Dana White’s Contender Series is back for one last week this year. Five fights, ten fighters, and one last chance to break into the UFC in 2020. There are a number of returning fighters on the DWCS 2020 Week 10 card, including Jacob Silva, Sherrard Blackledge, and Tucker Lutz (the latter two facing off against one another).
All this gives us one last chance to preview the action set to unfold Tuesday night, so let’s get on with the show.
Heavyweight: Nick Maximov vs. Oscar Cota
Tale of the Tape
22-years-old
6’0″
Chico, California, US
Nick Diaz Academy
5-0
36-years-old
6’2″
Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico
Kimura Training Center
11-2 (1 NC)
Pros and Cons
Nick Maximov
Pros
- Excellent jiu-jitsu
- Good wrestling
- Persistent pace/takedown attempts
- Submission specialist
Cons
- Will shoot from too far out at times
- One-dimensional
- Questionable gas tank
- Questionable striking defense
Oscar Cota
Pros
- Throws with volume well
- Good leg kicks
- Good hands
Cons
- Poor TDD
- Lost off his back
- Weak gas tank
- A bit too slow
Who has the advantage?
Striking: Cota
Speed: Maximov
Output/Volume: Cota
Knockout Power: Cota
Chin: ?
Kickboxing: Even
Footwork: Maximov
Wrestling: Maximov
Grappling: Maximov
Submissions: Maximov
Cardio: ?
Prediction
Cota is the bigger, more experienced fighter but I’m siding with Maximov here. Although there are still a lot of unknowns regarding the full skillset of Maximov, I believe there is some insurance here in terms of where Cota is really at. Cota has had problems staying off his back and going against Maximov, who is a legit grappler, is a bad recipe for Cota. A recipe for disaster really. I’m confident the forward pressure, pace, and jiu-jitsu of Maximov will lead him to an early finish.
