DWCS 2025: Episode 2 Breakdown and Predictions

Bantamweight, Louis Lee Scott (10-0) Vs. Kaushik Saikumar (5-0)

Notable notes

• Saikumar is the first fighter from India to fight on DWCS
• With Saikumar, 50% of his wins come from opponents with a losing record or .500 record.
• Scott has 50% of his wins coming against losing records
• Scott comes from a superior gym in Manchester Top Team
• Scott is the former Ares FC bantamweight champion
• Both guys have won by KO/TKO, Submission, and Decision

Louis Lee Scott

Early in his career, Scott looked like just another fighter padding his record against overmatched opponents, and even then, he wasn’t exactly lighting it up. It wasn’t until 2023 that he started to turn a corner and show real promise. In his last two outings, he defeated two solid opponents, proving he belongs at a higher level while showcasing clear growth in his game.

Scott is a tough puzzle to solve. Even when he’s not throwing, he’s working, constantly feinting, shifting his stance, and setting traps. A kickboxer at heart, he attacks all levels with real power and variety. He owns finishes via head kick and body kick, and throws with confidence and creativity: side kicks, spinning kicks, and other flashy techniques that don’t feel forced, but integrated into his overall game.

He’s a high-movement fighter who dictates range and rhythm, using footwork and tempo changes to keep opponents off balance. His stance switches and feints come naturally, often just through movement, and they tie directly into his striking. Scott’s mastery of feints makes him especially difficult to read, not just keeping opponents guessing, but actively setting them up for counters and combinations. He attacks in volume and mixes his strikes well, showing real depth in his standup arsenal.

His ground game has also been tested, and he’s passed those tests more often than not. He’s tough to take down thanks to strong balance, a solid whizzer, and effective sprawls in space. When grounded, he uses the cage well to get back to his feet or works from butterfly guard to create space and explode up. Offensively, he’s dangerous in transitions with sharp elbows, active scrambles, and two submission wins that came opportunistically rather than through extended grappling sequences.

At just 25 years old and training out of Manchester Top Team, Scott is still developing. And with the progress he’s already made, the ceiling looks high.

Kaushik Saikumar

Saikumar is a surprising addition to the Contender Series, especially considering he’s Indian-born and the Road to UFC exists as a direct pipeline for Asian talent. With only five pro fights, he’s clearly still green. His most recent win over Adamu Isah was a step up, but even that came after he was getting outworked, and the stoppage was arguably premature.

A three-time Indian Karate champion, Saikumar surprisingly thrives more in grappling exchanges than on the feet. You can see the influence of Ryan Hall in his game, particularly in how aggressively he rolls for legs and hunts for heel hooks. While that style can be dangerous, it’s also incredibly risky and rarely successful at higher levels of MMA.

Saikumar is a frustrating prospect. For Indian MMA, there’s promise, but he hasn’t figured out how to put it all together. His output is low, and he fights with little urgency. Too often he lets his opponent dictate the pace, backs himself into the fence, and gets stuck reacting rather than initiating. His wrestling is nearly nonexistent, which limits his ability to dictate where the fight goes. Without reliable takedowns, his leg-lock-heavy approach becomes even less viable.

Unless Saikumar can round out his game (improve his wrestling, increase his volume, and add urgency), it’s hard to see him making an impact at the next level. Right now, his grappling style is too reliant on 50/50 positions and doesn’t translate well to high-level MMA.

Prediction: This should be a solid showcase for Scott. While he’s still a work in progress, he’s clearly further along than Saikumar. On the feet, Scott’s volume, movement, and footwork should allow him to take control early and stay ahead. Saikumar already struggles when fighting from behind, and Scott is the kind of fighter who will dictate the pace and lead the dance.

I don’t expect this to hit the mat. Even if Saikumar wants it there, he lacks the wrestling to make it happen. Scott should be able to stick and move, rack up damage, and avoid any real danger on the ground. I’m leaning toward a dominant decision win for Scott, though a late TKO wouldn’t surprise me if he keeps pouring it on.