Dana White’s Contender Series began back in 2017. Since then, the Contender Series has produced some big-name upcoming stars like Dan Ige, Sean O’Malley, Geoff Neal, Maycee Barber, and Edmen Shahbazyan. In short, it has been a huge success for finding talent.
A Contender Series fight is one that has stakes like none other, where fighters must showcase their skills to impress the UFC president enough for a contract with the promotional giant. Holding the Contender Series with a smaller cage inside the UFC Apex venue makes for a tense atmosphere, and with only close friends and family of the competing fighters in attendance as spectators. Emotions always run high, as a limited number of contracts can be given out on any given night, and many fighters can potentially have their dreams snubbed out solely because of bad luck.
In rare cases, however, a fighter gets a second look. This series will examine those.
Bogdan Grad (13-2 MMA)
Age: 28 years old
Height: 5’8″ / Reach: 70″
Weight Class: Featherweight (145lbs.)
First DW’s Contender Series Fight: 2023 (Week 4)
Old DW’s Contender Series Opponent: Tom Nolan (8-1 MMA)
Second DW’s Contender Series Fight: 2024 (Week 1)
New Opponent: Michael Aswell (9-1)
First Contender Series Fight
Bogdan Grad is a seven-fight veteran of the Austria based, Cage Fight Series. Grad was in the main event of several Cage FS shows.
To birth his appearance on the Contender Series, Grad amassed 11 victories including nine finishes. Bogdan’s five fight run between April 2022 to March 2023 that produced four highlight reel finishes was the main culprit of his Contender Series appearance.
Obviously, because he quickly lost his fight, Grad had no chance at a contract last year, but his performance displayed enough prowess to keep him on the UFC‘s radar moving forward.
First Contender Series Opponent
Bogdan Grad lost to Tom Nolan in his first fight on the Contender Series. Tom would go on to receive a contract later on in the night for his performance. All of the winners from Grad’s week on the CS received contracts (Kevin Borjas, Payton Talbott, Caio Machado, Tom Nolan and Cesar Almeida).
In the little over a year’s time, Tom has competed in the UFC three times. Nolan lost his UFC debut, and the first of his pro career, when Nikolas Motta stopped him in just over 60 seconds.
Tom Nolan stopped his second opponent, Victor Martinez, in the first round to get back on track. That fight was back in April.
And most recently Nolan defeated Alex Reyes on the undercard of UFC 305 via unanimous decision. All in all, with Nolan’s very busy 2024 so far, it’s a loss that hasn’t aged badly at all.
The Road Back
Since competing on the Contender Series last year, Bogdan Grad has had two pro MMA fights.
A little over three months after his appearance on the Contender Series, Grad was able to secure a flying knee finish over Breno Marinho. The bout was the main event of the Cage FS 14 card. Marinho entered the cage with a respectable 12-7-2 record.
And in Bogdan’s most recent fight, he took on Caiona Batista in yet another main event slot back in March. Grad submitted the then 13-5, Batista, in just over 60 seconds with a guillotine choke.
Gameplan/New Opponent
For Bogdan Grad’s shot at redemption on the Contender Series he will be taking on Michael Aswell. The 23-year-old has spent his entire 10-fight pro career and six-fight amateur career in the Texas, US based, Fury Fighting Championship.
Aswell has finished five of his nine victories by way of KO/TKO.
In his most recent fight, back in April, Aswell stopped Nate Richardson to win the vacant FFC featherweight championship. Richardson entered the bout with an 11-4 record and was stopped by punches in just under 70 seconds.
Grad will have a big test ahead of him for his shot at redemption in what is sure to be an entertaining fight for fans.
