Nine who will shine in 09 by Sam Kaplan http://www.fiveouncesofpain.com [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] [/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica]With the current generation of MMA stars such as Randy Couture, Chuck Liddell, Wanderlei Silva, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Matt Hughes beginning to see the end of their careers in sight, the sport will have to look to a new generation of stars to ensure it continues to grow. [/FONT] <table align="left" width="225" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td width="225"> </td> <td width="15"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="225"> Barry already has the striking. If he can build on that, he'll be a contender. (UFC) </td> <td width="15"> </td> </tr> </tbody></table>[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] With the quality and quantity of athletes taking up the sport increasing, the growth and popularity of MMA might not only be able to sustain itself but also reach highs never thought possible. [/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] The new year has commenced, and a new crop of fresh talent appears on the verge of breaking out. Here are nine names CBSSports.com believes will become the biggest breakout stars in the upcoming year. [/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Ben Askren: Askren is one of the most decorated amateur wrestlers in American history and represented the U.S. during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He was the 2006 and 2007 winner of the Danny Hodge Trophy, given to the top collegiate wrestler. The 24-year-old was also a two-time NCAA champion while competing at Missouri, where he posted an amazing record of 153-8 during his four-year amateur career. He is also fourth on the all-time NCAA list for pins with 91, trailing only Gene Mills (107), Wade Schalles (106) and Larry Bielenberg (94). Training out of American Top Team, Askren is set to make his pro debut on Feb. 7 in Columbia, Mo., and will fight again on Feb. 26 in Miami. If you're looking for the next Matt Hughes, look no further than Askren. [/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Pat Barry: Barry is a former two-time U.S. Open San Shou champion and has also competed for K-1 and Chuck Norris' World Combat League. His credentials as a striker are very impressive, and he used his powerful leg kicks to put Dan Evensen away in the first round during his UFC debut at UFC 92 last month. Barry isn't a can't-miss prospect because he is undersized for the heavyweight division and his skills on the ground are a mystery at this point. But if he continues to work hard in his transition from being an elite striker to a complete mixed martial artist, we'll see him make a meteoric rise through the UFC heavyweight ranks in 2009. [/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Henry Cejudo: Now 21, Cejudo gained mainstream fame after becoming the youngest American ever to win a gold medal in wrestling in the 55-kilogram freestyle division at Beijing. Cejudo's plans are not entirely certain, but the former four-time high school state wrestling champion recently spent some time working on his boxing with famed trainer Freddie Roach. There have also been rumblings about a crossover into MMA, with rumors circulating that the WEC is looking to sign Cejudo for its newly created flyweight division (125 pounds). If Cejudo decides to fight MMA, it's the type of news that will transcend the MMA media. [/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Al Iaquinta: After amassing a perfect 14-0 record and accomplishing all he could on the amateur scene, Al Iaquinta is finally set to go pro on Feb. 20 in Atlantic City when he fights for Lou Neglia's Ring of Combat. The New York native was originally a grappler but picked up the striking element of MMA like a sponge. A dynamic athlete, Iaquinta's fighting style is not only effective but exciting. Despite only being 21, his upside is so tremendous that he might only be 12-18 months away from being ready to compete in the UFC's lightweight division. [/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Satoshi Ishii: He might not be a household name with the American public, but Ishii became an instant celebrity in Japan after winning a gold medal in judo as a super heavyweight in Beijing. Dubbed by many as the savior of Japanese MMA, Ishii has spurned lucrative offers from Japan-based promotions such as DREAM and Sengoku after deciding that he'd rather begin his career in the UFC. UFC president Dana White hosted Ishii in Las Vegas during UFC 92, and the promotion issued a press release soon after to announce that contract talks between both sides had begun. But Ishii could prove to be undersized for the UFC's heavyweight division and is rather green when it comes to MMA. To start his career in the UFC might be a detriment to his development, which White has acknowledged. Might we see the UFC sign him to a developmental contract? Or will they bring back heavyweights for the 10th season of The Ultimate Fighter and feature Ishii? It's hard to say for sure, but Ishii will almost certainly make his debut sometime in 2009. I would tell to remember his name, but you won't have to. That's because when he fights, you'll be hearing plenty about it. [/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Bobby Lashley: A two-time NAIA wrestling champion who later wrestled in the Army, Lashley might be better known in the public eye as a former WWE superstar who once held the ECW heavyweight title. But since leaving the WWE, Lashley's primary focus has been on MMA, and he made a very successful debut on Dec. 13, needing just 41 seconds to TKO Josh Franklin during a Mixed Fighting Alliance event. Little was learned about Lashley as a fighter during the squash match, but it wouldn't be surprising to see him follow in the footsteps of Brock Lesnar. Scheduled to begin a two-fight stint with the Palace Fighting Championships on Feb. 6, Lashley might only be two-three wins away from joining Lesnar in the UFC's heavyweight division. [/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Muhammad Lawal: Japan is desperate for new stars, and Sengoku has gained some traction with Lawal. After failing to make the U.S. Olympic team, Lawal increased his focus on his MMA training and debuted against Travis Wiuff at Sengoku 5 in September. Given the nickname "King Mo," Lawal made a huge impression after needing just 2:11 to TKO the former PRIDE and UFC competitor. Already 3-0, Lawal has the fighting ability and charisma needed to make it big in the U.S. A NCAA Division II wrestling champ in 2002, Lawal later transferred to Oklahoma State, which has produced the likes of Randy Couture, Jake Rosholt, Mark Munoz, Shane Roller and Johnny Hendricks. The 28-year-old will continue to build a following in Japan, but it's only a matter of time until he returns home and develops into a top five middleweight. [/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Jim Miller: If you're a diehard MMA fan, the name is one you're already familiar with. But 2009 will be the year that Miller becomes a household name with casual viewers. The proud owner of a 13-1 record, Miller is already 2-0 in the UFC with impressive wins over David Baron and Matt Wiman. His lone career defeat was against fellow UFC lightweight Frankie Edgar in 2006 when both were competing outside of the organization. Already gaining steam in the UFC's 155-pound division, don't be surprised when Miller joins Edgar as one of the top 10 best lightweights in the UFC. [/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Kirill Sidelnikov: Sidelnikov is the 20-year protégé of WAMMA heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko. And just like his mentor, Sidelnikov will be competing during Affliction's "Day of Reckoning" event on Jan. 24 in Anaheim, Calif. Fighting on U.S. soil for the first time, Sidelnikov will have his work cut out for him against former UFC heavyweight title challenger Paul Buentello. Regardless of whether he wins, Sidelnikov belongs on this list because his upside potential is tremendous. While his ground game is a work in progress, the Red Devil fight team member is already one of the heavyweight division's heaviest hitters. [/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Honorable mention ... [/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Karl Amoussou: Amoussou is a big reason you should be tuning into the M-1 Challenge every Friday night at 8 p.m. on HDNet. MMA might not yet be legal in France, but that didn't stop Amoussou from going 4-0 competing for M-1 in 2009 and emerging as one of the best welterweight prospects in the world. An explosive striker, Amoussou appears poised to follow in the footsteps of Gegard Mousasi and Kirill Sidelnikov in '09 as the next great prospect that the M-1 Challenge has produced for the world stage. [/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Bogan Christea: At first glance, Christea's 5-4-1 record isn't all that impressive. But the native Romanian could be one of the toughest fighters currently competing in the sport. Any fighter who claims that an "armbar is not a submission" has the exterior needed to be a successful. Christea might not be technical at this point, but he's young and has only been training for a couple of years. Once his technique begins to catch up to his heart, he's going to become a star. [/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica]L.C. Davis: Davis is already 12-1 and has yet to hit his stride. Scheduled to fight Bao Quach during the undercard for "Day of Reckoning," a win will put Davis in line right behind Wilson Reis as the second best 140-145 pound fighter in the world not competing in the WEC. Blessed with gifted hands, Davis has a solid wrestling base and is going to break out big in '09. [/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Mike Easton: Lloyd Irvin has helped produced some of the most talented grapplers and fighters around such as Brandon Vera, Mike Fowler, Muhsin Corbbrey and Jared Weiner. Easton, a black belt and top competitive grappler, is already 5-0 as a pro in MMA and could find himself in the WEC's bantamweight division if he defeats former WEC 135-pound champ Chase Beebe during UWC's Feb. 21 event in Fairfax, Virginia. [/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Lyman Good: Good is a shining example of how MMA talent on the East Coast is being overlooked at the expense of fighters from the West and Midwest. EliteXC had been on the verge of giving the talented welterweight his shot at national stardom, but financial woes spoiled those plans. Good, an amazingly talented striker, has signed with the upstart Bellator Fighting Championships, which debuts on ESPN Deportes in April. One of the hardest workers you'll find on the East Coast, Good is going to be one of several new stars Bellator creates courtesy of its tournament format. [/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Danillo Villefort: Some fight fan have bristled at the recent news that Brock Larson will be getting a rematch against Carlos Condit at WEC 39 on March 1. The reality is that the WEC's welterweight division currently lacks depth. But Villefort, an American Top Team black belt, has decided to drop from middleweight to welterweight and will make his debut at 170 pounds against Mike Campbell at WEC 38 on Jan. 25. Make sure you pay close attention to the bout; Villefort has the potential to earn a title shot against Condit later this year. [/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] [/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] In addition to being a contributing writer for CBSSports.com, Sam Caplan is also the publisher of his own MMA website, FiveOuncesOfPain.com. You can contact him via e-mail at: SCaplan8@comcast.net. [/FONT]
