Contender Series 2026 Episode 5 Breakdown and Predictions

Shawn Bitter- Pasley was supposed to fight last season but had to withdraw. He’s only taken one fight since then, which was a boxing bout against a guy they apparently found at a truck stop. Going from being lined up to fight Felipe Franco last season to Berisha this season is a pretty big drop-off.

Pasley isn’t a bad fighter, as he does have some power and throws some nice short combinations. Berisha, though, is a top-notch prospect who has been talked about for a while. His professional competition has been awful, but Pasley fights in CES, and that’s not exactly much better. As an amateur, though, Berisha fought better competition and was an IMMAF champion, which is already more than Pasley has accomplished.

If Berisha is going to be exposed, it will likely be through his takedown defense or cardio, but Pasley isn’t the guy I expect to expose either. Berisha is the faster striker, mixes things up better, has far more tools on the feet, and is the much more dangerous submission grappler.

Pick: Berisha by Round 1 KO/TKO

Cedric Dumas- This is one of the harder fights on the card to evaluate. Both men are early in their professional careers, neither has faced significant opposition, and the available film provides limited evidence about how they respond when their first plan fails.

The striking matchup is particularly interesting. Both are tall, athletic light heavyweights who use long-range punches, kicks, and jumping knees, and both have shown enough power to end a fight quickly against lesser opposition.

The biggest difference appears to be on the ground. Berisha has demonstrated more wrestling and grappling ability, including the ability to attack the neck and generate meaningful ground-and-pound. Pasley’s boxing background could make the striking exchanges competitive, but that may simply encourage Berisha to lean into the area where he has the clearest advantage.

Neither man’s chin has been meaningfully tested, so predicting a knockout with certainty is difficult. Berisha’s deeper amateur résumé, including IMMAF competition, gives him a more developed competitive background.

I expect him to close distance, initiate the grappling exchanges, and look for top position. If he can consistently get Pasley down, his ground-and-pound should eventually create the opening for a stoppage.

Pick: Berisha by Round 2 KO/TKO (GNP)

Nicholas Holt- How could I possibly sit here and be confident in Quinten Pasley when he’s quite literally never fought someone with a win in their professional career? It’s not like he had an amazing amateur run, either. Not one of his opponents ever left the amateur ranks.

He holds a 3-0 record right now, which personally I think is far too early for any fighter of any skill level to be thrown into a DWCS opportunity. But considering the UFC scheduled him last season, and he’s only participated in a boxing match since then, they must love what they see. I guess I don’t blame them. Pasley’s knockouts have been pure insanity. I just would’ve liked to see him tested a little bit more before jumping into this opportunity. He’s an excellent athlete who throws with pure power, and there’s clearly a ton of potential, but I’m worried his lack of polish could become a problem.

Berisha comes from an IMMAF background and also developed through the Cage Warriors Amateur Academy, testing himself against high-profile opponents such as Rasul Magomedov and Neil Ariano. Though since turning professional, Berisha hasn’t faced many fighters of note, either. He’s collected a 5-0 record while spending time between Allstars Fight Night and Fight Club Rush, two Swedish promotions that have fed Berisha a steady diet of low-level competition. If I’m being completely honest, I think it’s a little early for Berisha as well, but I found him to be much more technically sound than Pasley, and he should ultimately win this fight.

While he does keep his hands too low for my liking at 205 pounds, he definitely throws fast, intentional punches with plenty of knockout power behind them. His grappling has been quite impressive as well, finding multiple finishes on the mats as both an amateur and a professional. Berisha’s ground-and-pound stood out to me, too. He’s incredibly accurate and damaging from top position, with a few submissions in his back pocket as well.

Like Pasley, I wish Berisha had faced better professional competition, but I’m going to lean on the IMMAF background once again. Pasley’s competition has been too pathetic for me to trust, but at 205 pounds, anything can happen. This one won’t last long, so don’t blink.

Pick: Berisha by Round 1 KO/TKO

Xavi Ryder– In the week five main event, we get to see two giant human beings step into the cage. Berisha stands at 6’6”, and Pasley stands at 6’5”. These guys may seem a bit inexperienced just looking at their records, but both have fought at least seven times on the amateur scene. I don’t think any of Pasley’s opponents have been particularly impressive, but Berisha fought in IMMAF and beat another Contender Series fighter, Nell Ariano, as an amateur.

Berisha is one of my favorite prospects this season and falls just outside of my top 25 prospects, sitting at #30. While Pasley is dangerous on the feet, Berisha is the fighter with more tools in his bag. His striking is diverse and powerful, but his biggest advantage is likely on the ground. I trust him to use his wrestling if he feels he needs to, where he can finish the fighter with ground and pound. I think Berisha can find a finish on the feet or on the ground, and I expect him to get it done quick.

Pick: Berisha by Round 1 KO/TKO

Drew Beaupre– I wrote about Berisha ahead of his last bout in February, which he won via guillotine choke in just 31 seconds.

Although he’s yet to face a fighter with a winning record since turning pro, the 25-year-old also had a solid amateur career that only saw him lose to current undefeated PFL standout Rasul Magomedov. Pasley is a big light heavyweight, but even he’ll be dwarfed by the 6’6” Berisha when the two men enter the cage.

Berisha should be able to keep this fight at his preferred range and is also vicious if he ends up in top position, whether via takedown or after a knockdown. I definitely would like to see Pasley challenge him a bit given that he’s yet to go past the first round as a pro, but I still expect Berisha to find a finish and join the UFC as a very welcome addition to a light heavyweight division that’s always in need of new talent.

Pick: Berisha by Round 2 KO/TKO

Cangrejo Ruiz- Uncompetitive fight; when Pasley got called for DWCS, he seemed to green, and I am surprised he didn’t take the chance to get another fight in between seasons. He is explosive, and I like how he moves, so there is potential, but he hasn’t really done anything lately. He will be facing a step up from Felipe Franco last year in Arlind Berisha, one of the top light heavyweight prospects in recent years. He is also an agile fighter with a good bag of weapons at his disposal anywhere the fight goes; he is a natural finisher. He should be too much for Pasley.

Pick: Berisha by Round 1 KO/TKO

Benjamin Keith- Well, this should be fun, if nothing else. I think the ceiling on both of these fighters is incredibly high, but neither has faced a lick of competition so far in their careers. Both are very much unfinished products, Pasley especially.

Quentin Pasley is a bit of a monster, but given the “competition” he’s faced so far in his pro career, this might as well be his debut. He is powerful and throws a decent range of strikes. The knees and high kicks are something to watch. He doesn’t move especially fast and hasn’t shown much of a ground game so far.

Berisha is similarly a freak. 6’6 and mean, good at punishing both the head and the body. His ground-and-pound especially jumps off the screen; if he gets on top, you’re not getting up. More importantly, though, he is just a little faster and more explosive than Pasley. Unless he gasses out, I expect him to get this thing done.

Pick: Berisha by Round 1 KO/TKO.