Dana White’s Contender Series Picks: Season 9, Week 10 | DraftKings Sportsbook

Freddy Vidal vs Levi Rodrigues

Vidal fought in Week 5 earlier this season against Felipe Franco. Despite taking the fight on short notice and coming in with less than stellar conditioning, Vidal earned a big upset win with a rear-naked choke with only 12 seconds left in the fight, cashing as a +340 underdog on DraftKings Sportsbook. Vidal landed more significant strikes than Franco, landing 42 in about 15 minutes, including 33 to the head. 

Vidal has limited experience with only four pro MMA bouts and has only been fighting professionally for one year. However, Vidal has an excellent coach in Ray Longo, who is one of the best coaches in MMA. Longo has helped produce UFC champions such as Merab Dvalishvili, Aljamain Sterling and Chris Weidman. Vidal will be coming into this fight more prepared and likely in better condition than he was in his first DWCS appearance. 

Rodrigues is fighting out of Brazil and has good striking. Rodrigues has finished all five of his pro MMA fights, including four by strikes. Rodrigues has fast-twitch power in his arms and has displayed punching power on the feet and powerful elbows on the ground. Rodrigues’ weakness appears to be his grappling. Rodrigues posted a recent image on social media wearing a blue belt in jiu-jitsu and was a white belt as recently as late 2023.