The final week of Dana White’s Contender Series Season 7 is here, arriving Tuesday night and wrapping up a season that has seen 41 UFC contracts handed out to date.
With last year seeing 43 UFC contracts dished out, and six fights on the final week of the show (including Lucas Rocha vs. Davi Bittencourt, now at bantamweight), there was a good chance last year’s haul would be surpassed. Making DWCS 2023 the most successful season ever, at least for fighters earning a shot in the big show.
We’ve got one last preview of the Contender Series this season, so let’s get to it!
Bantamweight: Ramon Taveras Vs. Cortavious Romious
Tale of the Tape
29-years-old
5’7″
Jacksonville, Florida, US
Bulldog Boxing
8-1
4 KO/TKOs, 3 Submissions
29-years-old
5’4″
St. Louis, Missouri, US
St. Charles MMA
7-1
2 KO/TKOs, 4 Submissions
Combined opponent’s record: 33-31-1
Pros and Cons
Ramon Taveras
Pros
- Good bodywork
- Heavy body kick
- Good left hand
- Accurate striker
- Counters well
- Submission thread
- Good jab
Cons
- Hands low
- Lacks head movement
- Questionable chin
- Questionable TDD
Cortavious Romious
Pros
- Fast starter
- Explosive
- Very quick
- Strong wrestling
- Submission threat
- Good Jiu-Jitsu
Cons
- Overzealous is positions
- Lacking cardio
- Struggles at range
Who has the advantage?
Striking: Taveras
Speed: Romious
Output/Volume: Romious
Kickboxing: Romious
Striking defense: Even
Footwork/movement: Taveras
Wrestling: Romious
Grappling: Magomedaliev
Gas tank: Taveras
Prediction: Taveras is getting another rightful opportunity and Romious is also deserving of this opportunity.
After Romious lost his lone time as a pro he took an extensive layoff. Since he’s come back he’s run through his opponents. His only loss was to Bellator’s Jornel Lugo. The thing is, Lugo and Taveras are in a way similar fighters. Romious is a smaller bantamweight and he does struggle on the outside. He struggled with Lugo and I can see the same thing happening here. Taveras is four inches taller and has a three inch reach advantage.
Tavares being a good technical striker with a clean boxing attack; I can see him frustrating Romious from his preferred range. My prediction is Tavares because of the size and the big striking advantage.
