The Contender Series is back, kicking off its seventh season this week with a five-fight card booked as a double-header with the ongoing The Ultimate Fighter 31.
As a result, the Dana White’s Contender Series 2023 season opener comes at a special start time of 7PM ET, but still on its traditional home of Tuesday night.
The show has produced stars like Jamahal Hill, Sean O’Malley, Geoff Neal, and Adrian Yanez — and has become a proven pathway to the UFC. 43 contracts for the big show were handed out in 2022, in fact, a record-setting number.
All ten fighters successfully made weight on Monday for the season’s kick-off episode, with names like Caio Machado, a longtime heavyweight prospect, and Junior Cortez, brother of UFC flyweight star Tracey Cortez. He was making his return to the series, in fact, after coming up short in 2021.
We caught up with Machado and Payton Talbott ahead of this card, so be sure to check out those interviews (linked)!
Full results from the Dana White’s Contender Series Season 7, Week 1 weigh-in can be found below. The show airs on ESPN+ in the U.S., and on UFC Fight Pass in international markets.
Dana White’s Contender Series Season 7, Week 1 Weigh-In Results
Middleweight: Cesar Almeida (185.5) vs. Lucas Fernando (186)
Lightweight: Tom Nolan (155) vs. Bogdan Grad (156)
Heavyweight: Caio Machado (256) vs. Kevin Szaflarski (260.5)
Bantamweight: Payton Talbott (135.5) vs. Reyes Cortez Jr. (135.5)
Flyweight: Kevin Borjas (125.5) vs. Victor Dias (126)
