A year ago, we selected the inaugural class of fighters that would make up the first edition of the World MMA Scouting Report. It's been a gratifying experience to see some of the athletes we selected go on to succeed in major fight opportunities, and a heartbreaking one to see others come up just short.
Closing out the 2011 World MMA Scouting Report, M-1 veteran Guram Gugenishvili tops our list as the #1 prospect on the heavyweight countdown. The Georgian wrestler/grappler remains undefeated at 11-0, attaining the M-1 Heavyweight crown in October with a submission win over Kenny Garner and defending it against Maxim Grishin in March.
At #2 on the 2011 World MMA Scouting Report, Shamil Abdurahimov (12-1) lands on our countdown as one of the most promising prospects out of Russia who has the skills to succeed in the UFC. The 28-year-old Dagestan-native is enjoying a six-fight win streak that includes wins over Jeff Monson, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, and Marcos Oliveira.
Tony Johnson's story is similar to that of UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones. A child was involved, dreams were put on the back burner, and duties fulfilled to be a father. Before his days of changing diapers and earning income for his family, Johnson was one of the best wrestlers in the United States, ranking #2 in the country during his senior year of high school.
Austria. The land of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sigmund Freud, and our #4-ranked heavyweight on the 2011 World MMA Scouting Report Gerald Turek (10-1). While his name probably shouldn't even be mentioned in the same sentence as such noteworthy figures in Austria's history, Turek is a significant figure in the world of mixed martial arts.
Former Golden Gloves champion and NCAA Division I wrestler Stipe Miocic (4-0) breaks our top 5 on the 2011 World MMA Scouting Report as one of the most heavy-handed punchers on our countdown. The 28-year-old dual sport collegiate athlete has turned heads in the Ohio regional scene...
At #6 on the 2011 World MMA Scouting Report, three-time NCAA All-American and 2010 NCAA runner-up Jared Rosholt (1-0) chimes in as one of the most promising heavyweights in the landscape of the division. With enormous size and blazing speed for the weight class, the 24-year-old could be on the fast track to becoming a major player in the division in the years to come.
Russia has a storied history of producing great heavyweight talent, most notably Fedor Emelianenko, Alexsander Emelianenko, and Sergei Kharitonov. While Fedor was obviously a kingpin at the top of the worldwide division for roughly a decade, time and the progressing skills of other top-flight talents are now obstacles in the way of his continued dominance.
At #8 on the 2011 World MMA Heavyweight Scouting Report, Latvian-born kickboxer Konstantin Gluhov (17-6) enters the countdown with a vast background in kickboxing and proven knockout power.
At #9 on the 2011 World MMA Scouting Report, heavyweight Nick Gaston (4-0-0-1) takes his place as a youthful 25-year-old rising prospect with a well-rounded skill-set and some notoriety as one of MTV's Bully Beatdown fighters.
