Dana White's Contender Series Week 3 Predictions: Full Fight Card Picks

Week 3 of Dana White's Contender Series lands Tuesday, August 25, live from Meta APEX in Las Vegas on Paramount+ at 7:00 p.m. ET. 

This card leans heavily on stylistic contrast, grapplers against strikers, unbeaten prospects against battle-tested veterans, and features a women's bantamweight showcase fight at the top. 

Here's a full breakdown of every matchup and my picks.

Women's Bantamweight: Bella Mir (4-0) vs. Alex Apodaca (3-1)

This featured bout for Week 3 is built as a showcase for Mir, who carries real pedigree from a high-level amateur wrestling and jiu-jitsu background along with years of Zuffa sponsorship behind her development. Apodaca is a legitimate, tough opponent with a solid camp, but her striking-first approach plays directly into what Mir wants: a fight that ends up on the mat, where her control and positional grappling should take over. Once Mir secures top position that will be all she wrote for Apodaca's as Mir locks up the submission and secures her UFC contract.

Pick: Bella Mir by submission, Round 2

Heavyweight: Mario Piazzon (10-1) vs. Guilherme Uriel (7-2)

Both heavyweights arrive with recent red flags. Piazzon was finished by underwhelming competition in his last outing, while Uriel was previously stopped on this same stage against a since-surging prospect. The difference here is exposure to caliber: Uriel's loss came against a legitimately live opponent, while Piazzon's setback came against a fighter with a losing record, a much bigger concern given the level of this stage. Uriel's better technical foundation and cleaner striking should be enough against a Piazzon who has shown a vulnerable chin recently.

Pick: Guilherme Uriel by TKO, Round 1

Welterweight: Gary Balletto Jr. (11-3) vs. Sean Clancy Jr. (8-0)

This is arguably the most well-rounded matchup on the card. Clancy is undefeated, holds a regional title, and enters as one of the more well-liked prospects of the season thanks to a diverse skill set that includes clean boxing and functional grappling. Balletto counters with grit and durability from a deeper, more tested résumé, but he hasn't faced someone with Clancy's combination of youth and technical polish. Expect Clancy's superior boxing to control the distance early, with his ability to finish fights coming into play if Balletto's toughness starts to wear down under volume.

Pick: Sean Clancy Jr. by TKO, Round 2

Welterweight: Alexis Miranda (9-2) vs. Ronald Humphrey (4-0)

Humphrey is the least experienced fighter on the entire card by pro fight count, but he's built a reputation as a physical force who ends fights quickly with heavy hands and aggressive ground-and-pound out of American Top Team. Miranda is the more tested and technically seasoned fighter, representing a respected Mexican gym, but that experience gap could be neutralized if Humphrey's power and wrestling show up early, as they have in each of his four pro wins. Given how quickly Humphrey has finished every opponent so far, this profiles as a fight where physicality outweighs experience.

Pick: Ronald Humphrey by TKO, Round 1

Middleweight: Carlos Petruzzella (15-1) vs. Nick Galanti (7-1)

This is a classic striker-versus-grappler puzzle. Petruzzella is the far more experienced fighter with 16 pro fights and a striking-heavy approach, but Galanti's wrestling and Dante Rivera jiu-jitsu background give him a direct path to neutralize that experience gap by taking the fight to the mat immediately. Whoever imposes their preferred range first, Petruzzella keeping this standing or Galanti closing distance for a takedown, should control the pace and, likely, the outcome. Galanti's youth and fresher wrestling attributes should let him dictate location before Petruzzella can settle into rhythm.

Pick: Nick Galanti by submission, Round 2