Preview: DWCS Season 3, Episode 10

Ben Sosoli vs. Dustin Joynson

Sosoli was a contestant on Season 28 of “The Ultimate Fighter” but fell to eventual winner, Juan Francisco Espino Dieppa in the opening round. The Kiwi returns to action in a bid to show why UFC matchmakers showed interest in him in the first place. The Daniel Kelly protégé sports a 7-2 record and has won his last four fights. The Resilience Training Center export is a southpaw striker who wants to keep the fight on the feet at all costs. The 29-year-old has professional boxing experience and carries dynamite in his fists. “Seki” is a patient striker, though he lacks athleticism and speed. He tends to keep his hands low and stands a bit flatfooted. However, when he lands a clean shot, he has been known to send his opponent into a different dimension. He often walks down adversaries while showing off a granite chin. He will attack the body with strikes while hoping to land a big punch upstairs. His left hand is absolutely deadly. Sosoli showed on “The Ultimate Fighter” that he needs to improve his clinch fighting, and his wrestling was exposed as nothing short of terrible. However, it was not all a waste. He did hit Dieppa with a glancing strike that appeared to buckle his knees and also showed incredible heart and toughness, as he never quit despite being battered by ground-and-pound.

Joynson enters the show hoping to become the first Canadian to be awarded a UFC contract. The 6-foot-5 heavyweight sports a perfect 5-0 record. The current Battlefield Fight League champion is an athletic big man who uses a ton of movement to keep his opponents guessing. He is fairly basic in his boxing, not showing anything spectacular in the area. His kicks on the other hand are completely different. He throws a lot of kicks and has tons of power. The speed of his high kick is impressive for a heavyweight. He does best when he is on the offensive, as he tends to have “tall man defense,” leaving his head straight in the air and avoiding strikes by simply pulling it back. This is a huge target for a power puncher. The Zugec Ultimate Martial Arts export is not just a striker. He likes to close the distance to get the Thai clinch, where he fires off knees or looks for a trip takedown. He is also a submission threat if he gets the fight to the ground.

Sosoli might struggle with the five-inch height advantage and probably cannot hang with the Canadian on the ground. However, power is the great equalizer. Bank on the Kiwi to connecting with at least one of those punches for a first-round TKO. Sosoli leaves the arena with a contract in hand and appears to be the kind of fighter UFC President Dana White covets.

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