At this time of year, finality is a common theme in the world of sports. This coming Saturday will be the final night of the 2024 MLS regular season where all games in each conference have the identical kickoff time. In the state of Ohio, there are only two weekends of play remaining in the high school football regular season.
Finality is also prevalent in the world of MMA. Two months ago, season eight of Dana White’s Contender Series began on a summer’s night in Enterprise, NV. Now, in the midst of fall, the final night of the season is upon us.
For the final time this season, live coverage begins at 8 pm ET/ 5 pm PT on Tuesday night from the UFC Apex on ESPN+ and will, as usual, feature five fights with MMA prospects seeking a contract from UFC CEO Dana White at the end of the show.
Middleweights Last to Make Walk in Contender Series For 2024
Highlighting the season finale is a middleweight contest between onetime LFA fighter Nick Klein (5-1 MMA) and former SFT Welterweight Champion Heraldo Souza (9-1-1 MMA). As was the case all season long, the DWCS 76 main event is an advertised maximum of three rounds at five minutes per round to close the show.
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DWCS 76 Main Event Fighter Comparison and Betting Odds
Heading into the DWCS 76 main event on Tuesday night, Nick Klein stands as the taller man at 6-foot-1, compared to the 5-foot-11 frame of Heraldo Souza. No reach advantage information was accessible at press time.
Currently, the oddsmakers have Heraldo Souza installed as a -185 favorite on the money line, while Nick Klein counters as a +150 underdog. If you plan on betting on this or any other fight happening this week in MMA and/or combat sports, please wager responsibly.
Klein Returns for First Time in Nearly 11 Months in DWCS 76 Main Event
Nick Klein enters the main event on Tuesday having posted a mark of 4-1 in his last five fights. At present, he’s on a two-fight winning streak.
He’s got some ring rust he’ll need to shake off ahead of this contest however. Last time out, he scored a first-round submission by way of rear-naked choke over Cory Simpson (22-22 MMA) on Nov. 23 of last year during MCC: AFC Thanksgiving Throwdown from HyVee Hall Events Center in Des Moines at a contracted catchweight of 195 lbs. in the main event of the evening.
Klein was already supposed to have made his MMA return this past weekend against Preston LaGrange during Caged Aggression 38: Retaliation Night 2, but that fight was scrubbed about a week ago once the Contender Series spot became available following the withdrawal of Wes Schultz (6-2 MMA, 0-1 DWCS) from the card.
How will he do with a hiatus of close to 11 months? Tune in on Tuesday and find out.
Souza With Third Different Opponent for DWCS 76 Main Event
In the other corner, Heraldo Souza comes in having gone 4-0-1 in his last five fights. Currently, he’s won three contests in succession.
Back in April of this year, he captured the SFT Welterweight Championship with a first-round knockout in one minute and 37 seconds versus Andre Fischer (10-5 MMA) during SFT: Gladiadores do Futuro in that night’s headlining contest. Souza had always been booked to appear during this card, but he’s had to prepare for no fewer than three separate adversaries in the run-up to the show.
Initially, Souza was slated to meet Alain van de Merckt (8-0 MMA) before the latter withdrew from the event. Subsequently, he was booked to fight the aforementioned Wes Schultz, who would have been making a return visit to Contender Series this year after having lost by second-round TKO (ground and pound shots) during the main event of week one to Mansur Abdul-Malik (6-0 MMA, 1-0 DWCS).
Abdul-Malik won a contract that night and is currently slated to make his UFC promotional debut on Nov. 9 versus Dusko Todorovic during UFC Vegas 100 at the Apex. Having to pivot three different times for an MMA fight is no easy task, particularly if the third pivot comes on a week’s notice like Souza has had to do here.
Analysis, Film Study, and Prediction
The DWCS 76 main event looks to be another strength-versus-strength affair. Both fighters can score the submission.
Klein Slick With Subs
Although Nick Klein has only won by way of submission twice, he’s proven impressive each of those times. Just look at the video of his fight last year against Collin Huckbody.
Throughout the fight, Klein dumped Huckbody, but it was his performance in the third round that told the story, driving Huckbody to the mat with a slam. From there, Klein wouldn’t give Huckbody a chance to get back to his feet, softening him up with punches and an elbow before scoring a rear-naked choke to secure the stoppage.
He’s already got a win versus a UFC alumnus on his resume, so if Nick Klein dumps Heraldo Souza in the DWCS 76 main event, give him some time. He may finish the fight inside the distance.
Souza Has a Good Ground Game of His Own
In the other corner, Heraldo Souza is also adept on the mat, as was illustrated two years ago in his contest versus Matheus Pereira. Midway through the opening round, Souza stalked Pereira before dropping him with a punch.
Upon taking top mount, Souza softened Pereira up with ground and pound, subsequently taking his back. From there, Souza quickly locked up a rear-naked choke for the victory.
Look for Heraldo Souza to beat Nick Klein to the takedown on Tuesday night in the DWCS 76 main event. If he drops Klein first, momentum will be on his side of the ledger.
Final Thoughts
Contender Series has been entertaining each week this year. Expect the finale of season eight to be no different, including the DWCS 76 main event.
Prediction: Heraldo Souza by First-Round Submission.
