Dana White’s Contender Series: Bilal Hasan vs Mridul Saikia Preview & Prediction
Click here for today’s sports betting tips from our expert analysts!
Flyweight finishers clash in search of a UFC contract, with Bilal Hasan taking on Mridul Saikia.
Bilal Hasan vs Mridul Saikia facts
What time are Bilal Hasan and Mridul Saikia expected to walk out?
Where is DWCS – Season 10, Week 1 taking place? Meta Apex, Enterprise, USA
What TV channel is DWCS – Season 10, Week 1 on? UK – Not televised / USA – Not televised
Where can I stream DWCS – Season 10, Week 1? UK – UFC Fight Pass / USA – Paramount+ & UFC Fight Pass
DWCS – Season 10, Week 1 card
Anthony Wint vs Matt Adams (Heavyweight)
Fabrizio Escarrega vs Abe Alsaghir (Lightweight)
Bilal Hasan vs Mridul Saikia (Flyweight)
Ananias Mulumba vs Tom Pagliarulo (Featherweight)
Jonathan Kunneman vs Joseph Kropschot (Middleweight)
Bilal Hasan: The undefeated flyweight looks to cash in as an enormous favourite
The latest in a long line of exciting flyweights to debut on the Contender Series, there’s a lot to get excited about when it comes to Bilal Hasan (8-0, 1 NC). The undefeated 25 year old Hawaiian born Indonesian prospect has finished all but one of his professional victories, scoring a number of highlight reel KOs along the way. A three time defending flyweight champion in CFFC, Hasan marches forward relentlessly in search of the KO, firing crisp combinations and lashing kicks to the body and head. He’s lightning fast and looks to have legitimate KO power at flyweight; a daunting proposition for his latest opponent.
Mridul Saikia: "Crusher" makes his Contender Series debut as a huge underdog
Touching down at the Apex looking to keep his 100% finish rate intact, Mridul Saikia (9-1) finds himself on the Contender Series following an array of brutal stoppages in Indian promotions. Having fought most of his career at bantamweight, “Crusher” is big for the weight class and could potentially have a physicality edge at 125 pounds. His resume looks impressive on paper, but it comes with a big asterisk; Saikia’s strength of schedule is comprised almost entirely of cans and outmatched fighters. His only bout against a solid opponent came on Road to UFC against Agulali, with the Chinese fighter finishing Saikia with a murderous first round KO.
Bilal Hasan vs Mridul Saikia prediction
This one is easy; Hasan is going to face plant Saikia in fairly short order.
“Crusher’s” record and finishing rate might look impressive on paper, but he’s been fighting absolute cans on the Indian regional circuit. Moreover, he got flatlined in brutal fashion against the only noteworthy opponent on his record; a result that he’s only one fight removed from.
Not only has Hasan has been beating better, more experienced levels of competition, more often than not, he’s been finishing them too. Case in point, he’s fresh off snatching another undefeated prospect’s “0,” starching Renaldy Manse with a ferocious first round TKO last December. He seems to be improving with every fight, a state of affairs underlined by the fact that nobody has survived to see the judges’ scorecards against him since his debut. In short, he’s an enormous favourite here for a reason.
Despite Saikia primarily operating at bantamweight throughout his career, Hasan matches him for size and power; I believe he’ll also have the edge when it comes to speed. While he’s primarily a KO threat, he can finish the fight anywhere it takes place, and has the cardio to push a championship pace; he went four rounds en route to a late finish two fights ago.
In short, I think that Saikia is going to come out extremely aggressive in hopes of finding a first round finish and walk face first into a fight ending shot. The pick is Hasan by first round KO.
Prediction: Bilal Hasan to win by KO
