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.
Marco “Matuto” Tulio (11-1 MMA)
Age: 29 years old
Height: 6’1″ / Reach: 74.5″
Weight Class: Bantamweight (135lbs.)
First DW’s Contender Series Fight: 2023 (Week 4)
Old DW’s Contender Series Opponent: Yousri Belgaroui (7-3 MMA)
Second DW’s Contender Series Fight: 2024 (Week 3)
New Opponent: Matthieu Duclos (6-2 MMA)
First Contender Series Fight
Marco Tulio obtained a spot on the Contender Series after winning five fights in a row from mid 2021 to early 2023. Tulio faced experienced competition during this time period as well, with the combined records of his opponents at the time of fighting them being: 71-28, for these five fights.
Marco was able to successfully secure a unaimous decision victory over his opponent, but the win did not impress the boss man, Dana White, enough for a contract.
Three fighters won contracts on the card Tulio fought on. All winners had finishes (Carlos Prates, Thomas Petersen and Bolaji Oki).
First Contender Series Opponent
Marco fought Yousri Belgaroui in his first Contender Series fight. Belgaroui obviously didn’t receive a contract after his loss. Yousri has won two fights in a row in the time since he last fought, against great competition too. Yousri has racked up two wins including one finish in the time since he was last on the CS.
Belgaroui has even earned himself his own shot at redemption as he has agreed to fight later in the 2024 season of the Contender Series.
The Road Back
In the nearly one full year since Tulio fought on the Contender Series he has competed just one time in pro MMA. Marco fought Cemey dos Santos back in January at LFA 175. Cemey entered the bout with a 6-4 record.
Marco hurt his opponent with a straight right and got em’ out of there with his follow up punches.
Gameplan/ New Opponent
For his shot at redemption on the Contender Series Marco Tulio will be taking on Matthieu Duclos. Matthieu lost his Bellator debut back in 2022 that he made just three fights into his pro MMA career.
Since that loss, Duclos has won four fights in a row in the Paris, France based, Hexagone MMA promotion. All four fights have ended with a finish with only one making it past five minutes.
A worthy opponent for Tulio as he looks to right his wrongs and put on exciting performance in order to obtain a UFC contract.
