Sherdog Prospect Watch: Five UFC-Ready Fighters

Nicolas Dalby (12-0)

Denmark’s Dalby -- the current welterweight titleholder of an excellent Cage Warriors Fighting Championship organization that produced such fighters as Cathal Pendred, Jim Alers and Conor McGregor -- looks to be the latest western European prospect to make his move to the highest levels of competition.

Dalby is a smooth, karate-based striker with the quick linear movement we have come to expect from fighters with that base, although the Dane is not a top-notch physical specimen. He whirls powerful, technically sound combinations as he moves forward, finishing off his punches with heavy kicks at all levels as his opponent attempts to retreat out of range. His fundamentals are sound, his feints convincing and his command of timing impressive. At range, Dalby is happy to work an attrition game, and over the course of several rounds, his low and middle kicks are enough to wear down even the most durable opponents. Spinning strikes and the occasional jumping knee add flash to an otherwise solid, meat-and-potatoes approach. Nobody will confuse him with Mike Tyson, but he has pop in his hands, and, in general, he is difficult to hit cleanly due to his movement and control of the range. Dalby’s striking actually reminds me a great deal of Tarec Saffiedine, with its emphasis on angles, movement and a steady diet of kicks.

When his game works, and it usually does, Dalby is capable of pretty fantastic highlight-reel knockouts.

While striking is the real strength of Dalby’s game, he is also a competent wrestler and grappler. His clinch entries are smooth and well-executed; he knows how to grind away; and he excels at throwing on clinch breaks. Dalby’s takedown defense has so far been up to the challenge. He also possesses an explosive shot and knows how to chain together takedowns, and he has a working knowledge of submissions to go along with powerful ground striking and a heavy base from top position.

If he can continue to improve these aspects of his game to go along with his striking, his ceiling as a prospect is somewhere around Martin Kampmann. Dalby is polished, methodical and cerebral, with little left to learn on the regional scene. Although he has been fighting professionally for only four years, Dalby is already 29 and needs to make a move soon to maximize the rest of his time in the game. Dalby will defend his Cage Warriors title against talented prospect Mohsen Bahari in November. If he wins that fight, and he should be the favorite, expect to see Dalby on a European UFC card at some point in 2015.

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