Preview: DWCS Season 3, Episode 6

Steven Nguyen vs. Aalon Cruz

After compiling a 14-1 record as an amateur, Nguyen has not had a single blemish on his professional record. The Kansas native is a veteran of Shamrock Fighting Championships and the current Evolution Fighting Championship featherweight titleholder. He joined the prestigious Fortis MMA team ahead of this event and hopes a strong performance will make him the only current Vietnamese-American on the UFC roster. Nguyen is a well-rounded fighter who is solid on the feet and on the canvas. “The Ninja” is a long and lengthy featherweight, as he stands 5-foot-11. He has fast hands and marches down his opponent behind an active jab. He does well at slipping his head off the centerline and countering his opponent’s strikes with his overhand right. The 26-year-old has a large arsenal of kicks, which includes spinning back kicks to the body. He can make the mistake of backing straight up to the fence when his adversary attacks. When he does not back out, he stands square in the pocket, willing to trade fisticuffs in close quarters. Nguyen uses his height well in the clinch, where he fires off hard knees. The former high school wrestler likes to catch kicks and use body locks to take his opponents to the ground. He often finds himself on the bottom because he counters takedown attempts by jumping for guillotines.

Former World Wrestling Entertainment superstar Jake Hager’s training partner, Cruz sports a 7-2 record and has been victorious in his last three bouts. The 29-year-old is a member of the Defiant Warrior fight team and trains out of Tampa, Florida. Cruz fights similar to Nguyen. He is a tall featherweight, standing 6-foot. He is a southpaw who likes to switch stances and work from range. He makes the mistake of keeping his chin in the air and backing straight up from attacks. He is not a technical striker but hurts his opponents with unorthodox kicks, including side kicks, spinning kicks and teeps. He can tend to fight with a low output, throwing one strike at a time, and he does not use his jab enough. Cruz fights well in the clinch with knees and elbows, but his trips are his best moves. Once the fight hits the mat, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt has some serious skills. He has a great ability to take his opponent’s back or sink a submission during a scramble. He has suplexed opponents in the past when they try to work back to their feet.

Nguyen is well-rounded, trains at an elite gym and does not have a glaring weakness. However, Cruz is a larger fighter and should have the advantage in the grappling department. Look for the Floridian to use his takedown skills, avoid submission attempts and outwork Nguyen in a close decision.

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