Prospect Watch: Chase Boutwell Rolls On, Cody Owens Smashes
Prospect Watch: Chase Boutwell Rolls On, Cody Owens Smashes
Prospects Chase Boutwell and Cody Owens put on impressive performances this past Saturday on FloCombat.
There is something different to be found when watching touted prospects compete inside the chaos of a mixed martial arts cage.
There are some who are simply meant for larger achievements, and their performances reflect that motivation. Meanwhile, others who possess developed traits struggle against more experienced competition.
The ones who pass the test move on to face tougher obstacles, and those who struggle discover there is much more work to be done.
On Saturday night on FloCombat, two highly touted talents -- Chase Boutwell and Cody Owens -- each put on impressive performance that will carry them to bigger things.
Bantamweight | 5-0 Amateur | 18 years old
There are a lot of hyperbolic terms that could be used to describe Chase Boutwell, but his body of work speaks for itself. The recently graduated high school senior has notched five victories in 2017, and we are only halfway through the calendar year. That's impressive by any measure, but the real tell in Boutwell's case comes in the versatility he's shown.
The young bantamweight has a solid foundation and slick scrambles when the action hits the canvas, but it's what he's shown in the striking department that has the buzz surrounding him growing at an astounding level.
The Georgia-based fighter chains together striking combinations with ease and precision, but it's his dogged tenacity and willingness to engage in a brawl that has fans clamoring to see him work inside the cage.
All of those aforementioned skills were on display last Saturday night when he squared off with Hunter Thomas at Valor Fights vs. Conflict MMA "Worlds Collide" in Rome, GA, on FloCombat. Boutwell pressed and battered a game Thomas from pillar to post throughout the three-round affair, and even though the fight went the distance, it was a Boutwell showcase throughout.
The up-and-coming prospect showed great poise and savvy in a tough fight and further built his momentum heading into the IMMAF tournament later this year in Bahrain.
Right now, it's tough to pick any negatives in Boutwell's game, as he's shown both slick submissions and technical, diverse standup, but you would like to see a next-level prospect finish fights at a stronger clip. Simply winning on the regional level isn't enough -- fighters need to win in dominant fashion, and while his decision victories left no doubt who the better man was, Boutwell still has finished just one out of five opponents inside the cage.
His striking defense could also use some work. While he's been in two Fight of the Night-type performances right here on FloCombat, that is not always great for winners, as it usually means they absorbed some damage and faced some danger as well. He will need to clean that up at the next level, but at 18 years old there is plenty of time to make the necessary adjustments.
If his career to this point is any indication, Boutwell will tackle those issues and evolve before his next outing.
Bantamweight | 2-0 Pro | 27 years old
While Boutwell's game displays precision and pressure, the skill set shown by Cody Owens inside the cage is one rooted in aggression and power.
"The Texas Zombie" steamrolled through the amateur ranks with a flawless record, and he made sure to keep that perfection intact this past Saturday night at Fury FC 18 in Humble, Texas. The Lone Star State representative squared off with Angel Zamora and absolutely made the most of his main card slot by destroying his opposition in quick fashion.
Owens wasted no time getting the action to the ground, and once on the canvas, he opened a proverbial can of whoop-ass on Zamora. As soon as Owens' ground-and-pound connected, the referee began to move close to the action, and once the undefeated bantamweight opened into a full-scale barrage, the victory was sealed in brutal fashion.
While Owens only has two showings as a professional, his performance at Fury FC 18 will go a long way toward building his name on the regional scene. Simply put: there's a lot about Owens that deserves attention.
At this point, like with Boutwell, we've seen nothing but domination from Owens, but we also know that pure power and aggression is not enough to transcend at the next level. Owens did show a calculated, measured approach to his finish at Fury FC 18 -- which was promising to see -- but we would like to see some more ground transitions and some more of his stand-up game moving forward.
The simple fact that we haven't seen everything makes him that much more interesting to keep an eye on, though. Until we see his full arsenal, we can't go A+, but he's well on his way.
There are some who are simply meant for larger achievements, and their performances reflect that motivation. Meanwhile, others who possess developed traits struggle against more experienced competition.
The ones who pass the test move on to face tougher obstacles, and those who struggle discover there is much more work to be done.
On Saturday night on FloCombat, two highly touted talents -- Chase Boutwell and Cody Owens -- each put on impressive performance that will carry them to bigger things.
Chase Boutwell
Bantamweight | 5-0 Amateur | 18 years old
There are a lot of hyperbolic terms that could be used to describe Chase Boutwell, but his body of work speaks for itself. The recently graduated high school senior has notched five victories in 2017, and we are only halfway through the calendar year. That's impressive by any measure, but the real tell in Boutwell's case comes in the versatility he's shown.
The young bantamweight has a solid foundation and slick scrambles when the action hits the canvas, but it's what he's shown in the striking department that has the buzz surrounding him growing at an astounding level.
The Georgia-based fighter chains together striking combinations with ease and precision, but it's his dogged tenacity and willingness to engage in a brawl that has fans clamoring to see him work inside the cage.
All of those aforementioned skills were on display last Saturday night when he squared off with Hunter Thomas at Valor Fights vs. Conflict MMA "Worlds Collide" in Rome, GA, on FloCombat. Boutwell pressed and battered a game Thomas from pillar to post throughout the three-round affair, and even though the fight went the distance, it was a Boutwell showcase throughout.
The up-and-coming prospect showed great poise and savvy in a tough fight and further built his momentum heading into the IMMAF tournament later this year in Bahrain.
Right now, it's tough to pick any negatives in Boutwell's game, as he's shown both slick submissions and technical, diverse standup, but you would like to see a next-level prospect finish fights at a stronger clip. Simply winning on the regional level isn't enough -- fighters need to win in dominant fashion, and while his decision victories left no doubt who the better man was, Boutwell still has finished just one out of five opponents inside the cage.
His striking defense could also use some work. While he's been in two Fight of the Night-type performances right here on FloCombat, that is not always great for winners, as it usually means they absorbed some damage and faced some danger as well. He will need to clean that up at the next level, but at 18 years old there is plenty of time to make the necessary adjustments.
If his career to this point is any indication, Boutwell will tackle those issues and evolve before his next outing.
FloCombat Grade: B+
Cody Owens
Bantamweight | 2-0 Pro | 27 years old
While Boutwell's game displays precision and pressure, the skill set shown by Cody Owens inside the cage is one rooted in aggression and power.
"The Texas Zombie" steamrolled through the amateur ranks with a flawless record, and he made sure to keep that perfection intact this past Saturday night at Fury FC 18 in Humble, Texas. The Lone Star State representative squared off with Angel Zamora and absolutely made the most of his main card slot by destroying his opposition in quick fashion.
Owens wasted no time getting the action to the ground, and once on the canvas, he opened a proverbial can of whoop-ass on Zamora. As soon as Owens' ground-and-pound connected, the referee began to move close to the action, and once the undefeated bantamweight opened into a full-scale barrage, the victory was sealed in brutal fashion.
While Owens only has two showings as a professional, his performance at Fury FC 18 will go a long way toward building his name on the regional scene. Simply put: there's a lot about Owens that deserves attention.
At this point, like with Boutwell, we've seen nothing but domination from Owens, but we also know that pure power and aggression is not enough to transcend at the next level. Owens did show a calculated, measured approach to his finish at Fury FC 18 -- which was promising to see -- but we would like to see some more ground transitions and some more of his stand-up game moving forward.
The simple fact that we haven't seen everything makes him that much more interesting to keep an eye on, though. Until we see his full arsenal, we can't go A+, but he's well on his way.