Prior to each UFC card, Jay Primetown takes a close look at debuting fighters. In the latest installment, we look at highly touted prospect Ricardo Ramos as he makes his UFC debut against Michinori Tanaka at UFC Fight Night 104 in Houston, Texas. Ricardo “Carcacinha” Ramos Hometown: Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil Age: 21 Height: 5’9” Reach: 74” Weight Class: Bantamweight Camp: Impacto Jiu-Jitsu Career Record: 9-1 Key Wins: None Key Losses: None Background The 21-year old Brazilian was noticed by Dana White on his reality show “Lookin’ for a Fight.” Ramos picked up a submission win in that fight in August 2016 and was signed by the UFC for a future fight. Ramos is a proven finisher with eight of his nine wins by stoppage. Strengths
- Athletic fighter
- Aggressive on the feet
- Good combination of kicks and punches
- Uses strikes well to setup takedowns where he is at his best
- Excellent in transitions
- Lot of variety in what he can do on the ground
Weaknesses
- Can be pushed against the strength
- Tends to struggle with physically stronger fighters
- Defensive wrestling is a question mark
Matchup against Michinori Tanaka A matchup of two quality grapplers pits Brazilian Ricardo Ramos and Japanese fighter Michinori Tanaka. Ramos has the advantage on the feet with a decent length advantage and a more varied striking game. While I do some time on the feet in this bout, I think the majority of the bout will be contested in the grappling exchanges. Both of these fighters have solid offensive wrestling games and will look to control the fight where they are most comfortable. From the experience of both fighters, I think Ramos is the more skilled grappler. He’s much quicker and his length is a real advantage as he transitions from position to position. Yes, Tanaka is more experienced, but Ramos has the much higher ceiling and even at this point I see the young Brazilian as the better fighter and the more likely to win. At +178, Ramos is worthy of a bet. There’s always some reservation betting a fighter on his or her UFC debut, but this price way too high considering the skill comparison. UFC Ceiling Ricardo Ramos is one of the top bantamweight prospects in MMA today. He’s has a decent frame for the weight class and a world class grappling game. His striking is better than advertised and he combines with a variety of takedowns so that he can employ submissions. I think he’s already well-rounded and not too far from being a top 15 bantamweight. Where he needs to improve is in his overall strength. The top part of this division is physically strong and wrestling heavy. He’s going to need to add some muscle to be able to compete with the top of the division. Fight Film Check out Ricardo Ramos in some of his most recent fights: Ricardo Ramos vs. Justin Rader Ricardo Ramos vs. Manny Vazquez Ricardo Ramos vs. Cody Walker