Dana White’s Contender Series Season 8 is a wrap. The 2024 edition of the show produced 42 UFC contracts through 10 episodes, which is actually down slightly from 2023, when a record high 46 fighters were signed.
To put that in comparison, the inaugural season of DWCS, then known as Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series, awarded just 16 contracts back in 2017. To be fair, that was an eight episode run, not 10, but that’s still only two contracts per show. In comparison, either 4 or 5 UFC deals were awarded on each show in 2024, with the lone exception of Week 5. That week, just three deals were handed out, but that’s thanks in part to Quemuel Ottoni pulling out of his fight with Kody Steele on the night of the fight.
Which brings us to Dana White’s Contender Series Season 9. That, of course, will be the 2025 installment of the series. And since DWCS has become a pipeline of talent (at entry level prices) to the UFC, you can bet some of the top prospects around will be involved.
If the show were to be booked today, here’s who we would want to see involved.
Week 1
- Bantamweight, Asaf Chopurov (6-0) Vs. Micaias Urena (9-2)
- Welterweight, Michael Oliveira (7-0) Vs. Rodrigo Sezinando (7-1)
- Welterweight, Eliezer Kubanza (6-0) Vs. Itso Babulaidze (5-0)
- Featherweight, Tommy McMillen (6-0) Vs. Canaan Kawaihae (9-2, 1 NC)
- Featherweight, Icaro Brito (7-1) Vs. Chris Mecate (9-2)
Notes: Canaan Kawaihae has appeared on the Contender Series twice before, losing both times, first to Chase Hooper, then to Jonas Bilharinho. Hooper has made something of a name for himself in the UFC, while Bilharinho wasn’t even signed despite finishing Kawaihae with a spinning wheel kick in 2021. Well, it was a lot harder to earn a contract back then. Since that loss, Canaan Kawaihae has won three straight fights, finishing his last two. He last two bouts were scrapped, but one was due to the event being cancelled.
Rio, Brazil’s Michael Oliveira is 5-0 for LFA, and is coming off a head kick KO. He’ll fight for the promotion once again next month. He’s never gone the distance, and only left the first round once, but it was for that head kick, which came in the third against Dallys Moraes Gama.
Chris Mecate actually has a loss to Kawaihae on his record. Lately, he’s been doing the ex-UFC champs tour, fighting for Urijah Faber’s A1 Combat, then winning the featherweight title under the Anthony Pettis FC banner.
