The final episode of DWCS 2025 arrives this week, with Tuesday night marking the last chance for another 10 UFC hopefuls to break into the promotion this year.
Through nine weeks, Dana White has awarded 41 UFC contracts, and should all five winners earn contracts this Tuesday, the total of 46 will match the show’s all-time high, set in 2023. Awarding over 40 contracts is unquestionably diluting the talent pool at this point, but it’s hard to argue with some of the fights this season — especially when Adrián Luna Martinetti and Mark Vologdin put on one of the greatest fights in Dana White’s Contender Series history just last week.
Yes, Vologdin was signed off a loss, but like Forrest Griffin and the late Stephan Bonnar two decades ago, he and Martinetti absolutely tore down the house, and reminded MMA fans just why they watch the sport.
In Episode 10 of DWCS 2025, recent ONE Championship title challenger Kwon Won Il will look to prove he belongs in the UFC, while a full five undefeated athletes also appear. Freddy Vidal also returns for his second fight of the season.
Light Heavyweight: Freddy Vidal (4-0) vs. Levi Rodrigues (5-0)
Notable Notes
- Second fight this Contender Series season for Vidal
- Both fought just a month ago
- Vidal only has one win over a fighter with a winning record
- Vidal is 1-0 in decisions
- Rodrigues has never gone to a decision
- Rodrigues has all wins by KO/TKO — one each in rounds one, two, and three
Freddy Vidal
Pros
- Physically strong
- Good clinch work
- Heavy top position
- Good ground and pound
Cons
- Reaches
- Advances in straight lines
- Questionable cardio
- Takedown defense needs work
Vidal gets another opportunity after earning a win but no contract on Week 5. The hard truth is that the fight was sloppy. Vidal gassed out and finished an opponent who essentially quit, with a choke that wasn’t even fully locked in — and he missed weight, too. To his credit, he fought through adversity and kept pushing until the final seconds. I don’t think five weeks will make him a different fighter, but he should at least be better prepared.
Levi Rodrigues
Pros
- Chopping leg kicks
- Heavy hands
- Dangerous in exchanges
Cons
- Throws wide
- Questionable takedown defense
- Reckless
- Lacks setups
There isn’t a ton of footage available on Rodrigues. His last two fights are online, but the others from LFA aren’t. In one, he was chaotic and scored a clean KO win. In the other, he was low volume and got the win when his opponent injured his shoulder. He was winning, but didn’t react well to punches and panic-shot takedowns.
Rodrigues is someone you don’t want dictating the pace. He’s effective on the outside with heavy kicks and will explode with powerful hooks for a few seconds at a time. If you go first, he tends to shell up and either shoot or throw back wild. When pressured, he slows down and can be taken down. The power is real, but that’s about it — he’s not fast, far from technical, and doesn’t throw much volume.
Prediction: Rodrigues is the younger and more experienced fighter, with additional combat experience in boxing and kickboxing. I’d imagine Vidal will look to wrestle to avoid the more powerful striker in Rodrigues. There’s a path for Vidal if Rodrigues gasses out, but I’ll side with Rodrigues — he’s more likely to land the bigger shot, and that’s where the fight starts.
