Here is a really good breakdown of the upcoming fights by
@Hellowhosthat
Some people seemed to find last week's useful so I figured I'd do it again even if my predictions were a bit shit seeing as I only went 3-2.
Welterweight -
Pat Pytlik (9-1) Vs
Andreas Gustafsson (10-2)
Pytlik is kind of old for Contender Series given that he's 36. He was finishing everyone early in his career then suffered a loss via guillotine and took some time off. He returned a couple of years ago and has had two first round finishes of solid regional guys to earn himself an opportunity. One of the best Welterweights in Canada for sure and he's finished every one of his nine wins by KO which the UFC will obviously like.
Gustafsson is a 33 year old Swede and probably got onto their radar with his 2023 Fight Pass fight of the year just bleed war with Toni Lampinen. He's a pretty solid brawler and lost a majority decision in his only real brush with high level competition against Joilton Lutterbach who was supposed to fight Shara Bullet.
Prediction - This one is kind of low level to be honest. Pytlik is likely to bring hard offence early and Gustafsson is clippable, but he does seem to have a solid chin so he could well eat his offence and drag him into deeper waters and drown him. It's a tricky one to call for me and could go either way, I think I'll go with Pytlik clipping him early and managing to get the finish, then Dana to give his "I'm not looking for 36 year olds" speech and give him the contract anyway.
Heavyweight -
Rizvan Kuniev (12-2-1) Vs
Hugo Cunha (8-1)
It's kind of ridiculous that Kuniev is even on Contender Series again to be honest. He won by finish three years ago but didn't get a contract as Dana was feeling pissy that night (he didn't give Caio Borralho a contract that night either) and since then has smashed UFC vet Anthony Hamilton and then beat PFL champion Renan Ferreira although that one got turned over to a no contest in the great PFL popping of that year. Arguably the most accomplished fighter in the history of the show in relation to their division.
Cunha is the current LFA champ and a Brazilian national wrestling champion for whatever that's worth. He cruised the Brazilian regional scene before going to ONE and gassing and losing to Dustin Joynson. He seemed to work on the cardio a bit and bounced back in the LFA winning a couple of fights, including a title win over two time DWCS vet Eduardo Neves to earn his shot here.
Prediction - I feel for Cunha a bit here as it's hard to get a tougher draw. He's a solid enough wrestler but it's hard to see him managing to get that going against a Russian like this dude. Kuniev is probably good enough to compete with ranked UFC fighters right now and I think he has a chip on his shoulder and something to prove, so I think he gets a first round KO and a contract
Bantamweight -
Cortavious Romious (8-2) Vs
Michael Imperato (12-6)
Romious is returning from last season where he got blown out by Ramon Taveras in a fight he took on very short notice. He's gone and crushed a can since then to get a win on his record to get another chance. He's kind of an athletic can crusher but he's failed in his previous steps up.
Imperato was actually signed to the UFC years ago but got released after some racist tweets surfaced. I don't really have any idea why he's here as he's had a very middling career since with losses to some very average fighters. He did manage to sub former Bellator fighter Ricky Bandejas on a looking for a fight show which can be the only reason.
Prediction - I don't think either of these guys are good, but Romious holds an athletic advantage here and should be able to get a KO unless he fucks up and gives his back somehow. Might well get a contract but I don't think he'll do anything in the UFC.
Middleweight -
Cam Rowston (8-2) Vs
Torrez Finney (8-0)
Rowston is a City Kickboxing guy but doesn't look to be a particularly good one. He lost his only fights against other regional contenders at the time in Malkoun and Fitikefu and although he hasn't lost since he hasn't fought anyone with a winning record so he's not exactly going to. Maybe that's because people are avoiding him, maybe it's because he was trying to pad his record to get to this point, guess we'll find out on Tuesday.
Finney is the absolutely jacked manlet who was on last season who Dana told to get some more experience, so he's crushed another unsuspecting can which will have given him precisely no useful experience and come back anyway. He's a bit Deron Winn but he's a brick shithouse and strong and powerful as fuck which can present some challenges.
Prediction - Both guys are a little unproven against decent competition but the way Rowston has been matched up screams fraud to me. I'll predict that Finney is going to manhandle him and get the finish in the second and get a contract.
Bantamweight -
Billy Brand (5-1) Vs
Cody Haddon (6-1)
Brand is a solid enough kid from Faber's A1 Combat promotion. His only loss is to Payton Talbott where he was doing well early but then Payton came back and knocked him out, however those were the days when Payton used to give up round one against everyone as opposed to just steamrolling them immediately like he does now. Other than that he's been beating pretty low level competition but beating them handily.
Haddon looks really good to me, probably the best bantamweight on the Aussie scene with his only loss being a very competitive affair with Steve Erceg. He's pretty much blown through everyone else with a well rounded skillset where he can take people out on the feet or the ground and has great cardio to push an aggressive pace on people.
Prediction - I think Haddon is a really good prospect and I don't think Brand is going to be able to live with him. I think Haddon gets him out of there in the first couple of rounds.
So yeah, I'm guessing 5 contracts for Pytlik, Kuniev, Romious, Finney and Haddon.
I think Pytlik and Romious will struggle in the UFC, Kuniev and Haddon will both do well and I'm really not sure on Finney.
