Week 3 of Dana White's Contender Series is set to deliver fireworks as top MMA prospects battle for their shot at a UFC contract. It's time for our Dana White Contender Series Predictions & Picks for Week 3, including three PrizePicks MMA picks for Tuesday, August 26
Let's get right into these fights in Week 3.
Dana White Contender Series Week 3 Preview
After an underwhelming opening week and a much-improved Week 2, all eyes are on this week's matchups to see who rises to the occasion and impresses Dana White enough to join the next wave of UFC talent.
Among the most intriguing fights, lightweights collide as Mexico's Cristian Perez faces surging Brazilian Manoel Sousa — a true test between two UFC-ready prospects.
The featherweight clash between Marcio Barbosa and Damon Wilson has a ton of hype surrounding it as well, as both fighters have the exact fighting style to put on a show for Dana White. Expect a fast-paced striking affair where a finish is imminent.
Also in the light heavyweight side, keep an eye on Alik Lorenz squaring off with Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev in a bout featuring surging international talent. With every fight on the card boasting high-upside prospects looking to make a splash in the UFC, Tuesday night promises highlights, and — quite possibly — multiple contracts.
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For this week’s episode, we’ll take a look at our Dana White Contender Series predictions and picks for these marquee matchups, including our PrizePicks MMA Lineup for Week 3.
Cristian Perez vs. Manoel Sousa Prediction, Preview
The lightweight showdown between Cristian Perez (13-1) and Manoel Sousa (12-1) on Week 3 of Dana White's Contender Series is arguably one of the best fights of this season. Both fighters bring impressive records and UFC-ready skill sets to the cage, making this fight a must-watch for Week 3.
Cristian Perez is a polished striker known for his crisp combinations and powerful leg kicks. He intelligently blends punches and kicks to break down opponents, often finishing his combos with a devastating leg kick that saps his opponents' mobility.
Heavy elbows complement Perez's striking in the clinch and a laser-like right cross capable of knocking opponents off their feet.
Aside from his elite striking skills, Perez has shown to have a chin on him, as well as a ground game with vicious ground-and-pound and solid submissions, making him a well-rounded fighter ready to put on a show for Dana White.
On the other side, Manoel Sousa carries serious power in his hands — 7 of his 12 wins have come by knockout — and a grappling pedigree that allows him to end the fight anywhere the fight takes place. Sousa's aggression and forward pressure often overwhelm opponents, landing heavy shots that can end the fight quickly.
His ability to mix powerful boxing with his takedowns means Perez will need to maintain this fight at kicking range, where he has the best chance to win.
This fight is a clash of two legitimate UFC prospects, both hungry and skilled enough to earn contracts with a strong performance. The key to victory will be Perez's ability to utilize distance and leg kicks to neutralize Sousa's power and pressure. However, if Sousa can close the gap and land heavy strikes of his own, he could dictate the pace and secure a finish.
Perez vs. Sousa Prediction: Perez vs. Sousa — 11 Minutes Fight Time
- Cristian Perez has seen the finals scorecards in 4 of his 14 fights.
- Cristian Perez has been to Round 3 in six of his fights.
- Manoel Sousa has seen the scorecards in back-to-back fights and 3 out of his last 4.
- Manoel Sousa has seen Round 2 in 8 out of his 13 fights.
View more Perez vs. Sousa projections on the PrizePicks MMA board.
Marcio Barbosa vs. Damon Wilson Prediction, Preview
For Week 3 of Dana White's Contender Series, the featherweight showdown between Marcio Barbosa and Damon Wilson is poised to be a striker's delight that could earn the winner a coveted UFC contract.
Barbosa, nicknamed "Ticoto," boasts an impressive 16-2 record and has built a reputation as a vicious knockout artist, with 12 of 16 wins coming by knockout. Fighting out of Brazil, Barbosa is known for his sharp striking, aggressive pace, and ability to pressure opponents into mistakes.
He comes into every fight looking to land his patented left hook to put his opponent's lights out and rack up yet another knockout on his resume.
Damon Wilson, meanwhile, brings his own formidable skillset to the cage. Much like Barbosa, Wilson does his best work on the feet. He loves to bring forward pressure to stifle the opposition and land heavy strikes.
Once he smells blood in the water, Wilson will pounce to continue the onslaught until the referee intervenes and calls it off. This fight has the potential to be the fight of the night for however long it lasts.
Given Barbosa's history of quick finishes — three consecutive first-round knockouts coming into this fight— and Wilson's durability, the question is whether Barbosa can keep his finish streak alive or if Wilson will weather the storm and put the pace on him throughout the rounds. Both fighters have a lot at stake, and the pressure to impress Dana White will be at an all-time high.
Barbosa vs. Wilson Prediction: Wilson — 14.5 Significant Strikes
- Marcio Barbosa has 13 first-round finishes.
- Marcio Barbosa has been knocked out in his two defeats.
- Damon Wilson has back-to-back first-round finishes.
- Damon Wilson has five first-round finishes.
- Damon Wilson has been knocked out in one of his two defeats.
View more Barbosa vs. Wilson projections on the PrizePicks MMA board.
Alik Lorenz vs. Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev Prediction, Preview
The light heavyweight bout between Alik Lorenz and Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev has the potential to steal the show on Week 3 of Dana White's Contender Series.
Both Lorenz and Yakhyaev always come into their fights looking for the finish, which should make this fight an absolute barnburner.
Lorenz boasts a 6-1 record, finishing all 6 of his wins with 5 of those wins coming by knockout. His forward pressure and willingness to brawl with heavy hands to go along with it make him a dangerous striker that capable of ending the night very quickly.
Lorenz doesn't just have power in his hands, but he also has an underrated grappling game with vicious ground-and-pound and submissions, demonstrated by his recent submission win over Ryan Parker at LFA 196.
His opponent, Abdulr-Rakhman Yakhyaev, is undefeated at 6-0 and is currently the ARES FC Light Heavyweight Champion. ARES FC is Paris' top MMA promotion. He has a reputation for being a dangerous finisher as well, with 5 of his 6 wins coming before the final bell.
Yakhyaev can finish this fight on his feet or on the mat — two of his wins have come by knockout, and three have come by submission.
This clash promises fast-paced action with both men looking to impress Dana White and secure a UFC contract. With their mentality to finish fights early, this fight could end in an instant. Will Lorenz's power and pressure carry the day, or will Yakhyaev's pace, pressure, and dominant grappling prove unstoppable?
Lorenz vs. Yakhyaev Prediction: Yakhyaev — 17.5 Significant Strikes
- Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev has four first-round finishes.
- Abdulr-Rakhman Yakhyaev has back-to-back first-round submissions.
- Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev has seen the second round only twice in his MMA career.
- Alik Lorenz has five first-round finishes.
- Alik Lorenz has seen the second round only twice.
- Alik Lorenz was finished via second-round TKO in his lone defeat.
View more Lorenz vs. Yakhyaev projections on the PrizePicks MMA board.
Make Dana White Contender Series Predictions on PrizePicks
Week 3 of the Dana White Contender Series is set for this Tuesday, August 26, live on ESPN+. We have five matchups with some of the top MMA prospects fighting outside of the UFC who are looking to secure their contracts on Week 3.
You can win real money by locking in your Dana White Contender Series predictions and picks on PrizePicks.
Just go to the PrizePicks MMA board, pick two or more UFC fighter projections, lock in your Lineup, and cash in if your picks are on point in Tuesday night's fights.
