Contender Series 2026 Episode 6 Breakdown and Predictions

Shawn Bitter- Bringing back Monteiro is pointless. Do the matchmakers even know more than 20 fighters, or is that why they keep doing so many returns? Monteiro didn’t even have a good showing or a fun fight the first go around. He lost a UD to Yadier del Valle, which doesn’t hold up as a good loss today.

I wasn’t a fan of Williams early on in the tape, but over time he’s gotten better and better. Williams is a powerhouse wrestler who could just lean on that to win this fight. Monteiro struggles to stay upright against good wrestlers, and Williams is more than that.

On the feet, Monteiro is a Muay Thai striker who has proven to be durable. The bad news for Monteiro is he’s in just as much danger on the feet as he is on the mat. Williams has a massive athletic advantage. He’s far more explosive, faster, and more powerful.

Monteiro needs to compete at a certain pace where he can walk his opponent down, but Williams isn’t the one to fight off his back foot. I’ve written more about this fight than I planned, so I’ll wrap it up.

Pick: Williams by Round 2 KO/TKO (Ground & Pound)

Cedric Dumas- Williams is one of the more compelling prospects on this card. The wrestling is already translating well to MMA, while his striking has developed significantly since moving to Xtreme Couture. His most recent knockout was exactly the kind of performance that earns a Contender Series opportunity.

Monteiro brings experience and a legitimate jiu-jitsu threat, particularly if he can get the fight into his preferred positions. The problem is that Williams should have the physical and technical tools to dictate those exchanges. Monteiro has been taken down too easily in the past, and giving a strong wrestler repeated opportunities to establish top position is a difficult matchup for him.

On the feet, Williams should also have the speed advantage. Monteiro’s best route is therefore to force a grappling-heavy fight and look for a submission in transition, because he won’t win striking battles on the feet.

Williams should be able to put him on the mat, but the question is whether he can turn that control into a finish. If Monteiro survives the early grappling exchanges, Williams could find himself in a three-round fight where the lack of a stoppage becomes the biggest obstacle to getting a contract.

The matchup strongly favors Williams, but Contender Series adds an extra layer: winning may not be enough if he cannot produce the kind of finish the show rewards.

Pick: Williams by Round 1 KO/TKO

Nicholas Holt- Here’s another fight I’m really not excited about. Off rip I wanted to pick Antonio Monteiro, but after rewatching his performance against Yadier Del Valle, I questioned why he’s even being brought back to the show. Sure, he’s nails and still has yet to finish his career, but he didn’t offer enough of an offensive skillset for it to make sense for his return.

On the other side is Tyshawn Williams, who isn’t necessarily all that either, but at least he deserves to be here. Williams is a good athlete and will have a significant advantage over Antonio Monteiro. I still have my reservations, but for what’s ahead of Williams right now- this fight is catered to him and he should be the first man to finish his Brazilian counterpart..

I expect Xtreme Couture will have Williams primed and ready to go come Tuesday night- can’t mess this one up.

Pick: Williams by Round 2 KO/TKO

Chase Gurotsky- After losing to Yadier Del Valle by decision in his first shot at DWCS, the 31-year-old Antônio Monteiro was able to get back in the win column with a submission last year. While he has only fought once in the past 2 years, he trains at Nova União and has tons of experience, as he has 24 pro fights, a rather big number for a DWCS fighter. He faces off with 30-year-old 8-0 Tyshawn Williams, who is coming off a massive win, where he TKOed an unbeaten 10-0 fighter in just 1 minute and 48 seconds. 

Xavi Ryder– After only bagging one win since his 2024 DWCS fight, for some reason Monteiro is back again. His first time out on Contender Series, Monteiro was dominated by Yadier Del Valle en route to a unanimous decision loss. On Tuesday, he takes on Tyshawn Williams, who is coming into this fight off the back of the biggest win of his career. Williams took on another undefeated fighter in Habibullo Azizov in a fight he won by round one KO/TKO. He is an explosive wrestler with the power to pose a threat wherever the fight takes place. Monteiro has never been TKO’d, so finishing him will be a tough task, but at the very least, I expect Williams to win a clean decision.

Pick: Williams by Decision

Drew Beaupre– As with a number of fighters on this season of DWCS, Monteiro only needed one win to earn a second chance at a UFC contract. Unlike some of those other fighters that were immediately invited back, the Brazilian’s first DWCS outing was back in 2024, and he’ll be competing for the first time in more than a year when he meets Williams.

There are definitely areas where Monteiro could find success in this fight, but it’s pretty clear why Williams is the betting favorite here given his wrestling ability. The potential issue is whether he’ll be able to secure a finish to make sure he gets a UFC contract, as Monteiro’s durability and experience make him a solid test for the American. (Pick: Williams via Unanimous Decision)

Cangrejo Ruiz- I don’t really get having Monteiro back, but he is a decent regional gatekeeper even if I would rather see him in Brazilian regional companies. Tyshawn has really developed as a prospect, a good wrestler that knows how to put the pressure on his opponent. He is strong enough to neglect Monteiro’s grappling while canceling his limited striking.

Pick: Williams by Round 2 KO/TKO

Benjamin Keith – Monteiro isn’t a bad fighter. In theory, he’s good enough to get a look from the UFC. The issue, yet again, is that he already lost on DWCS and hasn’t done enough to earn another shot here.

Monteiro is durable and pretty well-rounded. He will be at an athletic disadvantage but is crafty enough to make it ugly on the feet. If he’s taken down, forcing a scramble where he can display his superior Jiu Jitsu could be his best path to victory.

Tyshawn Williams is a good prospect, but I worry a little bit about the format getting to him here. Until his last fight, where he had a good KO on the feet, Williams has been a more patient, wrestling-heavy fighter. He is good enough to beat Monteiro pretty easily if he fights his fight, but being on DWCS will probably force him to be more aggressive and seek the finish.

At the end of the day, Williams is the better fighter and will be able to lean on his grappling to get the win here. I think he will show enough urgency to get the late finish after some dominant rounds; hopefully that will be enough for the contract.

Pick: Williams by Round 3 KO/TKO

Pat Danna – Williams is an explosive athlete with big power and strong wrestling. His takedowns are powerful and well-timed, letting him easily grab the waist and take opponents down. His ground game could use a couple more tools on top, but he maintains control and slices through the guard with ease. On the feet, Williams is precise and accurate, finding the right times to sneak in big punches between exchanges. Honestly, Williams reminds me of Tommy Gantt: a limited top game, but better striking at range. His footwork brings it all together for me, letting him quickly dash in and out of the pocket and shoot takedowns before opponents can react.

I was surprised to see Monteiro back, not because he’s bad, but because he was beaten to a pulp by Yadier del Valle in 2024. Monteiro is a fast, reckless fighter who trusts his chin in wild brawls. He has never been KO’d in 24 pro fights, and has fought a surprisingly strong level of competition throughout his career. Monteiro finishes fights by submission more often, being most dangerous once he lands on top and can work through the guard. He’s had trouble in the past being held down by stronger grapplers, which worries me heading into this fight.

Williams’ fight against Alfred Walker showed that he could execute an effective and dominant wrestling gameplan for 15 minutes. While I worry that it may not be the most entertaining and contract-rewarding performance, but I think the ability is there. I think his precision and accuracy could cause Monteiro issues and make him land big on the feet, but Monteiro’s chin is too strong to say it will be cracked. I will say that if Williams forces a striking match and refuses to wrestle, Monteiro could win. With that said, I think Williams could grind out the decision, or maybe even sneak in a submission as the fight wears down.

Pick: Williams by Decision (Unanimous)