Jamall Emmers
Record: 16-4
Age: 30
Weight class: Featherweight
Height: 5’10”
Birthplace: Miami, Fla.
Next Fight: Jan. 31 vs. Rafael Barbosa (12-2) at LFA 81 in Costa Mesa, Calif. (UFC Fight Pass)
Background: [autotag]Jamall Emmers[/autotag] is an unusual beast. With 20 pro MMA fights under his belt, he’s competed for a plethora of regional promotions including LFA, RFA, Final Fight Championship, M-1 USA, Tachi Palace Fights and more. Additionally, he’s competed in front of Dana White twice – once on Dana White’s Contender Series and once on “Dana White: Lookin’ for a Fight.” He holds wins over UFC notables Cory Sandhagen, Alexander Hernandez, Jay Cucciniello and Chris Avila.
The Skinny: Emmers is as UFC-ready as they come for a perennial regional scene headliner. The only thing that’s really prevented him from getting there is bad luck. The first time he fought in front of the UFC brass, he impressed but lost. The second time, he was knocked out by an unlikely underdog. Outside of that, Emmers has looked ready. He possesses slick, technical knockout power, veteran savvy, and excellent cardio. A win at LFA 81 would be No. 10 in 12 fights. If that happens, he should carve out his spot on any major promotion’s roster.
In his own words: “There’s a lot of different areas I have a physical edge over guys. Mentally, I know I’m stronger than a lot of fighters. But physically, God gave me a lot of certain abilities that I have that I see other fighters don’t have. I know in certain fights I’ll try to use my athleticism, (but) I know I’m more technical than I am athletic. There are better athletes out there, but I’m more technical. Just having that in my back pocket sets me apart from other guys. I have the technique, my mental game and being a natural athlete.
“All I have to do is win (to get to the big show). If I beat the other guys, what else do I have to do? I understand how the business side of it is. So all I have to do is win. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t. … I thought my last fight would have got me there. All you can do is keep fighting.”
https://youtu.be/METD7qU-KB0