DWCS 96 Staff Picks: Major Women's 135-lb Prospects Battle

 At the top of the card, featherweights Ilias Bulaid and Erick Visconde scrap it out. In the co-main event, women’s bantamweight prospects Aline Pereira and Smilla Sundell trade blows.          

DWCS 96 Main Event

Fighting out of the Netherlands,  Bulaid has enjoyed a fantastic professional run of nine straight wins with zero losses. At DWCS 96, “The Blade” is coming to cut another swath of domination through the competition.

Originally meant to compete on the Contender Series a couple of weeks ago,  Visconde’s adversary, Bulaid sadly had to pull out of the fight due to suffering a sudden illness. Now headlining the last part of the season, the Brazilian is eager to cap of his 2026 run with a coveted UFC contract after also winning the LFA featherweight strap back in May.

DWCS 96 Co-Main Event

Making her mark in the realm of combat sports over the past several years,  Pereira made headlines after acquiring the Karate Combat flyweight belt in 2025. Wanting to follow the same road that her older brother, Alex Pereira, took inside the UFC, which includes three different championships, the 36-year-old is seeking a quick finish tonight.

When it comes to kickboxing,  Sundell may just stand among the best female strikers in the world. With multiple Muay Thai world title defenses in ONE Championship, “The Hurricane” is taking aim at the big leagues in mixed martial arts at Meta Apex.

More Bouts on DWCS 96

Rounding out the main card, Luis Francischinelli battles William Rentz. Also, Douglas da Lapa locks horns with Davi Cabral. Then, Jason Asher tests himself against Gregory Foster.

DWCS 96 Predictions and Staff Picks

MMASucka staff picks are composed of four of the world’s leading mixed martial arts organizations: the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the Professional Fighters League (PFL), ONE Championship (ONE FC), and Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS).

• UFC picks will include main card fights ranging from four to six matchups per event.

• PFL picks from main cards for pay-per-views and from tournament fights in the Regular Season, Playoffs, and Finals.

• ONE FC and DWCS picks will feature all MMA fights from the event with a minimum of three matchups.

Staff picks in 2025 were won by Hank Strandberg with a record of 216-119.

Find our DWCS 96 picks and fight odds below.

Staff records after UFC Vegas 122:

1. Hank Strandberg: 201-99

2. Frazer Krohn: 145-114

3. Drew Zuhosky: 156-146

4. Andrew Benjamin: 29-27

*Note – not all staff pick for every event*

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Jason Asher -210

Vs.

Gregory Foster +180

LIGHTWEIGHT

Hank Strandberg: Asher by First-Round Knockout

Drew Zuhosky: Foster by Unanimous Decision

Frazer Krohn: Asher by Unanimous Decision

Staff picking Asher: 2

Staff picking Foster: 1

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Douglas da Lapa -163

Vs.

Davi Cabral +143

MIDDLEWEIGHT

Hank Strandberg: da Lapa by Unanimous Decision

Drew Zuhosky: Cabral by Unanimous Decision

Frazer Krohn: Cabral by Unanimous Decision

Staff picking da Lapa: 1

Staff picking Cabral: 2

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Luis Francischinelli -241

Vs.

William Rentz +201

WELTERWEIGHT

Hank Strandberg: Francischinelli by Second-Round Knockout

Drew Zuhosky: Rentz Jr. by Unanimous Decision

Frazer Krohn: Rentz by First-Round Knockout

Staff picking Francischinelli: 1

Staff picking Rentz: 2

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Smilla Sundell -550

Vs.

Aline Pereira +400

WOMEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT

Hank Strandberg: Sundell by Unanimous Decision

Drew Zuhosky: Sundell by First-Round Knockout

Frazer Krohn: Sundell by Second-Round Knockout 

Staff picking Sundell: 3

Staff picking Pereira: 0

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Ilias Bulaid -130

Vs.

Erick Visconde +110

FEATHERWEIGHT

Hank Strandberg: Visconde by Unanimous Decision

Drew Zuhosky: Visconde by Unanimous Decision

Frazer Krohn: Bulaid by Second-Round Knockout

Staff picking Bulaid: 1

Staff picking Visconde: 2