Dana White’s Contender Series 20 Odds & Picks
- Dana White’s Contender Series returns on Tuesday, July 16th
- Five fights are scheduled to take place at the UFC Apex gym
- See all the odds plus fight predictions below
Dana White’s Contender Series has become must-see TV on Tuesday nights for MMA fans. The show sees top MMA prospects compete for a chance to secure a UFC contract in front of UFC president Dana White and matchmakers Sean Shelby and Mick Maynard.
On this Tuesday’s show (July 16th), five fights will go down at the UFC Apex gym with the action starting at 8:00 p.m. ET.
Antonio Arroyo vs Stephen Regman Odds
| Fighter (Record) | Odds |
|---|---|
| Antonio Arroyo (8-2) | -125 |
| Stephen Regman (9-3) | +105 |
*All Odds Taken 07/16/19
This will be a very interesting fight, as Antonio Arroyo has already been on the Contender Series before — the first Brazil season — and won the fight. Yet, he did not get a contract and has not fought since as he has been waiting for this opportunity.
Regman, meanwhile, hasn’t fought since September and is on a four-fight winning streak.
For Arroyo to have success, he will need to get this fight to the ground, as although he has knockout power and has had success with his feet, Regman is a better striker.
I expect Arroyo to win this fight by decision, but not enough to earn a contract.
Pick: Antonio Arroyo (-125)
Armando Villarreal vs Ode Osbourne Odds
| Fighter (Record) | Odds |
|---|---|
| Armando Villarreal (5-1) | -185 |
| Ode Osbourne (5-2) | +160 |
This will be yet another interesting and close fight. Both fighters are light on experience, and both have solid jiu-jitsu skills.
When two grapplers fight, it often winds up becoming a standup battled, in which case, I favor Villarreal’s striking over Osbourne’s.
I don’t think he will be able to finish the fight, as Osbourne is durable, but I expect Villarreal to win by decision.
Pick: Armando Villarreal (-185)
Don’Tale Mayes vs Ricardo Prasel Odds
| Fighter (Record) | Odds |
|---|---|
| Don’Tale Mayes (5-2) | -170 |
| Ricardo Prasel (10-1) | +145 |
This heavyweight bout is a classic striker vs. grappler matchup.
For Mayes to win this fight, he needs to keep it standing and land the power punch to knockout Prasel.
I like the underdog [Prasel] to get this fight to the ground and submit Mayes.
But, I like the underdog to get this fight to the ground and submit Mayes and earn a UFC contract. His ground game is very dangerous for a heavyweight and he will showcase that here.
Pick: Ricardo Prasel (+145)
Lance Lawrence vs Kevin Syler Odds
| Fighter (Record) | Odds |
|---|---|
| Lance Lawrence (4-0) | +235 |
| Kevin Syler (8-0) | -275 |
I am really high on Kevin Syler as a prospect and expect him to get it done rather easily. I think he takes Lawrence down and submits him in the first or second round.
That said, he missed weight by six pounds, which is a lot to miss by. So, how that weight cut has affected him is an area of concern because, obviously, he had to stop for some reason.
[Syler] missed weight by six pounds, which is a lot to miss by.
Although he is UFC-calibre, and should win this fight by stoppage, he will not get a contract due to the weight miss and, instead, may get another fight on the Contender Series.
Pick: Kevin Syler (-275)
Brendan Allen vs Aaron Jeffery Odds
| Fighter (Record) | Odds |
|---|---|
| Brendan Allen (11-3) | -525 |
| Aaron Jeffery (6-1) | +410 |
As the odds suggest, this should be an easy win for Brendan Allen, which I agree with. Allen should already be in the UFC, and will be after tonight. He is very versatile and can stand and strike with the best and knock them out. And, he can go to the ground and submit his opponents.
I expect an early finish here and a contract in hand for Brendan Allen. His only three losses are to current UFC fighters in Trevin Giles, Anthony Hernandez, and Eryk Anders.
Pick: Brendan Allen (-525)
Cole graduated from Sheridan College in April of 2019 with a diploma in journalism. He now is a full-time freelance writer, focusing on MMA for sites like BJPENN, while also covering the Toronto Blue Jays as a credentialed media member. At SBD, Cole covers the four major sports and MMA.
