DWCS 2019 Week 4 Breakdown and Predictions

Lance Lawrence Dana White's Contender Series
Credit: Janet Hutchinson Wohler

Featherweight: Lance Lawrence vs. Kevin Syler

Tale of the Tape

Lance Lawrence
27-years-old
6’0″
Louisville, Kentucky
Training out of Area 502 MMA
5-0

Kevin Syler
25-years-old
5’9″
Boca Raton, Florida
American Top Team
8-0

Pros and Cons

Lance Lawrence

Pros

  • Fast starter and aggressive
  • Solid Jiu-Jitsu
  • Good check right
  • Good output with his hands
  • Threatens with his chokes

Cons

  • Can be too aggressive with submissions
  • Takedown defense needs work

Kevin Syler

Pros

  • Good TDD
  • Good wrestling and ground-and-pound
  • Threatens with his chokes
  • Good kicks

Con

  • Doesn’t offer much on the feet

Who has the Advantage?

Striking: Lawrence
Speed: Lawrence
Knockout Power: Lawrence
Chin: Syler
Kickboxing: Syler
Footwork: Lawrence
Wrestling: Syler
Grappling: Lawrence
Submissions: Lawrence
Cardio: Syler

Prediction

Both are solid grapplers who are both 28-0 combined (pro and amateur). Both have fought not great competition but better than a lot of guys have fought at that point in their career. I see the fight without a doubt going to the mat. The key is who will be on top and that could likely be Syler due to his wrestling and the lack of takedown defense from Lawrence. I do think Lawrence has the better BJJ, but off his back, I’m not sure he can find success. If Syler can’t take Lawrence down, I think Lawrence could land some good strikes and possibly put Syler away. This is a very close fight but the pick is Lawrence because he has more ways to win.

Next: Brendan Allen vs. Aaron Jeffery