Dana White's Contender Series Week 1 Picks and Odds: Ozzy Diaz vs. Joe Pyfer Best Bets

Dana White's Contender Series Week 1 Picks and Odds: Ozzy Diaz vs. Joe Pyfer Best Bets

Dana White's Contender Series is finally back for its sixth season, and the first week features a banger main event. Ozzy Diaz and Joe Pyfer will meet in the octagon to cap off the night in what should be an electric middleweight bout.

Dana White's Contender Series: Season 6, Week 1 Start Time and Where to Watch

• Date: July 26, 2022
• Game Time: 8:00 pm ET
• Where to Watch: ESPN+

Ozzy Diaz and Joe Pyfer Prediction

Joe Pyfer is making his second appearance in the contender series after an injury in the first round gave Dustin Stoltzfus the win back in August 2020. Pyfer is 2-2 over his last four fights, with one submission loss, the injury to Stoltzfus, and two knockout wins in the regional scene. Pyfer is an animal in the octagon, and he wastes no time putting the pressure on his opponents. He walks down his foes the second the round starts and rarely backs up or even fights off his back foot. He is in your face and swinging with his vicious right hook.

Pyfer has gone to the scorecards just once, which was his second professional fight, and has yet to see the third round since. This is because he will sacrifice defense and pace to hit his opponents as hard as possible. He also has a nasty calf kick that he uses to weaken his opponent's lead leg en route to finishing them. Pyfer is probably the most potent finisher on the card, aside from his counterpart, Ozzy Diaz. Diaz will be right there happily to stand and trade with Pyfer.

Ozzy Diaz is a striker fighting out of California Mixed Martial Arts and has a 7-1 record in MMA. He has finished all seven of his wins, five of those finishes coming in the first round. His only loss is by KO/TKO as well. Diaz loves to stand and trade, just like Pyfer. Diaz had a two-fight stint in Bellator back in 2019, where he went 2-0 with two first-round finishes. He then went to LFA, where he went 2-0 and won the belt four months ago against Bruno Assis. Diaz is a powerful striker who is also highly technical on the feet. He will also be the bigger fighter in this bout, sporting a height advantage and 3.5" reach advantage.

Diaz and Pyfer will not waste any time in this fight. It's also the Contender Series, and we have seen fighters risk more than usual in their trades because they are trying to impress Dana to get a contract. You do not have to entice either Diaz or Pyfer to engage with each other, and I think the two will be fighting in a phone booth most of the time in this fight. Both have serious power, and I expect one of them to connect hard early in this fight. Someone will be getting a contract here, and I give Diaz the edge as the bigger and more experienced fighter.

Ozzy Diaz and Joe Pyfer Best Bets

• 2U Play: Diaz/Pyfer U1.5 Rounds @ -155 (Bet $155 to win $100)
• 1U Play: Diaz Wins in Round 1 @ +280 (Bet $100 to win $280)

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