Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS) is back for its third season and we have a full breakdown of each fight plus predictions for the ninth episode.
This week on Dana White’s Contender Series, we have Bellator and Invicta veterans, a Ring of Combat champion, and more. All fighters except Steve Garcia Jr. made weight on Monday, so it’s on with the show!
Welterweight: Leon Shahbazyan vs. Philip Rowe
Tale of the Tape
Leon Shahbazyan
23-years-old
6’4″
78″ Reach
Glendale, California
Glendale Fighting Club
7-1
Philip Rowe
29-years-old
6’3″
83″ Reach
Ocoee, Florida
Fusion-Xcel Performance
6-2
Pros and Cons
Leon Shahbazyan
Pros
- Solid takedowns
- Good leg kicks
- Good takedown defense
- Toughness
Cons
- Too conservative
- Lack of footwork
- Doesn’t check leg kicks
Philip Rowe
Pros
- Throws a lot of volume
- Good Kickboxing
- Solid submission base
- Uses feints
Cons
- Does not offer much off his back
- Will pull guard
Who has the Advantage?
Striking: Shahbazyan
Speed: Rowe
Knockout Power: Shahbazyan
Chin: Rowe
Kickboxing: Rowe
Footwork: Rowe
Wrestling: Rowe
Grappling: Rowe
Submissions: Rowe
Cardio: Even
Prediction
It’s a hard fight to predict as neither guy really has a ton of footage. Leon has beaten only subpar competition with a combined record (at the time they fought) of 28-68. The one time he fought someone good, he came up short, but it was to a top prospect in Gabriel Green. With that said, you can say the same about Rowe with his level of competition having a record of 6-12, never beating anyone with a winning record. It’s a tough fight to pick but of the footage I’ve seen, I have to side with Leon. If you look at the terrible level of competition Rowe has lost to as a pro and amateur it makes it hard to pick him.
Next: Marcos Brigagao vs. Jamal Pogues
