Dana White’s Contender Series Week 3 Picks: Michael Aswell vs. Bogdan Grad
The UFC is back on Tuesday nights with contracts on the line. The popular Dana White's Contender Series is returning for its eighth season. If you are unfamiliar with the series, Dana White will give out contracts based on the action between fresh faces looking to break into the UFC. He has given out 245 contracts in the first seven seasons and as well as plenty of opportunities to up-and-coming fighters. The coverage begins at 8 p.m. EST on ESPN+ from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Here is our top pick for Dana White's Contender Series Week 3’s fight: Michael Aswell vs. Bogdan Grad.
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Dana White's Contender Series Week 3 Picks: Michael Aswell vs. Bogdan Grad
Featherweight: Michael Aswell vs. Bogdan Grad
The fourth fight of the night is in the featherweight division between Michael Aswell and Bogdan Grad. Aswell is from Texas and lists his head coach as Daniel Pineda, who fights in the featherweight division in the UFC. He is 9-1 professionally, with five knockouts and four decision victories. Grad fights out of Austria and is 13-2 as a professional. He has won eight times by knockout, three by submission, and twice by decision.
Michael Aswell is a boxer that does not have a lot of power. He pressures forward a lot and is unafraid to stay in the pocket. The problem is that he stays in the pocket too long, which could be a problem against Grad. Bogdan Grad is an explosive kickboxer with a lot of aggressiveness; he is likely the better grappler and can finish the fight on the mat if it comes to that.
Bogdan Grad has fought in the Contender Series before, with a loss to Tom Nolan in the lightweight division. There is no shame in losing to Tom Nolan, who is a tall lightweight with lots of power. Grad has since moved down a division, which is probably smart because it seems like a natural weight class for him. He should redeem himself in this fight because he can be aggressive against a guy like Aswell, who does not possess much power.
Bet: Bogdan Grad (-125 on DraftKings)