Middleweight, Yuri Panferov (8-1) Vs. Chris Ewert (8-0)
Notable Notes
- Ewert was signed to the UFC in June, but missed weight and was cut from the promotion
- Panferov fought on the CS in 2023 and lost to Torrez Finney
- Ewer has won two regional titles on the regional scene in Chile
- Panferov has fought six years longer but three years younger than Ewert
- With Panferov, six of his wins are against losing records
Best guy he’s beaten is 11-7 - Ewert is 2-0 to the decision
- Panferov has never gone the distance
- Both have a combined 11 first-round finishes
Yuri Panferov
Pros:
-Good ground and pound
-Submission threat
-Good jiu-jitsu
-Utilizes trips well
Cons:
-One-dimensional/No striking
-TDD needs some work
-Questionable cardio
Panferov made his first appearance on the Contender Series in 2023, where he lost by submission to Torres Finney. Since then, he’s gone 2-0 and earned another shot. While fighters coming out of CES and the Northeast scene are often a tier below UFC level, to his credit, Panferov is one of the better ones.
He does have some slick grappling, which technically sound and effective in the right spot, but the moment he faces a step up in competition, the flaws show. His striking offers little upside, and although he can grapple, his wrestling and cardio simply aren’t where they need to be.
It’s hard to take Panferov seriously until he beats someone with a pulse.
Chris Ewert
-Good clinchwork
-Durable/Toughness
-Pocket striker/Phonebooth brawler
-Good knees
-Volume striker
-Heavy leg kicks
-Good bodywork
Cons:
-TDD needs some work
-Easily put against the cage
-Open to the body
-Takes too much damage
Ewert is exactly the kind of fighter the Contender Series needs every year: tough, gritty, and willing to bite down on his mouthpiece and go to war. He’s a hard guy to beat. While he can be taken down, he refuses to settle on bottom and scrambles back to his feet quickly. Defensively, he does absorb more shots than you’d like, but he gives back even more, and he’s incredibly hard to hurt.
While his style leans heavily on his ability to absorb damage, make no mistake: Ewert is skilled. He thrives in close-range brawls, where he mixes punches to the head and body with vicious knees and elbows in the clinch. If opponents stand in front of him, he’ll batter the lead leg with combinations. He also switches stances well and attacks from creative angles, constantly varying his striking patterns.
His style may not be built for longevity, but in the short term, he’s a nightmare matchup—even for a good number of UFC-caliber opponents.
Prediction: Panferov is facing a completely different challenge this time. A pure striker in Ewert, as opposed to the wrestling-heavy Finney. Against Finney, Panferov was eager for striking exchanges; against Ewert, he’ll be praying to avoid them.
His best path is to wrestle early and try to test Ewert’s ground game, which remains largely unproven against quality opposition. That said, the same applies to Panferov. He’s never faced someone with Ewert’s pressure and striking volume.
From what we’ve seen, Ewert has solid defensive wrestling, and Panferov lacks the striking tools to hang on the feet. I think Ewert is simply on another level, and as the fight wears on, his cardio and pace will highlight the skill gap. Give me Ewert to take over and pull away the longer it goes.
