It’s back! At long last, Dana White’s Contender Series returns for its much-anticipated fifth season. To be fair, DWCS has been gone just a year, and fight fans had the recently finished Ultimate Fighter 29 to fill the void. Then again, many have suggested a second run of Contender Series fights each year, or just a longer season.
And why not? Because frankly, there’s a lot to like about the Contender Series, from the stakes to the presentation to the no fuss, no muss format.
Either way, the show returns Tuesday, with a four-fight card to kick off its fifth season. Here’s a look at the fights gracing the card in week one!
Light heavyweight: Azamat Murzakanov vs. Matheus Scheffel
Tale of the Tape
32-years-old
5’10″
From Russia but living in Fairfield, New Jersey
K-Dojo Warrior Tribe
9-0
28-years-old
6’2″
Curitiba, Parana, Brazil
CM System
14-6
Pros and Cons
Azamat Murzakanov
Pros
- Fast starter
- Extremely heavy hands
- Good movement/Light on his feet
- Solid wrestling
- Really good ground and pound
- Powerful overhand left
- Dangerous counter striker
Cons
- Suspect cardio
Matheus Scheffel
Pros
- Good output
- Solid TDD
- Accurate hands
- Good gas tank
- Heavy hands
- Good kicks
- Dangerous in exchanges
Cons
- Shaky chin
- Gets drawn into brawls
Who has the advantage?
Striking: Murzakanov
Speed: Scheffel
Output/Volume: Scheffel
Knockout Power: Murzakanov
Chin: Murzakanov
Kickboxing: Scheffel
Footwork: Murzakanov
Wrestling: Murzakanov
Grappling: Murzakanov
Submissions: Neither
Cardio: Scheffel
Prediction
Even though Scheffel has much more experience than Murzakanov, Murzakanov has beaten better fighters. Murzakanov has wins over Mohammad Fakhreddine, the well-traveled Guto Inocente, and UFC fighter Andre Muniz.
Murzakanov has a background in judo and hand-to-hand combat, where he beat UFC fighter Ion Cutelaba. Scheffel does pose a threat on the feet for Murzakanov however. With that said, Scheffel has been knocked out a few times and Murzakanov has immense power. I have no doubt Murzakanov can knock out Scheffel. Murzakanov can go the other route in grounding Scheffel as he has a clear wrestling and grappling advantage. Russia’s Murzakanov has more ways to win this fight, and I believe he’s better everywhere.
