Warfare MMA 16

Next Wave Of South Carolina MMA Talent Coming To Warfare MMA 16

Next Wave Of South Carolina MMA Talent Coming To Warfare MMA 16

Super prospect Da'Mon Blackshear tops an talent-rich card at Warfare MMA 16.

Aug 17, 2017 by FloCombat Staff
Next Wave Of South Carolina MMA Talent Coming To Warfare MMA 16
The state of South Carolina has produced a handful of elite-level mixed martial artists, with none other than welterweight striking king Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson being at the head of the pack. On Saturday night in Myrtle Beach, SC, the shores of the Atlantic Ocean will be rocking strong with the next wave of MMA stars on display at Warfare MMA 16.

The event gets underway at 6 PM EDT and streams live and exclusively on FloCombat. And while we typically give you three reasons to watch our events, this stacked lineup has so much more to offer.


How to Watch Warfare MMA 16


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Da'Mon Blackshear


If there is a fighter on the lineup at Warfare MMA who is ready to step into the big leagues it's Da'Mon Blackshear.

"The Diamond" has been absolutely impressive each and every time he's stepped into the cage and has shown the type of skill set that has put him on the radar for shows like the UFC and Bellator. The only thing they've been waiting on is for Blackshear to gather more experience and perhaps face a tough enough test that showcases the surging prospect's true mettle. 

The only problem with this wait-and-see approach is that Blackshear has blown out everyone he's faced so far as a professional.

That said, there's a good chance Blackshear will face the biggest challenge to his undefeated record at Warfare MMA 16, where he'll square off against established veteran Keith Richardson in the main event of the card. Richardson has faced solid competition and fought for larger promotions throughout his time in MMA. Then again, should the highly touted talent breeze through this challenge as well, a call from the UFC will come in quick order.


Hannah Scoggins


While FloCombat recently rolled out our top prospect rankings for North America, the female lists are still a work in progress. That said, one fighter who is guaranteed to have a top spot in the future rankings is Hannah Scoggins.

The undefeated strawweight has shown tremendous versatility during her four showings inside the cage thus far. Scoggins' first two bouts were quick truckings, while her next two outings saw the wife of UFC flwyeight Justin Scoggins be thoroughly tested. In Scoggins' last bout under the Warfare banner, she squared off with the gritty LeNeisha Vinson in a bout that saw both fighters find success in pockets.

Neverthelss, when Scoggins needed to step up and take control that's precisely what she did, and the rangy striker picked up the unanimous decision on the judges' scorecards. The 19-year-old prospect will face another tough task in Sam Hughes this Saturday night, and if Scoggins wants the bigger stages to continue showing interest she'll need to get the job done impressively at Warfare 16.

Joe Solecki


Although Solecki may call Myrtle Beach home, the grappling ace has done the bulk of his work further up the Eastern seaboard in New Jersey. 

Competing under the CES banner has yielded great results for Soleck, but he's certainly looking forward to the opportunity to compete in front of a hometown crowd once more. Furthermore, Solecki is coming off a setback in his last outing inside the cage and is extremely motivated to turn things around in a big way on Saturday night.

The highly touted up-and-comer has no easy night of work with Nathan Williams standing across from him inside the cage, but Solecki has been known to shine in the biggest moments. Let's see if that's the case on Saturday.


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Brandon Bushaw


It doesn't get much more straightforward than "The Dream Killer."

The former Michigan State University wrestler turned mixed martial artist followed in the footsteps of his friends and former teammates Gray Maynard and Rashad Evans by seeking out a career inside the cage. Yet, where the aforementioned former Spartans took the deep dive into MMA to pursue careers under the UFC banner, Bushaw took a timeout from athletics to create a successful chain of businesses in warmer climates.

That said, Bushaw's warrior spirit within has needed room for expression, which has led to him becoming one of the top fighters in the state in the lower weight classes. Simply put: Bushaw loves to scrap and has competed across multiple divisions in order to find some healthy competition.

And while these descriptors may make it seem as if Bushaw may not be as committed as some of his peers, the nickname he carries says it all. If you are a fighter with visions of competing under the brightest lights in the sport, then you'll need to prove yourself along the way. Bushaw is a well-rounded fighter in every sense and has a throwback skill set. Therefore anyone worth his salt is going to have his hands full against him.

Should you defeat Bushaw, then your dream survives and bigger things are in your future. On the flip side, those who can't need to rethink a few things, and Bushaw is betting his upcoming opponent James Ronsick will have some serious soul-searching to do following Saturday's fight.

Cody Jones and Marvin Skipper


Aside from the highlighted names many will recognize, Cody Jones and Marvin Skipper are two fighters to keep an eye on this Saturday night at Warfare MMA 16.

While Skipper is a newcomer to the game and just three fights into his professional career, he's on an undefeated run that extends well into his time as an amateur as well. Furthermore, if winning all 13 of his showings wasn't enough, Skipper's dominance has been so thorough he's never lost a round inside the cage. That type of success doesn't come by accident, and Skipper is the sneaky pick to put on a show-stealing performance this Saturday.

And although pointing to a record like Skipper's is reason for attention, just the opposite is true when it comes to Jones.

A quick look on paper would suggest Jones may not have the brightest future in mixed martial arts, but eyes on the fighter in person say otherwise. Jones has a plethora of physical gifts and youth on his side. Unfortunately for Jones, a few tough fights came at the wrong time, and he' s found himself with his back to the wall coming into Warfare 16. He'll need to turn things around in a big way, and what better way to do that than in front of a raucous hometown crowd?




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