Preview: DWCS Season 3, Episode 7

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The first six episodes of Season 3 of Dana White’s Contender Series have been a hit. The series once again has showcased some of the top prospects in MMA, some of whom have delivered jaw-dropping knockouts, slick submissions and all-out wars. As a result, UFC President Dana White has handed out 20 contracts to the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

DWCS Season 3, Episode 7 on Tuesday in Las Vegas figures to provide more of the same, as 10 more prospective martial arts pursue their golden ticket. A closer look:

Dwight Joseph vs. Jay Perrin

Joseph was born in Liberia but now calls Sacramento, California, his home. He has compiled a 9-1 professional record, with his sole loss resulting in a close split decision. He enters the Octagon riding a six-fight winning streak. Joseph likes to switch back and forth between the southpaw and orthodox stances. He stays light on his feet so he can spring forward with blitzing attacks. He is not a polished striker but makes up for it with speed and aggression. He loves to throw a winging overland left and a fierce high kick. The Legacy Fighting Alliance veteran often looks for the takedown. He does not set up his takedowns with strikes and makes the mistake of shooting from too far away. He makes up for his poor technique by constantly driving through his opponents’ hips and showing great strength by lifting them up in the air and sending them crashing down on the canvas. Once the 29-year-old gains top control, he makes sure to secure the dominant position before looking for the submission. He can be so comfortable on top that some would categorize his strategy as lay-and-pray. However, he is a submission threat, as he finished his last two bouts by that route. Like many of his fellow teammates at Team Alpha Male, Joseph’s favorite submission is the guillotine. He has not faced much in the way of high-level competition, as only one of his opponents had a winning record when matched against him.

Perrin is a student of Mark DellaGrotte at Team Sityodtong. The brash New Englander is a Bellator MMA veteran and the reigning Cage Titans bantamweight champion. He heads into the competition with an 8-3 record and victories in his last five appearances. The 26-year-old is a well-rounded fighter. He is not great in any particular area, but he also does not have a glaring weakness. He is a compact pocket boxer who uses high output to overwhelm his opponents. His left hook is his best strike. He has shown a granite chin throughout his career, marching down his opponents without much concern for what is being thrown back at him. He has two significant flaws in his striking: He does not have true one-punch, fight-ending power, and he hardly ever checks a leg kick. He likes to battle in close quarters in the clinch, where he can attack with knees and elbows and drop down on a takedown. While Perrin struggles to keep his opponents pinned to the canvas, he does a good job at taking their backs if an opening presents itself. The biggest strength of Perrin’s game might be his gas tank. He showed he could go a full 25 minutes in his last two bouts.

Perrin is more of a finished product than Joseph, but he does not have the same explosiveness. Expect Joseph to come out firing his high kick before looking for the takedown, and it would not be a surprise to see him spend a significant portion of this fight sitting in Perrin’s guard running out the clock. Joseph wins by unanimous decision but fails impress the boss enough to earn a UFC contract.

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