KO Power Won’t Mean Fast Finish

Dana White’s Contender Series will headline the welterweight division in its return to the Apex in Las Vegas for week 8. It’s the last of three opportunities to get a UFC contract for this season and the winner of the headliner should be looking forward to the call-up.

Jonny Parsons (+325) vs Solomon Renfro (-450)

Renfro’s Power, Defense are Keys

Both fighters have shown they can finish a fight with one strike and the MMA odds don’t show that. Solomon Renfro (8-1) has finished his last two fights this year in the first round via punches and Jonny Parsons (7-2) displayed an impressive head-kick KO finish this year in June. Their experience will show early and an early first-round finish may not happen.

Renfro has a loss against Mike Malott, who won week 6 of DWCS. He has been competing in a very respectable regional promotion in CFFC and has been more proactive than Parsons.

Parsons coaches at a very respectable gym in Syndicate MMA, but he’ll need more than that to defeat the likes of Renfro. Renfro does a better job landing strikes and if Parsons can’t protect himself, he may be in for a painful three-round war.

Parsons and Renfro will be looking to throw in the first round, but if there are any major strikes landed, expect most if not all to be absorbed until they reach the later rounds. The first half of round 1 could be a feeling-out process that evolves into an all-out striking war, with not enough time for either to get the finish early.

No Fast Finish

The experience in the cage and the fact that a UFC contract is on the line will make both fighters careful. Time and time again we’ve seen fighters with power go to decision. Each fighter will need to feel the power of the other, forcing them to respect each other’s striking abilities.

The fight may not make the distance, but it certainly will not be over in the first round. Hit the sportsbook and pull the trigger on the over.

Pick: Total Over 1½ +130