Preview: DWCS Season 3, Episode 1

Punahele Soriano vs. Jamie Pickett

Soriano is an intriguing up-and-coming prospect. He is a Dominance MMA management agent by day and a bone crusher by night. The Hawaiian sports an impressive 5-0 record, and none of his fights have reached the second round. Though the 26-year-old is somewhat green -- he turned professional two years ago -- he has the skills to go a long way in the sport. The Xtreme Couture standout is a powerful striker. The southpaw likes to slide into the pocket, where he welcomes a brawl. He packs big power in his accurate strikes, especially his overhand left. He mixes in high kicks with his combinations, and his chin has held up thus far. Soriano is also a former NCCA wrestler. He has quick entries on his double-leg takedowns and has shown great strength by lifting opponents into the air and slamming them to the canvas. Once the fight hits the mat, Soriano stays busy with relentless ground-and-pound. He has not shown any significant weaknesses yet, but since he has not fought past the first round, his cardio has not been tested.

Pickett has appeared once previously on DWTNCS. The 30-year-old was a late injury replacement -- he took a fight against Charles Byrd on only six days’ notice -- but lost by first-round submission. Since the setback, he has won back-to-back fights. The former Next Level Fight Club champion is a well-rounded fighter. The southpaw has fast hands and loves to press the action. He is constantly moving forward, closing the distance with push kicks and the occasional flying knee. His relentless attacks leave him susceptible to counter shots. The North Carolina native has nice pop in his strikes but lacks true fight-ending one-punch power. He does not throw a lot of kicks and also neglects to check them. Though Pickett is touted as a striker, I think he is best served as a grappler. “The Wolf” often looks for takedowns and chain wrestles well to get his opponents to the mat. Once he gets to his desired position, he attacks with furious ground-and-pound. He can also sink a submission from the top and bottom positions. However, Pickett is aggressive with his submission attacks, sometimes leaving himself in a compromised position. The biggest concern about Pickett is the level of competition he has faced. Despite having nine wins, he has only defeated three fighters who had winning records when he faced them.

Pickett has nice skills in all areas of MMA, but Soriano looks like a possible future contender and might just be scratching the surface on his potential. I expect Pickett’s reckless attacks to leave him open to being cracked by a big shot from Soriano, likely in the first round. Soriano wins by first-round TKO in a performance that earns him a contract with the UFC.