Among the UFC hopefuls in DWCS 2025 Week 9, Luke Fernandez, an unbeaten CFFC light heavyweight champion with plenty of raw talent. With a favorable set for Tuesday, the slow path could seem Fernandez blossom into a real star in the UFC’s 205lb weight class.

We’ve got our breakdown and predictions ready for the upcoming instalment of DWCS, so let’s get to it.

Flyweight, Imanol Rodriguez (5-0) vs. Roque Junior (10-2)

Notable Notes

• Rodrigues fought this past season on TUF
• Rodrigues has a 100% finish rate outside of his last TUF fight
• Rodrigues is 0-1 to the decision (TUF fight)
• Junior is 1-2 to the decision
• Both have questionable decision losses
• Both guys have all their finishes inside two rounds
• Both have a submission win a piece

Imanol Rodriguez

In my opinion (and many others), Rodriguez should’ve won his fight on TUF 33 to move to the finals. Instead, the guy he “lost” to ended up winning the show, and that’s why I think he’s getting this spot. He came into the show a bit too soon, we thought, but during the show proved he belongs.

At his core, Rodriguez is a striker. While he occasionally throws opponents to the mat, it’s more about resetting the pace than controlling position. His style is chaotic yet calculated—he thrives in wild exchanges, launching power shots with both hands, attacking the body, and mixing up angles. He’s relentless, with legitimate finishing ability, and when he hurts an opponent, he knows how to close the show. His durability and knockout power allow him to take risks, and he is willing to absorb damage in pursuit of the finish. That can also hurt him at the higher level because a vet could be able to pace themselves better and pull away on Rodriguez late in the fight.

Rodriguez’s game is straightforward—about 60% chaos, 40% technique. He’s the type of fighter you’d bet on because he puts everything on the line. However, there are still unanswered questions. How will he fare in deep waters? How will he handle an elite wrestler? What does his ground game truly look like? This fight may have come sooner than ideal, but regardless of the outcome, it’s a crucial learning experience for Rodriguez.

I had three big questions for Rodriguez going into the TUF house: How will he fare in deep waters? How will he handle an elite wrestler? And what does his ground game truly look like? And I believe he answered those. He can be taken down and put in a bad position and controlled for a bit. Also, he scrambled well and stays composed and defends subs well. Rodriguez’s ground game as a whole looked good. He knew when to explode out of positions, and in round three, he dominated Morales on the mat, which is a great feat for a young fighter.

Roque Junior

Going into the tape on Junior, I wasn’t expecting much given the level of Brazilian talent brought in this season—but I came away impressed. He has a 2020 loss to Hugo Paiva, a solid prospect at the time, so there’s no shame there. His more recent loss to veteran Denis Araujo was a fight I thought Junior should’ve won, which means he could realistically be riding a nine-fight win streak with no official losses in the past five years.

Junior is primarily a striker, and he’s got sharp hands. He would benefit from mixing in more kicks and body work instead of relying so heavily on head-hunting, since his attacks can get a bit repetitive. That said, he applies steady pressure, cuts off the cage well, and throws with real intent. Adding more target variety would make him even more dangerous, but he already does a nice job of throwing in volume and working from different angles.

His wrestling and ground game are harder to pin down, though he seems capable of holding his own everywhere. He shows good awareness in scrambles—hitting switches, defending takedowns, and working constantly to stand up when he’s on his back.

Prediction: This should be a fun clash between two skilled strikers. Junior has the edge in raw power, but that’s about it. Rodriguez is the more layered striker—he works the body better, carries more speed, and has the option to mix in takedowns if needed. Junior’s power and Rodriguez’s tendency to get reckless make him live for a big moment, but I lean the other way. I think Rodriguez’s pace and pressure eventually wear Junior down, leading to a late-round TKO.

The post DWCS 2025: Episode 9 Breakdown and Predictions appeared first on Cageside Press.

Rashid Vagabov vs. Paulo Henrique

Round 1: Henrique opened the fight working from the outside, relying heavily on leg kicks. Vagabov stayed patient, picking his spots and taking whatever openings Henrique offered. His striking was clearly setting up future takedown attempts, but he still looked sharp on the feet.

Henrique appeared hesitant, almost intimidated by the Russian, throwing timid strikes and showing signs of uncertainty. Vagabov kept chipping away with leg kicks before mixing in shots to the head.

The Brazilian finally found his moment when Vagabov closed the distance a bit too much, unleashing an impressive flurry that forced the Russian to retreat and reset.

Just before the two-minute mark, Vagabov pressed forward, secured the clinch, and drove Henrique to the fence with a body lock. Henrique fought off the trips well, staying upright under pressure.

In the ensuing scramble, Vagabov threatened with a standing guillotine and used it to drag Henrique to the mat, but time expired before he could capitalize.

Round 2: Henrique came out more aggressive in the second round, standing his ground and forcing Vagabov to circle on the outside. He looked to land heavy shots, but without much setup—declining to use the jab early and leaving openings.

Instead, Henrique initiated the clinch and pressed Vagabov against the fence, trying to control the positioning. The two battled for control along the cage, with Henrique hunting for a high-crotch takedown that Vagabov defended with ease. Vagabov eventually created space, shoved Henrique off, and flipped the pressure back on the Brazilian, forcing him once again to fight on the outside.

Vagabov re-engaged on the feet, landing clean shots as Henrique repeatedly tried to clinch for his own takedown attempts. Henrique was driven backward and ate strikes in the process.

A sharp knee from Vagabov landed flush, drawing out his showmanship. The Russian began talking inside the cage and at one point even shouted, “Dana, that was for you!”

Round 3: Vagabov opened the round with a high kick that was blocked before shooting in for a takedown. Henrique defended well, but Vagabov refused to release the body lock, driving the action into the clinch against the fence.

From there, Vagabov quickly transitioned to Henrique’s back, forcing the Brazilian to defend both choke attempts and ground strikes. Henrique managed to return to his feet, but with Vagabov firmly attached like a backpack, the pressure never let up.

Vagabov locked in a body triangle and began cranking across the chin, mixing in punches to keep Henrique on the defensive. Henrique tried to fight the grip, but each adjustment only brought more punishment—including a clean right hand to the face.

Desperate to shake him off, Henrique leapt and tried to slam Vagabov to the mat, but the Russian held firm, maintaining control.

The fight closed with Vagabov still secured on Henrique’s back, piling on strikes as the final horn sounded sealing his dominance before the scorecards were read.

Official Result: Rashid Vagabov def. Paulo Henrique via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Kurtis Campbell vs. Demba Seck

Round 1: Campbell set the tone early, landing a sharp head kick on Seck that forced his opponent to charge forward in retaliation. Feeling the momentum, Campbell closed the distance, clinched, and secured the takedown.

From top position, Campbell looked to control, but Seck showed his athleticism by scrambling back to his feet. Campbell refused to let him off the hook, staying glued to him, landing a knee to the head, and then pouring on ground-and-pound to finish the fight.

England, you’ve got another one in the UFC!

Official Result: Kurtis Campbell def. Demba Seck via R1 TKO, 1:20

Christopher Alvidrez vs. Eliezer Kubanza

Round 1: Alvidrez opened by taking the center while Kubanza worked kicks from the outside. Alvidrez kept bouncing and switching stances to give different looks before landing a big right hand.

He followed with a leg kick that Kubanza brushed off, then tried to capitalize on a missed spinning attack, looking for a takedown. Kubanza managed to muscle his way out and reset.

Kubanza answered with a solid right hand and a leg kick—his best offense of the fight so far. But Alvidrez came back with a straight left that seemed to rock him, only for Kubanza to fire back with a heavy body shot that clearly hurt the Mexican.

Sensing an opening, Kubanza drove in for a takedown, pressing Alvidrez against the fence and landing knees to the legs and body. Alvidrez shook him off and returned fire with heavy punches.

A massive right hand wobbled Kubanza, and Alvidrez swarmed, dropping him and unleashing a relentless flurry from top position. Kubanza tried to stand, but was forced back down and absorbed more damage.

Referee Herb Dean gave him every chance, but Alvidrez never let up, pounding away until the fight was finally waved off giving the American an emphatic first-round finish.

Official Result: Christopher Alvidrez def. Eliezer Kubanza via R1 TKO, 4:44

Louis Jourdain vs. Magno Dias

Round 1: Right out of the gate, Jourdain dropped Dias with a calf kick—though it looked more like Dias stumbled trying to evade it. A stiff follow-up jab from Jourdain snapped Dias’ head back clean.

Jourdain worked behind his range, firing jabs and kicks to keep Dias at bay. Dias, however, came loaded with power, cracking Jourdain with a big right hand and showing he was willing to take damage to land his own shots.

Dias pressed forward, cutting off the cage and forcing Jourdain toward the fence, looking for chances to blitz or shoot. Jourdain answered with quick jabs and flurries to punish those entries, while repeatedly tagging Dias’ lead leg leaving his left calf visibly reddened.

A sharp left hook from Jourdain dropped Dias briefly, and the Canadian immediately pressed the action. Dias responded by clinching, driving Jourdain to the fence, and eventually dragging him down before taking the back. He hunted for a neck crank, but Jourdain fought it off. Dias let go, landed a shot, but Jourdain spun, reversed to top position, and scrambled back to his feet.

From there, Jourdain’s striking continued to shine, accurate, heavy, and relentless. Still, Dias showed he had plenty of power of his own, making every exchange dangerous.

Round 2: Jourdain went right back to the calf kick that had given Dias trouble in the opening round, and once again it paid dividends opening up strikes upstairs. A sharp jab followed by a nasty uppercut swung momentum in Jourdain’s favor as he pressed forward. Dias met the challenge, looking to close distance and land heavy shots of his own.

Dias shot for a takedown, secured a body lock, and snuck in an elbow before disengaging and returning to striking. Jourdain welcomed the exchange, snapping his jab to keep control of the range.

Another calf kick from Jourdain sent Dias to the canvas briefly, and as he got back to his feet, Jourdain leapt in with a flying knee. Dias was driven to the fence under pressure, but recovered quickly and tied Jourdain up in the clinch.

Still hunting takedowns, Dias dragged Jourdain down to a knee and momentarily took his back. Jourdain, slippery as ever, reversed into top position and dropped a few sharp elbows. He briefly threatened from the back himself but slid off, sending the fight back to the feet.

Once standing, Jourdain hammered the calf again, forcing Dias to switch to southpaw, a stance he clearly wasn’t comfortable in. Sensing the opening, Jourdain, a natural southpaw, dug shots to the body and strung together crisp combinations upstairs. With Dias’ left leg tucked away, Jourdain happily targeted the right, continuing to punish with calf kicks.

Round 3: Dias shot in desperately for a takedown but couldn’t finish it, eventually pulling Jourdain down on top of him with a body lock. Jourdain took full advantage, posturing up and landing heavy shots. As Dias rolled to his stomach, Jourdain continued to punish him with strikes.

Sensing the opening, Jourdain locked up a rear-naked choke—no hooks needed—and forced the quick tap from Dias.

Official Result: Louis Jourdain def. Magno Dias via R3 SUB (RNC), 0:39

Round 1:

Costa opened with pressure, using plenty of feints and movement, but Pinas quickly made him pay with a nasty uppercut that sent Costa stumbling backward. Costa answered with a calf kick, yet Pinas stayed in close, landing clean shots in the pocket.

Pinas’ jab may have been slow, but it was effective, repeatedly finding its target. Costa’s erratic movement did little to disrupt Pinas’ accuracy, and even when Costa tried to slow things down in the clinch, Pinas pushed him back with ease.

Then came the finishing blow, a massive right hand from Pinas that dropped Costa cold, sealing an emphatic first-round knockout.

Official Result: Damian Pinas def. Vitor Costa via R1 TKO, 1:46

Dana White’s Contender Series Contract Winners:

• Kurtis Campbell
• Christopher Alvidrez
• Louis Jourdain
• Damian Pinas

And for more Dana White’s Contender Series coverage, check out all of the work here on Cageside Press. We have interviews with the fighters as well as analysis of those getting a chance on Tuesday.

The post DWCS 2025: Week 8 – Play-by-Play & Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

The stats so far in 2025: 31 contracts awarded across 35 total fights in seven weeks. Two Contender Series winners in 2025 have already made their UFC debuts: Rowston, and Baysangur Susurkaev, who already has his second fight with the company booked.

Among those in action this week, Louis Jourdain, brother of current UFC star Charles “Air” Jourdain.

Will we see another quick turnaround from one of this week’s winners? We’ll know come Tuesday, meanwhile, here’s our breakdown of the latest crop of Contender Series hopefuls.

Middleweight, Vitor Costa (8-1) vs. Damian Pinas (7-1)

Notable Notes

• Both fighters were supposed to compete earlier this season
• The only loss Pinas has is by DQ
• Costa hasn’t lost since his pro debut
• That loss was to UFC’s César Almeida
• Costa is undefeated at light heavyweight (4-0)
• Costa was a double champ for Jungle Fight
• Both have a combined ten first-round finishes
• Costa is 2-0 to the decision (both split)
• Pinas has never fought past round two
• Costa has won by KO/TKO, submission, and decision

Vitor Costa

Costa dropped his pro debut to current UFC fighter Cesar Almeida but hasn’t lost since, building a strong résumé along the way. He’s 1-0 in LFA, but his biggest accomplishments came in Jungle Fight, where he captured both the middleweight and light heavyweight titles. On paper, that kind of success in two thin divisions should be promising—especially for a UFC roster that needs depth. Unfortunately, Costa doesn’t project as much of a threat at the next level.

He’s a pressure fighter who comes forward looking for the finish, but his approach is raw. He lacks effective footwork, offers little to no defense, and fights at a pace that’s only sustainable for about five minutes. As the fight wears on, he fades hard—his power drops off, and his speed goes with it.

To his credit, he’s dangerous when he traps opponents against the cage and unloads, but against anyone with solid defense and composure, those moments will be much harder to come by. Costa has the finishing ability to put away lower-level opposition, but higher-level fighters will likely expose his cardio and defensive holes.

Damian Pinas

Pinas is getting this opportunity a bit too early in his development. At just 23 years old, he’s still very raw — and it shows on tape. He’s at his most dangerous when allowed to operate at range, where he can sit down on his punches and let his power go. But while the knockout threat is real, he tends to overthrow and waste energy with wild, inefficient strikes.

Most of his wins have come against lower-level opposition, and even in those fights, his defensive grappling has been a glaring weakness. He gets taken down too easily and too often. Off his back, he’ll stay active and look for submissions, but he doesn’t seem to have the technical depth to make those threats effective at a higher level — sweeping with a kimura against tougher competition just isn’t going to work.

Pinas also fights with a lot of wasted motion, and defending takedowns only accelerates his gas tank issues. Right now, he’s a one-shot power threat with major holes in his game. He needs more time and seasoning before he’s truly ready for this level, but maybe a Contender Series appearance will give him the experience and direction he needs to take the next step.

Prediction: With all the questions surrounding Pinas, this is a good stylistic fight for him. Costa isn’t gonna push the takedown, and on the feet, he has a lot of holes Pinas could puncture. Costa wants a messy fight and will walk forward and put the pressure on. His chin is shaky, and when he’s willing to strike with a guy like Pinas, it’ll be a long night. I expect Pinas to have a big speed, power, and technical advantage, and it becomes evident as soon as the fight goes. I see an early knockout from the rising Pinas.

The post DWCS 2025: Episode 8 Breakdown and Predictions appeared first on Cageside Press.

We’ve got this week’s breakdown and predictions ready to go! Read on ahead of Tuesday night’s Episode 7.

Light heavyweight, Rafael Tobias (13-1) vs. Jair de Oliveira (6-0)

Notable Notes

• Oliveira would be the shortest 205er in the UFC if he was to be signed.
• Both have wins by KO/TKO, submission, and decision
• Both have a combined 13 first-round finishes
• Oliveira is moving down to 205
• Oliveira doesn’t have a win over someone with a winning record nor below 30
• Oliveira has five finishes all in round one
• Tobias will be five inches taller
• Both guys you’ve probably seen fighting at your local grocery store

Rafael Tobias

Another questionable selection from the matchmakers, Rafael Tobias comes in with a shiny 13-1 record at just 22 years old—but the résumé doesn’t hold up under scrutiny. Most of his fights have been in small Brazilian promotions with little accessible tape, and the one time he stepped up in competition, at LFA, he was knocked out in the second round by what I’d call a proven but low-level fighter. He’s never been successful in a cage I rate at all, and that’s concerning when having thirteen wins.

On the feet, Tobias is messy. He throws with decent volume and carries good power, but his technique is sloppy and his defense is a major liability. His head doesn’t move, he overextends on strikes, and he’s already been knocked out once.

He’s billed as a grappler, but his actual level is unclear. Most of his takedowns come from body-lock trips in the clinch, and his wrestling doesn’t look strong enough to consistently bring fights to the mat. Even when he does, his grappling has shown holes—he’s been swept by lesser opponents, and many of the submissions he’s picked up have come against fighters who shouldn’t have been getting caught in the first place.

Jair de Oliveira

Matchmakers should be ashamed when bringing in guys like this. They just look at his record and say, “Sure, why not?”. They don’t look into their fights, nor do they do any legwork at all. Very lazy at times, and it shows. Oliveira is a 5’9″ 205er that’s fought at heavyweight. He’s decently athletic but is punching up at the sky to connect. The best guy he’s beaten is a 5’7″ 37-year-old. They are really grasping for straws when it comes to middleweight and up, but it should be important to know that giving undeserved guys like this is only gonna hurt your product in the future rather than help it.

Prediction: Going into a Tobias fight, I figured whoever he’s fighting could have a chance. He SHOULD run through Oliveira. With how flawed Tobias is, he’s at least in the right weight class and has potential to be halfway decent in the future. He does have a chance to get caught if he strikes, but has a wide open path if he wrestles—bigger, stronger, and more technique. Tobias should win by submission in round one, and other than that, it’s a loss for Tobias. Either way, it’s not much of a win.

The post DWCS 2025: Episode 7 Breakdown and Predictions appeared first on Cageside Press.

Gantt (11-0) needed less than three minutes to submit Livingston with a first-round guillotine choke. After a tense face-off at weigh-ins, he was relieved to put the heated buildup behind him.

In the lead up to the fight Livingston eluded to the two sparring some time back, and possibly getting the best of Gantt.

“We sparred prior to me having an amateur fight I believe. I was at their gym and I went with all of their best guys,” Gantt told Cageside Press at his post-fight scrum.

“I was taking him down, but I mean that was all I was doing at that point. We traded a little bit on the feet and I think he might have caught me in an arm bar or something like that, but it wasn’t like…it’s sparring. A fight’s a fight, sparring’s sparring and obviously you see what happens.”

Gantt has been putting in work with Daniel Cormier at his new facility ‘The Academy’ in Gilroy, CA. Getting work in with the hall of famer and guys like Torrez Finney have sharpened his game up quite a bit.

“I made a lot of improvements over time. I credit one of my coaches, he like to be anonymous, but he’s just set me up with some phenomenal training. From the striking to the grappling,” he said.

When the fight was over, Gantt locked eyes on Livingston as the decision was read. Livingston, avoiding his gaze, stared into the distance before finally shaking Gantt’s hand and exiting the Octagon.

“I guess the Long Island boys talk a little trash or whatever. Where I’m from we don’t really do that because we take trash talk personally,” he said.

“If you do that you better be ready to stand on it.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Tommy Gantt above.

The post Tommy Gantt Silences the Trash Talk, Secures UFC Contract with DWCS Submission appeared first on Cageside Press.

Last week, DWCS 2025 Week 5 saw four contracts awarded, including one to Steven Asplund, who rattled off a rather unique post-fight interview that featured an offer to suck Dana White’s toes. We… probably won’t see that in week six. Probably.

What we will see is the return of Ireland’s Paddy McCorry, a Cage Warriors veteran who may be familiar to UFC fans after he appeared on The Ultimate Fighter 32 last year. Judo champ Iwo Baraniewski also appears, boasting an undefeated record with a 100% finish rate.

We’ve got all the action scouted, so let’s get to our latest breakdown for Dana White’s Contender Series Season 9.

Bantamweight, Hecher Sosa (13-1) Vs. Mackson Lee (9-0)

Notable Notes

• Lee has a five-inch height advantage
• Sosa is 4-0 against Brazilians
• Sosa has 25 more fights than Lee as a pro and amateur
• Sosa is 4-0 to the decision
• Lee has never seen the scorecards
• Sosa and Lee have finishes in rounds one, two, and three
• Lee has fought seven guys with a losing record. Five of those without a win
• Lee has split wins via KO/TKO and submission
• Sosa has finished his last five opponents
• Lee has just three fights in five years
• US debut for both men

Hecher Sosa

It was only a matter of time before Sosa earned this opportunity—or a direct UFC signing. With Ilia Topuria flying the flag for Spain and the UFC eyeing a potential event there, Sosa stands out as the country’s top prospect.

Primarily a striker, Sosa also poses a real threat on the ground with heavy ground-and-pound and a knack for snatching the neck in scrambles. While he’s been taken down before, his overall takedown defense has mostly held up.

On the feet, Sosa’s striking is a bit unorthodox. In extended exchanges, his technique can get wild, and his hands tend to stray from textbook form. That said, he’s got a crisp lead left hook and is slick when fading out of the pocket with that left. He also throws heavy leg kicks, though he could benefit from setting them up more consistently.

Defensively, he keeps his hands low, but so far, his head movement and footwork have been enough to avoid major damage. Sosa fights at a high pace, carries real power, and has the explosiveness to shift the momentum of a fight in an instant. Still, there are questions about how well his style will translate to the UFC level, as his wins have mostly come against lower-tier opposition.

Mackson Lee

Lee burst onto the scene with his LFA debut last August, where he made an immediate impact by knocking off the highly regarded Mateus Soares. At the time, Lee was virtually unknown, having fought just once in the previous four years and competing only on smaller regional shows.

Standing at 6’1″, Lee is a massive bantamweight who uses his length well, both on the feet and when attacking submissions. His record is evenly split between knockouts and submissions, showcasing his dual-threat finishing ability. Although footage from his earlier career is hard to find, it’s clear he’s evolved significantly from the fighter he was five years ago.

Lee is primarily a striker who fights almost exclusively at range. Most of his offense comes from his legs—he works the teep to the body, chops at the legs, and frequently throws spinning kicks to both the body and head. One area for growth is his jab; at his size, a consistent jab would be a major weapon and could open up the rest of his game.

So far, no opponent has been able to close the distance and disrupt his rhythm, which leaves some unanswered questions—specifically, whether it’s his skill or size advantage that’s driving his success. That said, when opponents do shoot on him, Lee uses his long limbs effectively to attack submissions in transition.

At just 26 years old, Lee is clearly talented but still rough around the edges. With continued development, he has the tools to become a serious contender in the division.

Prediction: This should be a fun fight while it lasts—I don’t expect it to go the distance. Both fighters are primarily strikers, and I see the action staying on the feet. Stylistically, I think Sosa will struggle to consistently find his range against someone with Lee’s length and movement.

Sosa could have some success with leg kicks, but he’ll need to be cautious—Lee is a sharp counter-striker and will be ready to fire back. Sosa tends to fight in bursts and likes to throw that switch knee, but landing something like that against a tall, rangy striker like Lee is a tough ask.

What I see happening is Sosa getting frustrated as the fight wears on, forcing an entry that leaves him exposed. Lee catches him rushing in—likely with a check hook or something over the top—and follows up with ground-and-pound for the finish.

The post DWCS 2025: Episode 6 Breakdown and Predictions appeared first on Cageside Press.

Douglas (13-5) landed a clean combination ending with a heavy right hand that put Teague out and ended the fight in 36 seconds.

It was reminiscent of one of his coach and teammates highlight-reel knockouts.

“Oh yeah I saw the video. That’s hilarious. Same combination, yep,” Douglas told reporters including Cageside Press at his post-fight scrum.

“I train with Cub (Swanson) full time. He gave me the opportunity to train with his boxing coach Joel Diaz and Antonio Diaz. I’ve been trying to use the same ingredients.”

 

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With his contract secured and a baby on the way Douglas is ready to step back into the cage as soon as possible.

“As soon as possible. I have a baby on the way. She’ll be here in December. I have to help my girl at home. So I need to work. I need to make some extra cash,” he said with a smile.

The victory, the UFC contract, and the opportunity to provide for his growing family

“It feels amazing. I couldn’t barely talk after my fight because I was like so emotional. I’m not like that usually, but that was crazy,” he said.

“It means everything for me. My whole life. I just moved to America two years ago. I have a backpack and a dream. I’ve got a great team behind me and without them I wouldn’t be here today.”

That team he’s referring to is that of Bloodline Combat Sports. The team has a stable of high-level warriors including Douglas, Swanson, Danny Silva, Rafa Garcia, LFA champions Richie Miranda and Eduardo Chapolin, and Chris Mecate to name a few.

“We have a very, very special room there. I’m not saying that just because I train there. We are close friends to each other so there’s no malicious in training, try to hurt each other, try to compete with each other. We all try to be in the same spot and try to grind,” said Douglas.

“I think it helps the whole team get better.”

In the UFC, a baby girl on the way, can 2025 get any better for Lerryan Douglas?

“F*ck I don’t know man,” he said with a smile.

“Maybe 50K bonus by the end of the year? I would love that.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Lerryan Douglas above.

The post Lerryan Douglas’s 2025: Highlight Reel KO, UFC Contract, Baby Girl In December appeared first on Cageside Press.

Week 5 brings about a shot at redemption for Chasen Blair, who came up short last season, while Steve Asplund, an LFA veteran, steps in on short notice. There’s lots to unpack so let’s get right to it.

Steven Asplund (5-1) Vs. Anthony Guarascio (4-0)

• Asplund is taking this fight on short notice
• Guarascio is coming off a win over DWCS alum Bailey Schoenfelder
• Guarascio is the current CFFC champion
• Asplund has finishes in rounds one, two, three, and by decision
• Guarascio has never fought past 2:30 as a pro and amateur
• Asplund went 6-0 as an amateur and won multiple titles

Steven Asplund

Asplund is a solid short-notice pickup because he always shows up to fight. Over the past two years in LFA, he’s been involved in some truly entertaining brawls. He’s far from a polished, complete fighter, but at heavyweight, sometimes sheer toughness is enough. He wins by absorbing damage while dishing out more until his opponent breaks.

That said, his game has major gaps. His takedown defense is poor, and every time he hits the mat, he’s getting mounted or having his back taken. On the feet, he thrives with volume, throwing hands and kicks in bursts, mixing in solid body shots and a decent jab. He has some real offensive weapons, but defensively, he’s lacking. His head movement is not there, and he rarely ever avoids strikes, meaning he takes damage as the fight goes on. Still, he keeps throwing, and eventually, he can overwhelm opponents.

Asplund is a “kill or be killed” fighter; blood is guaranteed in his bouts. The bigger concern is the level of competition. All of his wins have come against outmatched or out-of-shape journeymen, and they aren’t particularly clean wins. Overall, Asplund is the quintessential regional heavyweight, but that’s the ceiling of his potential.

Anthony Guarascio

Pros:
-Heavy hands/One-punch power
-Good bodywork
-Fast starter
-Good jab

Cons:
-Wild striking
-Easily hit

Guarascio has quietly put together a solid résumé. He started his amateur MMA career with an 0-2 record and one no-contest, but has since rattled off six straight wins. He also went 3-0 in amateur kickboxing and picked up a win in cage boxing. As a pro, he’s coming off a big win over Contender Series alum Bailey Schoenfelder, which earned him the CFFC heavyweight title.

Guarascio is a no-nonsense power puncher who wastes no time getting after it. He brings chaos, but it’s a controlled kind: he’s wild, yet not reckless. There are some tools behind the aggression: he doubles up the jab, goes to the body, and mixes in some decent kickboxing. His right hand is his go-to weapon, often firing off a basic one-two.

Defensively, he’s wide open. He doesn’t move his head and is so eager to get inside that he often takes unnecessary damage. So far, his chin has held up, and he’s usually able to land first before his opponent can capitalize.

Guarascio could hold his own in the UFC. He hits hard, comes forward, and brings the kind of energy that heavyweight fighters have been lacking. His ceiling is limited by a lack of technique and defensive polish, but as a pure action fighter, he fits right in. Heavyweight needs bodies, and Guarascio is a wrecking ball who guarantees chaos.

Prediction: What a car crash this fight is going to be. Guarascio is the kind of fighter who can end things the moment he lands, while Asplund knows he’s in for a war. Both are messy, aggressive, and exciting strikers, but neither shows much defense.

Guarascio is an early finisher, and if he can’t put Asplund away quickly, it’s unclear if he has the stamina to keep up. He does have more power, and his chaos is slightly more controlled than Asplund’s. I expect a war in round one, and if it drags on, it will turn into a sloppy slugfest. On paper, a drawn-out battle favors Asplund, as he’s gone into the later rounds before, but he’s clearly slowing down. Guarascio by KO in round one. Even if it stretches past five minutes, I still expect him to land the more impactful shots.

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Lebosnoyani (9-2) got the call to fight at DWCS following a first round submission victory at LFA 206. Turning a 7-1 LFA run into a call to the big show was perfectly timed for the welterweight.

“I’m so excited to be here. It’s a bit surreal, but at the same time I feel like the timing’s right,” Lebosnoyani told reporters including Cageside Press at his post-fight scrum.

“I’m where I belong now.”

The wild part about the fight for many is that Lebosnoyani is primarily a grappler with a very high-level Jiu Jitsu game. Guess they’ve added head kicks to BJJ 101?

“I’m a Jiu-Jitsu guy right? That’s what I’ve been growing up doing, but I put a lot of time and effort into my striking. In that moment, I’ve actually been there before in one of my other fights, and I kind of took a second and didn’t seize the moment right away,” he said.

“As soon as I saw him dazed I was like oh we got to go. I ran in, threw the overhand I’ve been working on this entire camp, and got the win.”

Lebosnoyani had an aura of confidence throughout the short process that is getting to the UFC APEX and actually fighting on DWCS, but the video packages the promotions put together showed that even more. For the welterweight it’s all part of the process towards improving and performing.

“I feel like fighting is like a wave of being confident, being insecure, and you just have to ride that wave. You have to speak what you think into existence and back yourself 100%,” he told Cageside Press.

“In terms of confidence I feel like more than confident I was present. I tried to be as present as possible. I was just like in the moment as much as possible, and I think the confidence follows.”

So what would be ideal for the newly-signed UFC welterweight? A home game would be nice.

“I’m down for whatever. I’m from Los Angeles so I would love to fight in my city. I think there’s a card there in January. I’m literally in camp all year,” he said.

“I keep my weight right on point so the UFC doesn’t have to worry about that. You give me a call I’m going to show up and I’m going to perform.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani above.

The post Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani Hopes To Debut On LA Card In January appeared first on Cageside Press.

In the main event Jack Congdon (7-1) takes on Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani (8-2) in a welterweight clash.

Congdon makes his way to the UFC APEX following a 7-1 run with Cage Titans including an amateur title run. On a 3-fight win streak, with two of those bouts in 2025, all three came by way of finish.

Lebosnoyani comes in on a 3-fight win streak with LFA with two of those coming by way of finish. The high-level grappling specialist has trained with legendary names in Jiu Jitsu including Royce Gracie.

In the co-main event Theo Haig (6-0) battles Cezary Oleksiekjczuk (15-3) at 185 pounds.

Haig is a promising prospect coming in with an undefeated record going 2-0 in Bellator before putting on two more wins in LFA. He gets Oleksiejczuk who clearly has a lot more experience and is also the brother of UFC middleweight Michal Oleksiejczuk.

The fighters hit the scales on Monday morning in preparation to battle for a UFC contract with Dana White and match makers Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby on hand.

Weights Below:

Dana White’s Contender Series Week 4 Weigh-In Results:

Welterweight: Jack Congdon (171) vs. Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani (170.5)
Middleweight: Theo Haig (185.5) vs. Cezary Oleksiejczuk (185.5)
Lightweight: Mandel Nallo (155) vs. Samuel Silva (154)
Flyweight: Eduardo Chapolin (125.5) vs. An Tuan Ho (126)
Featherweight: Tommy McMillen (145.5) vs. David Mgoyan (145.5)

The post DWCS 2025: Week 4 Weigh-In Results appeared first on Cageside Press.