A fighter’s nickname does not always convey their fighting style or personality. Oftentimes, it just sounds cool but doesn’t really suit them. For rising prospect Phumi Nkuta, “Turbo” entirely fits the bill. I am thrilled to finally be covering a flyweight in this week’s article. While the lightest men’s professional MMA weight class can often be overlooked, I find it to be one of the most entertaining and talented divisions. The fists fly faster, the movements look sharper, and the fast-forward button appears to be perpetually held down. While heavyweights are prone to swinging for the bleachers, flyweights rely more on their technique and precision. Some of the most clinical displays of MMA you will ever see come out of this division. Nkuta is no exception. He has amassed a perfect professional record of ten wins with no defeats, also going undefeated at the amateur level. He has competed in roughly a dozen grappling bouts, losing only one of them. Creative on the feet and lethal on the ground, he has no real weakness. At age 30, I cannot believe he has not been scooped up by the Contender Series, as he has exhibited more than enough skill. Fighting out of New Jersey and training at Longo’s MMA, he has been alongside some of the best in the business, such as Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling.
At first glance, looking at Nkuta’s record and method of victory might yield the assumption that he is a “boring” fighter, with six of ten wins coming by way of decision. It is essential to watch his fights, because this man is far from boring. With crisp boxing and phenomenal chain and counter wrestling, Nkuta is never stationary for long. He has fought under primary feeder organizations for the UFC, such as the LFA and CFFC, looking excellent in his last two bouts under the former. In prior articles, I have emphasized that most, if not all the prospects I covered had diverse skillsets and were well-rounded. Nkuta takes it to a different level. He has been in the game for a bit longer, and his skillset reflects that. He possesses a refinement and advancement that one would expect from a UFC fighter. Let’s take a look at why.
First off, I love the steps Nkuta has taken to improve his striking. He made particular efforts to improve his boxing and has done a remarkable job. In terms of standup, I love how he manages distance. He fights behind his jab beautifully, not just throwing it as a distraction or just for the sake of it. He will often jab a couple of times to get the opponent to retreat and shell up, then land a bomb. His footwork blends seamlessly with this; he can be seen switching stances during combinations for an extra layer to his game. His jab can serve as a post, whereby his outstretched arm slows the opponent down and provides a buffer, giving Nkuta more time to react. He can flick the jab as offense, then post as defense. His footwork is not to be slept on, as he skirts the cage and pivots well around danger, all the while looking to land damage.
His boxing basics have been finely tuned, and it shows in his fights. His hands are in the proper position with a tight guard. Nkuta counters well, and it is because of his head movement. One will notice Nkuta constantly slipping and rolling his head off the centerline as he throws jabs and combinations. Add feints to the mix, and his opponent is trapped in a whirlwind, constantly second-guessing. I really enjoy watching how Nkuta varies his targets. He makes a point of ripping punches to the body, slipping return fire, then countering to the head. Making body work a cornerstone of his boxing game augments his already versatile toolkit.
Of course, Nkuta is every bit as lethal on the ground. After all, he has competed extensively in professional grappling. While he has found himself taken down and defending his neck, he is usually the one getting the better of the exchanges. Once on the ground, he does not stall, constantly trying to advance position and hunt for submissions. He chains his wrestling options well, from sweeping the other leg off of a single leg, to further attacks from the body lock. “Turbo” truly is a motor that never seems to run out of gas, no matter which round he finds himself in.
What truly stands out to me is Nkuta’s counter wrestling. Against Cody Davis, during his very last outing, Nkuta really impressed me with how he timed sprawls. He seemed to preemptively know when and how Davis would shoot, and stuffed it well before his hips were in danger. When he did find himself with his back taken against the cage, he did a great job of grip fighting to break the body lock, turning back into his opponent and reversing. Even on the ground, Nkuta excels at turning in so he is chest to chest with his opponent, then working from there. Later in the fight against Davis, Nkuta ducked a right hook in order to land a takedown. However, he found himself swept with his back taken. He was able to turn in and reverse in mere moments. Like a cat, Nkuta always seems to land on his feet, or at least the equivalent.
As mentioned, all skilled MMA prospects mix the martial arts well. However, at the top of the food chain, the best do this better than the rest. If one were to place Nkuta on the UFC roster, he would not look one bit out of place. While some of his fights result in decisions, they are no snoozefests. Nkuta is an extremely active fighter in all phases, and is an absolute buzzsaw to deal with. Skill for skill, I believe he will hit the ground running in the UFC. He just needs the chance to do so.
