Dana White’s Contender Series Season 7, Week 7 Recap
Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS) Season 7, Week 7 saw four fighters earn UFC contracts. The decision-making behind which fighters walked away with a contract was questionable. That is not what we are here to discuss, however. Instead, the goal is to evaluate each fighter’s potential as they enter the big show. We will start with the most promising prospect and work our way down.
Igor da Silva (Flyweight)
The shining star from DWCS Season 7, Week 7 was Igor da Silva. In a fun fight, da Silva earned a second-round knockout against Jhonata Silva.
The top skill for da Silva was his power. In the second round, he picked up the pace which allowed him to land power shots. It was evident that his striking hurt his opponent. If he landed a hook, his opponent reacted.
It is worth noting that da Silva showed some intelligence. In round two, he switched his game plan to better utilize his size advantage. Additionally, he may a smart decision while looking to finish the fight. da Silva landed a big shot that hurt his opponent and he began to hunt a finish; however, his opponent hung in the fight.
Instead, of spending all his energy on the ground and pound, da Silva stopped hunting the finish and took a breather. Once his opponent worked back to his feet, he then landed the big shots that ended the fight. It is great to see a young fighter make those in-fight decisions on DWCS.
The key factor for da Silva is that he is 20-years-old. At this point in his career, he has more experience and a better skill set than most fighters his age. Yes, he is raw and has flaws, but that is to be expected at his age. I doubt da Silva will make a massive splash and quickly work his way to the rankings. Thankfully, he has plenty of time to grow into a high-caliber fighter.
Shamil Gaziev (Heavyweight)
The UFC picked up heavyweight Shamil Gaziev on DWCS Season 7, Week 7. In his fight, Gaziev made quick work of his Greg Velasco. The bout saw Gaziev drop Velasco with the first punch he threw before finishing him with a rear-naked choke a few moments later.
Gaziev is a powerful human. That is what his skill set is based around. On the feet, they can be seen simply in power punching. On the ground, that can be seen in heavy ground and pound that leads to finishes.
Gaziev will get wins in the UFC. The same can be said for any heavyweight who can wrestle, which I guess does not make him overly special. It is nice to see that he is capable on the feet–ensuring he is more than just a fighter who relies on takedowns.
At 31-years-old, Gaziev should find himself in the rankings at some point in his career. I am not in love with his skills, but I could say that about a lot of UFC heavyweights.
Stephanie Luciano (Women’s Strawweight)
This may be the biggest surprise from DWCS Season 7, Week 7. Women’s strawweight Stephanie Luciano earned a contract despite fighting to a draw against Talita Alencar.
Personally, I am not a fan of giving a fighter a contact if they fight to a draw. That seems like a good chance to send them to the regional scene and let them get an opportunity next season. Still, that does not make Luciano a bad prospect.
This bout was a strange one. Alencar, a highly credentialed BJJ practitioner, won the first two rounds with her grappling. In the third round, Alencar was gassed and Luciano landed a ton of big shots which resulted in a 10-8 round and a draw.
The first thing that I have to note with Luciano is her cardio. At the end of the third round, she did not show any sign of fatigue. It looked like she could have gone another three rounds. That is great to see.
Luciano showed a good collection of weapons on the feet. She was able to use her length to land front kicks and straight punches. It seemed like her jab and straight were nearly automatic. It will be interesting to see how her striking looks at the next level.
I am very concerned about Luciano’s grappling. I do not think her takedown defense is great. Yes, Alencar can grapple, but BJJ is her skill set. I did not think Alencar’s ability to finish a takedown was strong. Still, she got into dominant positions against Luciano.
Luciano will benefit from her age. At 23-years-old, she has a chance to grow into a solid fighter. In my opinion, it will come down to matchmaking. If Luciano fights low-level strikers for three years while working on her grappling, she may be pretty good. I just think she is very far from a complete product. Although, since she has some potential, she is not last in this ranking.
Kaynan Kruschewsky (Lightweight)
The final fighter that earned a contract on DWCS Season 7, Week 7 is Kaynan Kruschewsky. Kruschewsky earned a contract with a win over Dylan Mantello.
Kruschewsky was able to find a rhythm with his long punches. The 6-foot lightweight did the majority of his damage with straights. Eventually, he landed a takedown and found a rear-naked choke that finished the fight.
I also liked Kruschewsky’s clinch strikes as well. That allowed him to do damage on the inside without needing to box.
All that being said, I am not high on Kruschewsky. It starts with his opponent. With all due respect, Mantello was not very good.
In my eyes, this win should be taken with a grain of salt. On top of that, he is 32. I don’t hate the idea of signing a 32-year-old, even though those types of prospects should be able to make an immediate impact.
An example would be Gaziev; I do not think Kruschewsky falls in that category. Essentially, we are looking at a finished product that is not outstanding. If you want to get into skills, Kruschewsky’s striking is not fluid and I do not like his movement. That will lead to above-average lightweight strikers picking him apart.
Ultimately, Kruschewsky is the type of fighter to lose, but he does it in fun fashion. That is a valuable commodity for the UFC. That is why he was signed.
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