Top 10 welterweights: Unsigned Talent

So for those just checking in, I’m writing a series about the top 10 fighters in each of the major five divisions not currently signed to a UFC, Strikeforce, or Bellator contract. Yesterday I profiled the top 10 unsigned lightweight talents. I do want to reiterate that there may be better prospects than the fighters listed, but we are strictly listing those who are ranked within our top 100 world MMA rankings. A top 10 prospects section will released later this year.

Welterweight – 170 pounds

1. Siyar Bahadurzada (20-4-1)

Siyar Bahadurzada was born in Afghanistan, and eventually moved to the Netherlands where he found a home at Golden Glory. Siyar is an aggressive Muay Thai fighter who has perfected his standup skills training alongside Alistair Overeem. Siyar is currently riding a six-fight winning streak against tough competition and has pretty much accomplished all that is possible on the independent scene. Siyar was thought to be rewarded with a contract from Strikeforce, but in an unfortunate turn of events, the contract was never finalized due to visa issues which Siyar had not been made aware of. Siyar has made his dissatisfaction known with Strikeforce and Scott Coker through twitter and recent interviews. Siyar would be a good fit for Bellator, considering all his troubles with Coker.

2. Brock Larson (33-5)

Brock Larson still has some good years left in him, and with a 33–5 record he should merit another call from a major promotion with a couple more wins on the independent scene. Larson was released from the UFC following back-to-back losses to Brian Foster and Mike Pierce. Prior that though he had defeated Mike Pyle, Carlo Prater, and John Alessio. Larson’s style has never been pretty, but he uses his wrestling effectively and his submission game is solid as well. His next fight is against Eric Devala on July 23.

3. Frank Trigg (21-8)

Frank Trigg seemed to be heading towards retirement following two brutal losses to Josh Koscheck and Matt Serra. Yet, he has rebounded since those losses, and though likely not to be signed by Zuffa anytime soon he remains a top fighter on the independent scene. He recently proved that against hard-hitting Welsch fighter John Phillips in a fight he was supposed to lose, yet someone forgot to tell that to Trigg, who proved he’s not finished just yet.

4. Eduardo Pamplona (14-2)

Eduardo Pamplona is about to turn 36, and unfortunately for him, he’s flown under the radar for the prime years of his career. Though he has recently returned to the USA in hopes of gaining the attention of major promotions, he continues to find it a difficult task to find fights. In his native Brazil he is easily considered one of the top fighters in a country that is a breeding ground for MMA champions. Pamplona brings a solid Muay Thai game and is currently training at the famed Black House. He is riding a 9-fight win streak since losing to Robbie Lawler via TKO in a close fight years ago in the IFL.
Update: Pamplona has signed with Strikeforce and will make his debut on June 24th.

5. Gunnar Nelson (8-0-1)

Gunnar Nelson is only 22 years old, but is already thought of as a future title contender in the welterweight division. Nelson’s grappling acumens are well known after his impressive performance at the Abu-Dhabi Championships. Nelson is has made it known that he is in no rush to sign with the UFC, as he wants to develop his skills accordingly before jumping onto the big stage. Nelson was born in Iceland and is currently fighting out of New York where he trains at the Renzo Gracie Academy.

6. Jordan Mein (21-7)

Jordan Mein has gone 8-1 in his last nine fights, including wins over Josh Burkman and Joe Riggs. He is still developing his all-around skills, but looks to be ready to take the next step in his career. Mein prefers to strike with his opponents, and does have knockout power. His takedown defense is improving, which has thus far been his weakest area. Jordan’s father Lee is also an MMA fighter, so he has grown up around the business, which makes him wise beyond his years. Mein has a huge fight on June 8th against Marius Zaromskis. With a win, Mein is likely on Joe Silva’s shortlist to sign.

7. Andre Galvao (5-2)

Andre Galvao was released by Strikeforce following his first-round TKO loss to Tyron Woodley. Galvao tried out for the ultimate fighter 12, but ultimately came up short. He has elite-level Jiu-Jitsu, but Galvao needs to work on is striking and conditioning, which are imperative to his growth as a well-rounded fighter. He will face dangerous prospect Jorge Lopez on August 5.

8. John Alessio (31-14)

John Alessio has fought for a variety of promotions including the UFC, Pride, WEC, Dream, and MFC. Alessio is a talented striker but has struggled against top competition. Alessio was recently riding a 7-fight win streak until he was brutally beaten by Siyar Bahadurzada in bizarre loss that saw Alessio put up very little resistance to Bahadurzada’s onslaught. That loss ended any hopes of Alessio returning to the UFC or Bellator, as both promotions showed strong interest prior to that fight. He will look to rebound from the loss against Josh Neer on August 20.

9. Delson Heleno (21-5)

Delson Heleno found mixed success fighting in the IFL going 6-4. He did defeat Jake Ellenberger though and holds additional wins over Daniel Acacio, Jorge Patino, and Waachiim Spiritwolf. Heleno, also known as “Pe De Chumbo,” has only lost to currently ranked top 100 fighters outside of a flash knockout loss to Brad Blackburn. He is currently on an 8-fight winning streak, and has been rumored to be fighting in Brazil at multiple events over the last few months, though results are nearly impossible to to find. Heleno’s Jiu-Jitsu is still top-notch, which would likely allow him to be competitive at the UFC level.
Update: Heleno will be facing top prospect Luis Dutra in Brazil, supposedly at 155.

10. Keith Wisniewski (27-12-1)

The final name on our list is 29-year-old Keith Wisniewski, veteran of 41 fights. He recently defeated Chris Wilson, which instantly propelled him up the ranks. He has won 6 straight fights, following a difficult 5-fight stretch where he lost 4 fights via close decisions. Wisniewski’s fighting career dates all the way back to 1998, which if you do the math meant he was fighting at just 16 years of age. Wisniewski likely needs a couple more wins over decent-name opponents to warrant a call from a major promotion.