Blind Reacting to MMA Prospects Vol. 21

Featherweight, Israel Figueira (8-1)

Pros

• Strong grappling

• Good ground and pound

• Diverse submission attack

• Scrambles well

• Tough to read

Cons

• Accepts bottom position

• Hands low

• Cardio lacks

• Questionable fight IQ

• Wild striking

I'm usually on top of the Brazilian talent especially the more established ones. I slightly see why though as he is good but not on the level I expect. He doesn't have any good wins and his only loss is when he had a step up in competition. He's won his last four as all fights came in 2024.

Figueira, I'd definitely label him as a grappler. He has knockout wins though so he's not completely one-dimensional. It's just he's more vulnerable on the feet. Far from technical, he's about being unpredictable. He'll come with a kick and then a backfist just in case. He leaves his hands too low and if whoever he's fighting decides to throw first Figueira would have a lot of problems.

Grappling is good but not the wrestling which is a big gray area to his success. The times he could get a takedown is when pulling guard or catching a leg. As long as he is on the mat he's comfortable. Perhaps too confident as he can play around on his back too long and too much. Figueira is a threat though with his long limbs. Seven of his eight wins are by submission and he's got RNC's, a triangle, armbar, and a buggy choke. He's the type of guy that could be getting the crap beaten out of him and then throw up a submission out of nowhere. He is someone you don't wont on top of you because he is super dangerous with the GNP mixed with the submission threat. He'll go for too many risks but it's worked out for him thus far.

Overall, he doesn't have all the right pieces to be considered a stable set. A good submission grappler but limited wrestling. He is good off his back but not this amazing grappler who could get away with that at the higher level. Stand-up is just not good. It's unorthodox, wild, sloppy, and just poor defensive traits. Not the type of fighter I'm gonna look into much more.