptance of these weight classes in turn has been ratified by fight promotions everywhere as an exciting addition to their conventional offerings. Formerly aimless top athletes like UFC bantamweight contender Renan Barao now gravitate toward the Octagon while up-and-coming fighters find increasing opportunities to compete in their optimal weight class. In the flyweight division, the transformation hasn't begun in earnest just yet, but Ceara, Brazil's Jose Maria Tome (28-3) has the credentials to replicate Barao's ascent from diamond-in-the-rough beginnings to elite status.

As a member of top Luta Livre gym Renovacao Fight Team, Jose Maria is unsurprisingly well-rounded and aggressively devoted to finishing fights. Of his 28 career victories, 23 have come via form of knockout or submission. Like Barao, Tome has fought almost exclusively near his home base in Limoeiro do Norte, Ceara, often facing underwhelming (or simply overwhelmed) opposition while keeping a very busy schedule. But unlike Renan, who mainly relied on his wrestling and jiu-jitsu talents until recently, Jose Maria is equally happy to deliver beatings with his precision combination striking to the head and body or by breaking opponents down with suffocating top control on the mat.

If the aptly nicknamed "No Chance" has a weakness, it's his proclivity to freewheel on offense to the verge of showboating, leaving his guard down in the process. But aside from a decision loss in his pro debut (again, like Barao), Tome has only fallen against larger prospect Leandro Higo and top flyweight contender Jussier da Silva. Since those early 2008 losses, Jose Maria is on a sixteen fight unbeaten streak with five wins (four via submission) in 2011.

Just barely qualifying for the report at the upper age limit of 30, the time is now for Jose Maria Tome to retire from terrorizing his provincial rivals in Brazil and hit the world stage. Renan Barao was a lightning rod for criticism of prospects with resumes inflated by easy wins over veritable cannon fodder, but given the right opportunity he put those notions to rest and now finds himself in line to challenge for the UFC Bantamweight Championship. Tome may never reach such lofty heights, but at the very least he has earned the chance to give it a try.

Footage of Jose Maria Tome after the fold...

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Photo: US Combat Sports
Name:	Sergio Pettis
Nickname:	--
Age:	18
Height:	5'6"
Location:	Milwaukee, Wisconsin

One of the trends we've noticed between this year's report and last year's report is the rise of siblings in the ranks of MMA's talent pool. The Lima brothers are the perfect example, but in a more broader sense -- siblings aren't that uncommon in the upper reaches of the sport. Why is that?

Most fans would conclude that both men were cut from the same fabric, each possessing whatever it is that makes them great fighters. Others would say that the older fighter inspired the younger fighter, training alongside one another and helping each other achieve great heights. I fall into the latter argument, and look no further than former WEC champion Anthony Pettis' younger brother, Sergio Pettis (3-0), for proof.

The 18-year-old has maintained an unblemished three-fight professional record, stopping all of his opposition inside two rounds. He also put up a 4-0 record in the amateur ranks, finishing three out of four opponents when he was still in high school. Those impressive feats come as no surprise to most fans. After all, he's had excellent teachers in Duke Roufus and his brother Anthony.

There is, however, an argument that what Sergio has done is even more impressive. He's fought in the shadow of his brother as a fighter who people associate with high-flying striking. Not surprisingly, Sergio is exactly that type of fighter, utilizing explosive kicks, calculated striking attacks, and speedy footwork. But it's clear from the start of every fight that his opponents have shrunk their gameplan down to one word: takedowns.

Sergio accommodates the wrestling community well, putting a roof over their heads, normally in the form of his interlocked legs. Unlike his brother during his early days, Sergio is a more developed Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighter, working from an open guard and actively working for submissions.

Sergio has fought his entire career within the confines of the 135 lb. weight class, but he'll take on Christopher Haney at NAFC Colosseum on May 4th at flyweight. While he's still very young, he possesses all the tools in his arsenal to beat strong competition, and we're confident that Pettis will find himself in the UFC in 2012.

Since the birth of the UFC's flyweight division creates a question of who we should consider as prospects, we've tweaked the criteria specifically for this weight class. Most notably, we drew a line, excluding the following well-known, established flyweights: Jussier ‘Formiga' da Silva, Ulysses Gomez, Ian McCall, Yasuhiro Urushitani, BJ Kojima, Rambaa Somdet, Mamoru Yamaguchi, Dustin Ortiz, Darrell Montague, Danny Martinez, and any flyweights outside of our original criteria.

Footage of Sergio Pettis after the fold...

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Photo by Deb Blyth
Name:	Rafael de Freitas
Nickname:	Barata
Age:	< 30
Height:	5'6"
Location:	Albuquerque, New Mexico

This is a guest post by Rory MacLeod (smoogy)

The Ultimate Fighting Championship's selection process for their flagship televsion series The Ultmate Fighter has long been a point of contention among mixed martial arts fans. It seems that for each TUF winner who goes on to big success in the UFC, there is an under-the-radar prospect who was incredulously left off the roster. The latest edition of TUF featured two outstanding tournament victors in Diego Brandao and John Dodson, but inquiring minds want to know why Albequerque-based, Brazilian-born black belt Rafael de Freitas (5-0) was omitted from the bantamweight field.

De Freitas is a highly credentialed grappler with multiple podium finishes at traditional and No-gi World BJJ Championships plus a 2011 Pan-American title under his belt. He actually started his martial arts training with Capoeira lessons as young boy in Brasilia, eventually adding more striking arts like Karate, Boxing and Muay Thai to his repertoire. Rafael finally discovered Jiu-Jitsu at the age of 14 and it quickly became his focus.

His speed and creativity came in handy as he progressed up the ranks; as a purple belt, he improvised a unique shoulder lock attack that was dubbed The Barataplata. The move has truly become his signature as he has proven capable of finishing high-level grappling matches and professional MMA fights alike with the unusual inverted omoplata variation. Far from a gimmicky submission catcher, De Freitas possesses the smooth, explosive all-around technique one would expect from a decorated Carlos Gracie Jr. Black Belt.

In 2007, Rafael relocated from Brasilia to Albequerque, New Mexico, to teach Jiu-Jitsu at the local Gracie Barra affiliate. Since then he has fought exclusively on the New Mexico circuit, notching four wins in as many tries with three fights ending by submission. He submitted an audition tape for the fourteenth edition of TUF but failed to make an impression. With his advanced, well-rounded skillset, De Freitas is running out of quality opponents in Albequerque, so he will likely need to go on the road to find a big fight opportunity. If the UFC doesn't have room for Rafael among their flyweight ranks just yet, he may have to take a detour through Leemore, California's Tachi Palace Fights and their impressive 125lb. division first.

Since the birth of the UFC's flyweight division creates a question of who we should consider as prospects, we've tweaked the criteria specifically for this weight class. Most notably, we drew a line, excluding the following well-known, established flyweights: Jussier ‘Formiga' da Silva, Ulysses Gomez, Ian McCall, Yasuhiro Urushitani, BJ Kojima, Rambaa Somdet, Mamoru Yamaguchi, Dustin Ortiz, Darrell Montague, Danny Martinez, and any flyweights outside of our original criteria.

Footage of Rafael de Freitas after the fold...

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Name:	Alexandre Pantoja
Nickname:	--
Age:	21
Height:	5'5"
Location:	Brazil

After a brief trip back to the United States to conclude the latter half of our top ten flyweight countdown, we now journey back to Brazil to crack the top five. Surprisingly, we lead the second half of our climb to the summit with 21-year-old Alexandre Pantoja (10-2), a Nova Uniao fighter who is currently riding a three-fight win streak and has only lost to flyweight kingpin Jussier da Silva over the course of the last three years. I say surprisingly because more informed fans and analysts feel he may be the next great flyweight fighter from the region.

Those claims aren't without supporting evidence. He wiped out a couple of flyweight regulars in Ralph Lauren and Michael William Costa in bouts in ‘09 during a five-fight winning streak and quickly submitted heralded up-and-comer Bruno Azevedo at Shooto Brazil 18 in September of 2010. His resume isn't chalk full of experienced talent, lending some evidence to the contrarian point of view that the hype isn't justified yet.

Inevitably, we did buy into the opposing opinion. His strength of record isn't great, and it isn't decked out with wins over larger, more experienced bantamweights like some of our early picks. But it's difficult to see a ceiling already when Pantoja is only 21 years old and possesses a well-balanced arsenal of weapons.

Adept both on the feet and on the ground, Pantoja can win in any area of a fight. He's excellent off his back, consistently threatening with submissions or scrambling his way back to his feet. He's a strong striker, utilizing a Muay Thai base to batter opponents with a wild, aggressive approach that has produced more knockouts than your average flyweight fighter.

Defense is a concern, and it's heavily reliant on his conditioning, which has been hit or miss. He tends to get sloppy as fights drags on, mimicking a windmill with his striking attacks and leaving his chin exposed. His aggressive, uncontrolled attack is the likely culprit, and as he matures -- it should become less of a problem.

Time will tell whether that's the case. In the meantime, Pantoja needs to fight tougher competition that will push him to his limits. He needs to wade in the deep end to get a sense of where he stands. Right now, there isn't much Brazil can offer him at 125 lbs. with the exception of a rematch with Formiga. Past the rematch, there isn't much left for Pantoja in terms of credible match-ups in Brazil. If he can't gain the interest of Joe Silva yet, blowing up a few veterans while improving technique should suffice into mid-to-late 2012. If he hasn't gotten the call by then, Twitter campaigns seem to work.

Since the birth of the UFC's flyweight division creates a question of who we should consider as prospects, we've tweaked the criteria specifically for this weight class. Most notably, we drew a line, excluding the following well-known, established flyweights: Jussier ‘Formiga' da Silva, Ulysses Gomez, Ian McCall, Yasuhiro Urushitani, BJ Kojima, Rambaa Somdet, Mamoru Yamaguchi, Dustin Ortiz, Darrell Montague, Danny Martinez, and any flyweights outside of our original criteria.

Footage of Alexandre Pantoja after the fold...

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Photo by Jeff Sherwood, Sherdog
Name:	Hector Sandoval
Nickname:	Kid Alex
Age:	25
Height:	5'5"
Location:	Sacramento, California

It wouldn't be a flyweight countdown without the presence of one of the MMA's most successful training camps in the lighter weight classes being represented. Team Alpha Male has produced a steady stream of high-quality talent, fighters such as Urijah Faber, Joseph Benavidez, and Chad Mendes, and the camp has hot prospects on deck in Lance Palmer and T.J. Dillashaw at both 135 and 145 lbs.

At flyweight, Team Alpha Male isn't without reserves. Ukiah, California's Hector Sandoval (4-1) is one of their most promising representatives, recording four wins in the last two years in the California mixed martial arts scene. His most notable win to date came in December against Taylor McCorriston (6-2) at Impact MMA: Recognition, who had only previously lost to Hector's teammate T.J. Dillashaw.

Hector's style is what you would typically associate with any Team Alpha Male fighter, a power wrestler with explosive takedowns, competent grappling chops, and a furious stand-up game. He doesn't possess overly technical striking prowess, and his size is problematic in pushing his effectiveness to the next level in that arena. He more than makes for that with the threat of a powerful slam or blanketing top control.

Defensively, he needs to protect his chin better. He already has a tough time getting inside on his opponents due to his short reach in comparison to longer opponents, and that may all change when he's fighting flyweight competition consistently. But there is some concern that his scrambling style of striking could be exploited due to the holes it opens up to his chin.

At only 25 years old, Sandoval has a bright future, and he'll undoubtedly find his way into the UFC on the sails of his teammates' success. He has all the tools to find continued success at the regional level right now, and in time - he'll likely improve to a point in which success will find him in the depths of the UFC's new flyweight division. Look for him to make his debut inside the Octagon in late 2012.

Since the birth of the UFC's flyweight division creates a question of who we should consider as prospects, we've tweaked the criteria specifically for this weight class. Most notably, we drew a line, excluding the following well-known, established flyweights: Jussier ‘Formiga' da Silva, Ulysses Gomez, Ian McCall, Yasuhiro Urushitani, BJ Kojima, Rambaa Somdet, Mamoru Yamaguchi, Dustin Ortiz, Darrell Montague, Danny Martinez, and any flyweights outside of our original criteria.

Footage of Hector Sandoval after the fold...

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Photo by GatewayMMA.com
Name:	Jesse Riggleman
Nickname:	Mountain Man
Age:	26
Height:	5'5"
Location:	Harrisonburg, Virginia

At #7 on the 2012 World MMA Flyweight Scouting Report, Virginia's Jesse Riggleman (11-2) finds his deserved spot on this year's countdown. After back-to-back losses in 2010 to The Ultimate Fighter contestants John Dodson and Louis Gaudinot, Riggleman bounced back in 2011, defeating Jason Hiliker at M-1 Challenge 24 in March before narrowly defeating 2011 World MMA Scouting Report prospect Farkhad Sharipov at Bellator 51 in September.

Before his ascension to the upper reaches of the talent pool, Riggleman amassed a perfect 9-0 record in a little over a year's time, defeating Bellator veteran Bryan Goldsby and The Ultimate Fighter 14 contestant Josh Ferguson along the way. Typical of other flyweight prospects, Riggleman fought in weight classes above his natural weight, showcasing a toughness and durability that can only be described as inspiring. His split decision win over Goldsby is the perfect example.

Not only does Riggleman possess those valuable attributes, he's competent in almost every area of his skill-set. He possesses a solid takedown game, skilled striking, excellent conditioning, and a relentless work ethic, making him one of the best-rounded fighters on the countdown.

If he truly possesses all of those skills, why isn't he higher on our list? From a technical standpoint, he could use some work, mainly on the intricate details that are usually the differences between good and great fighters. His granite chin and endless gas tank have saved him many times in the past, mainly because larger fighters took advantage of the size advantage. Riggleman found a way to win, but I'm still skeptical about his chances against top-tier talent.

Undoubtedly, the UFC's inclusion of a flyweight division helps a guy like Riggleman the most. He's fought bigger competition his entire career, and he's succeeded for the most part. His skill-set isn't lacking any one skill, and he can beat any fighter who's severely weak in one area. With opponents more his size, it's possible he strings together some big wins in 2012 and gains considerable interest. At only 26 years old, Riggleman has plenty of time to close the gap on the technical know-how he needs to succeed against stronger competition.

Since the birth of the UFC's flyweight division creates a question of who we should consider as prospects, we've tweaked the criteria specifically for this weight class. Most notably, we drew a line, excluding the following well-known, established flyweights: Jussier ‘Formiga' da Silva, Ulysses Gomez, Ian McCall, Yasuhiro Urushitani, BJ Kojima, Rambaa Somdet, Mamoru Yamaguchi, Dustin Ortiz, Darrell Montague, Danny Martinez, and any flyweights outside of our original criteria.

Footage of Jesse Riggleman after the fold...

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Name:	Sean Santela
Nickname:	Shorty Rock
Age:	27
Height:	5'5"
Location:	Whippany, New Jersey

When New Jersey-native Sean Santella (9-3-1) looks back on his life decades from now, there won't be any notion that it was a walk in the park. For the most part, nobody really believes it is. But there is a sense that some people walk a path of lesser resistance than others. Santella isn't one of them.

Raised in an apartment complex in Mount Olive, New Jersey, his life was similar to most of our own as small children, filled with long summer days playing with friends. Unfortunately, as the years passed, those small children were bombarded by the cruelty of society. As Santella told MMAJunkie.com's Kyle Nagel - "I pretty much got in trouble when I wasn't wrestling."

Today, Santella is enjoying a second chance, finding calm in the eye of the storm on the mats at AMA Fight Club in New Jersey. The 27-year-old has amassed nine wins in thirteen appearances since making his professional debut three-and-a-half years ago. Despite losing his debut to UFC veteran Nick Pace, Santella wrestled his way to prominence in his next six fights, recording a 5-0-1 record before falling to fellow flyweight prospect Josh Rave.

Santella bounced back strong with wins over Mikey Lovato, Sidemar Honorio, and Tito Jones, but he once again ran into a brick wall, this time against #2-ranked 2012 World MMA Bantamweight Scouting Report prospect Aljamain Sterling at Cage Fury Fighting Championships 11 in October. He rebounded this past weekend, submitting Bryan Lashomb at Cage Fury Fighting Championships 13 at his natural weight of 125 lbs.

Similarly to his life, Santella's path to getting on this year's report was labored. He was considered for the bantamweight division, but he's naturally more suited for the flyweight division. Strangely, he hasn't had problems with larger bantamweight fighters, and his losses have actually come against fighters who have been linked to the flyweight division in the past.

Size isn't the issue, it's his style. He's heavily dependent on his wrestling skills, and for the most part - his opponents have a hard time stopping his relentless attack. He controls his enemies well from the top, pounding on them with peppering strikes while looking for submissions. In the past, he hasn't been great at finding those opportunities, but in recent bouts - he's become very dangerous, aggressively attacking limbs and threatening opponents throughout battles.The problem, however, is that he's left himself open to attacks when attempting those submissions, and it's put him on the end of some brutal ground and pound in the past.

On the feet, Santella needs a lot of work. It's his most glaring weakness, and he could use all the help he can get from the guys at AMA Fight Club to improve those skills and give his overall skill-set some diversity. Without it, Santella may never break out as a future upper-echelon talent. Despite the hole in his game, he still possesses the wrestling and submission skills to stack up well against most opponents, and he's physically one of the most in-shape athletes on the countdown. That athleticism can go a long way to helping Santella maintain his status as a top prospect while improving his skills to ascend to the next level.

Since the birth of the UFC's flyweight division creates a question of who we should consider as prospects, we've tweaked the criteria specifically for this weight class. Most notably, we drew a line, excluding the following well-known, established flyweights: Jussier ‘Formiga' da Silva, Ulysses Gomez, Ian McCall, Yasuhiro Urushitani, BJ Kojima, Rambaa Somdet, Mamoru Yamaguchi, Dustin Ortiz, Darrell Montague, Danny Martinez, and any flyweights outside of our original criteria.

Most footage of Santella is available on GFL.tv, but there are a couple of fights after the fold...

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