The Morning After Drill: World Series of Fighting 4

Contributor: Daniel Galvan

If you’re a person that has any common sense or enjoys the idea of reality, I would like to respectfully ask you to remove your thinking cap and bear with me as I present you a hypothetical scenario.

Let’s say that right after the World Series of Fighting 4, the president of NBC Sports, who in this scenario is the son of the man that invented AT&T, was so disgusted that WSOF promoted Boost mobile that he pulls the plug on WSOF.  (I understand this scenario is a bit crazy.  I mean, there is no way in hell that the president of NBC Sports watched WSOF 4).

With the World Series of Fighting disbanded, all of the combatants on the WSOF 4 card would now be free agents.  Now, let’s pretend that Bjorn Rebney sent a quartet of Russian mob members to my house that blindfolded me, beat me up, and took me to Bjorn’s den.

Bjorn then tells me that he’s seen my work on Undercard Superstar (let’s pretend I actually wrote articles), and he was impressed.  He then informs me that I have until sundown to present to him a list of all the fighters that competed at WSOF 4 in order of how valuable I believe they are as MMA free agents, or else he’ll make me watch an endless loop of YAMMA Pit Fighting.

So, because an endless loop of YAMMA Pit Fighting is worse than hell itself, I decide to construct the rankings for Bjorn.  And now, to conclude my stupid scenario, here’s what my post WSOF 4 hypothetical free agent rankings would look.

1. BW – Marlon Moraes (11-4-1), WSOF 4 Result: W via UD over Brandon HemplemanScouting Report:  Simply put, I believe Marlon Moraes is the most talented fighter on the WSOF roster.  Moraes exhibited his dangerous striking in his complete beatdown of the tough Brandon Hempleman.  Aside from technique, Moraes possesses a lot of power in his right hook, which is a strike that he builds his combinations around.  Moraes is also no slouch on the ground and in the clinch.  He would be a remarkable addition to any MMA promotion’s 135 pound weight class.
2. WW – Gerald Harris (22-5), WSOF 4 Result: W via UD over Jorge SantiagoSR: I just spent my entire life savings on Gerald Harris stock.  His performance against Jorge Santiago was spectacular.  I already knew Harris was a talented wrestler that can slam his opponent into oblivion.  What I didn’t know was where his stand-up was at, and his striking looked really great against Santiago.  Harris was worked smoothly in and out of the pocket and his combinations were measured but smart.  I have high expectations for Harris, he seems to have put it all together.
3. LW  – Nick Newell (10-0), WSOF 4 Result: W via 1^st Sub over Keon CaldwellSR: Nick Newell isn’t an amputee fighter.  He’s a talented lightweight fighter that just so happens to be an amputee.  Nick Newell is the total package.  He’s got the talent, the inspirational story, a fan-friendly fight style, and has a real personality that will translate to the viewers.  As long as Newell continues to win, he will undoubtedly become a star in MMA, and based on his dominant submission win over Keon Caldwell, Newell continuing to win should be expected.
4. LHW – Tyrone Spong (2-0), WSOF 4 Result: W via UD over Angel DeAndaSR: What did we learn from Spong’s decision victory over Angel DeAnda?  Nothing really.  We already knew he was a superb striker, and that was shown by his dominant footwork, body movement, and leg kicks in the DeAnda bout.  The one tidbit I took a way from the contest was that Spong fought really hesitant.  He was absolutely punishing the leg of DeAnda, and it was mind-boggling that he didn’t attempt a head kick that could’ve been the finish.  Regardless, Spong’s top level striking ability gives him oodles of upside which skyrockets him up the rankings faster than a World Series of Fighting card.
5. BW – Jared Papazian (16-10, 1 NC), WSOF 4 Result: W via UD over John RoblesSR: Jared Papazian may not be the most talented bantamweight in WSOF, but he is good enough to be competitive with pretty much any bantamweight in MMA, except the elite group at the top of the 135 pound food chain.  Papazian brings value with his aggressive fighting style that consistently puts out entertaining scraps, and he also has a bit of a unique charisma to him.  He doesn’t superstar upside, but the consistency from a talent and entertainment standpoint are major positives.
6. LW – Gesias Cavalcante (18-7-1, 2 NC), WSOF 4 Result: W via 3^rd TKO over Tyson Griffin
7. LW – Tyson Griffin (16-7), WSOF 4 Result: L via 3^rd TKO vs Gesias CavalcanteSR: Tyson Griffin and Gesias Cavalcante are both similar.  They’re fighters that are talented enough to beat some of the sports top athletes, but aren’t consistent enough to compile a significant win streak.  Based on they’re well rounded games, they both can thrive in any MMA organization, but the window appears to be closing on their potential of becoming top players in the lightweight division.
8. WW – Jorge Santiago (25-12), WSOF 4 Result: L via UD vs Gerald HarrisSR: It’s easy and probably unfair to give a middling MMA veteran the tag of gatekeeper, but that is what Jorge Santiago is at this stage of his career.  He feasts on regional talent, but has shown real weakness against established wrestlers/grapplers.  Santiago has got to defend takedowns or at least replicate what he did against Kazuo Misaki by being a demon off of his back, continuing to work for a finish or a sweep, if he wants to be rise up the welterweight ranks.
9. LW – Lewis Gonzales (9-0), WSOF 4 Result: W via TD over Antonio McKeeSR: Few people on this card impressed me more than Lewis Gonzales.  I had an idea that he had a solid wrestling game going into the McKee fight, but I had no expectations of him dominating the grappling aspect of the bout and that’s exactly what Lewis Gonzales did.  Gonzales still has questions, most notably his striking, but he is absolutely a prospect to watch.
10. BW – Brandon Hempleman (9-2), WSOF 4 Result: L via UD vs Marlon MoraesSR: Tough. Grit. Heart.  That’s what comes to mind when you watch Brandon Hempleman’s fight against Marlon Moraes.  Hempleman survived a right hook that opened a nasty cut on his forehead and Moraes’ barrage of leg kicks.  Still, it wouldn’t be fair to just tout Hempleman’s toughness.  Before the Moraes fight, Hempleman pieced together a six fight win streak over reputable fighters that established him as an up-and-coming bantamweight.
11. LHW – Angel DeAnda (11-3), WSOF 4 Result: L via UD vs Tyrone SpongSR: Angel DeAnda has been criminally underrated before, during, and after WSOF 4.  DeAnda is a scrappy light heavyweight, that doesn’t have a lot of upside, but he does have enough talent to take care of the vast amount of 205 pounders on the regional MMA scene.  From a marketing standpoint, DeAnda brings little to the table aside from the entertaining fight potential, but he has enough talent to be a solid litmus test for some of Bellator’s latest light heavyweight signings.
12. LW – Keon Caldwell (9-2), WSOF 4 Result: L via 1^st Sub vs Nick NewellSR: What I’m banking on with Keon Caldwell here is his potential because he looked absolutely terrible against Nick Newell.  I don’t know what it was that threw him off, but he allowed Newell to control the entire.  If we examine his previous bouts, he’s shown promise, especially with his takedowns, position control, and ground and pound.
13. BW- John Robles (7-2), WSOF 4 Result: L via UD vs Jared PapazianSR: Robles is in the Hempleman/Caldwell group of prospects that aren’t sure things, but have shown potential in the past.  Robles does differentiate himself from the group because he did show promise in his WSOF 4 fight. Papazian was the clear winner, but Robles held his own and did score with his own fair share of combinations.
14. HW – Dave Huckaba (21-5), WSOF 4 Result: W via 1^st TKO over Ray SefoSR: Huckaba has value as an entertaining heavyweight fighter that promises a knockout finish (although he doesn’t promise who gets knocked).  That’s fairly significant because fights like that help add layers to an MMA event and put it over the top from an entertainment standpoint.  Huckaba’s age (39) and talent level hold him back on these rankings.
15. LW – Antonio McKee (28-6-2), WSOF 4 Result: L via TD vs Lewis GonzalesSR: Strictly from a talent standpoint, McKee would be higher in these rankings, but his age (43) and consistently boring fighting style really hurt his value as a free agent.  McKee appeared as though he had regressed in the Gonzales fight.  Gonzales was able to outwrestle McKee, beating the 43 year-old at his own game.
16. LW – Victor Valenzuela (13-6-2), WSOF 4 Result: W via 2^nd  Sub over Isaac GutierrezSR: Valenzuela really impressed me with his tight boxing and his groundwork.  Unfortunately for him, at 43 years old, he has little upside, and although he has a multi-dimensional skillset, none of his skills are above average in comparison to Bellator and UFC fighters.
17. LW – Isaac Gutierrez (5-4), WSOF 4 Result: L via 2^nd Sub vs Victor ValenzuelaSR: Gutierrez had his moments, especially in the first frame, in the Valenzuela fight, but he was just too green.  He does possess power in his punches, but he just throws them wildly with little discipline.  Although that fighting style is conducive to an entertaining fight, it isn’t conducive to winning a fight.  Still, Gutierrez still has plenty of time to develop his MMA game.
18. HW – Ray Sefo ( 2-2), WSOF 4 Result: L via 2^nd TKO vs Dave HuckabaSR: The WSOF president and K-1 veteran has retired after accomplishing his goal of fighting 100 times in combat sports.  According to my advanced scouting metrics, it’s not economically efficient to sign a retired fighter.

-Daniel can be reached @danielgal.