Middleweight, Will Currie (12-3) Vs. Djorden Santos (9-1)
Notable Notes
- Santos has won by KO/TKO, submission, and decision.
- Santos’s six of nine wins are to guys with losing records.
- Currie’s two of three losses come to UFC fighter Christian Leroy Duncan.
- Santos’s sole loss comes to regional journeyman, Cristhian Torres (17-14).
- This will be the first time either is fighting outside their country.
Will Currie
Pros
- Submission grappler
- Diverse kickboxing
- Damaging ground and pound
- Athletic
- Hard to read
- Good grappling
- Scrambles well
Cons
- TDD needs work
- Poor cardio
- Does fare well against pressure
- Weak grappling positioning
- Poor fight IQ
- Doesn’t like getting hit/Curls up
Djorden Santos
Pros
- Good one-two
- Uses range well
- Good jab
- Good leg kicks
- Credible gas tank
- Solid TDD
Cons
- Lack of combinations
- Doesn’t set anything up
Prediction: Currie has flashes of brilliance looking like a real contender at points. He’s a good hammer but a terrible nail. With Currie, it seems like it’s all mental hurdles that are holding him back. He’s extremely talented but tends to fold under any pressure. After five minutes he’ll gas and at any point, he will curl up against the cage and eat shots. I will say he won’t give up but it seems like he does struggle in tough situations.
I believe the DWCS matchmakers are attempting to give Currie a setup fight to get in the UFC. I see that backfiring because Santos is a nightmare matchup for Currie. Santos has shown excellent takedown defense early on. On the feet, Currie has more weapons and output but Santos has better technique. As long as Santos doesn’t get caught by anything I think Santos gains traction as Currie fades. I’m taking Santos by TKO in round three and I’m 70% confident.
