Exclusive: Cody Brundage vs. Shonte Barnes Set for Contender Series on October 5

Cody Brundage
Cody Brundage Credit: Maria Sinclair/Lights Out Fights

Cody Brundage will have a new opponent on the Contender Series in October, as Shonte Barnes is stepping in for Nick Maximov.

Cody Brundage was originally supposed to fight Nick Maximov on the Contender Series on October 5. However, Maximov recenlty signed a UFC contract leaving Brundage without an opponent temporarily.

Brundage will remain on the same card against a different opponent. The prospect out of FactoryX fought last season on the Contender Series but came up short against William Knight, who will be partaking in his third UFC fight next month. Since then, Brundage moved down to middleweight and got back on track with a win.

Brundage last fought on LFA 99 and beat Joseph Kropschot in his LFA debut. He is 6-1 as a pro and was the Light Out Championship middleweight and light-heavyweight champion. The 27-year-old has finished all but one of his wins dating back to when he was an amateur.

Filling in for Nick Maximov is Asheville, North Carolina, native Shonte Barnes. Barnes is on a five-fight winning streaking dating back to his last loss in 2017. He also has a draw on his record which came in mid-2019. Barnes is a former welterweight that’s moved up to middleweight and took his last fight at light heavyweight.

Barnes, at 6-1-1, has wins over journeymen Erick Lozano, who Brundage has beaten twice, and Jay Ellis. He’s finished all of his victories with all of those coming in the first round. It hast to be now or never for the 34-year-old Shonte Barnes.