10 Europeans to Watch in 2011

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Tom Niinimaki (15-5-1)

Niinimaki, 27, has returned to active competition in February of last year after a three-year hiatus, and quickly established himself as one of Europe's top featherweights, racking up a 5-0 record in a span of just nine months. In that run, the Finn beat, among others, undefeated prospects Ben Boekee and Dave Hill, and it's clear that the former lightweight enjoys a pronounced physical advantage over his current adversaries. That physical edge in turn enables Niinimaki to play top control, where he is most comfortable pounding away while powering out of his opponent's submission attempts. However, don't mistake him with a one-dimensional hulking brute, as Niinimaki showed he had the technique to escape leglocks of slick grappler Sergej Grecicho with relative ease in their November contest.

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