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.
Guilherme Uriel (7-2 MMA)
Age: 29 years old
Height: 6’1″ / Reach: ?″
Weight Class: Heavyweight (265lbs.)
First DW’s Contender Series Fight: 2025 (Week 2)
Old DW’s Contender Series Opponent: Josh Hokit (10-0 MMA)
Second DW’s Contender Series Fight: 2026 (Week 3)
New Opponent: Mario Piazzon (10-1 MMA)
First Contender Series Fight
Guilherme was 6-1 entering his first Contender Series bout. At the time, Uriel was a five-fight veteran of the LFA promotion. All of his victories came via first round stoppage. Guilherme also lost his fifth pro fight against a then 4-0 Lucas Camacho, who stopped Guilherme in the first round. Lucas went on to fight on the 2024 season of the Contender Series where he lost to Mario Pinto (Pinto is now 3-0 with the UFC so Camacho could be a redemption fighter we see in the future).
In Guilherme’s first Contender Series fight he was mauled and overwhelmed by the relentless pace and wrestling of his opponent. Eventually Uriel was worn down and -grounded ‘n pounded out with some well-placed shots from his opponent.
First Contender Series Opponent
Uriel’s first Contender Series opponent was Josh Hokit. Josh has been on fire since stopping Uriel last year. Obviously after the performance, a memorable promo, Hokit was awarded a UFC contract.
Hokit made his debut against a 5-1, Max Gimenis in November and stopped him in 56 seconds. The finish earned Hokit a performance bonus.
In his next bout, back in January of this year, Hokit smashed Denzel Freeman who retired in the last second of the first round. That victory on the undercard of UFC 324, also earned Hokit a performance bonus.
Then in April, Hokit fought Curtis Blaydes and won a unanimous decision in an early fight of the year contender. That fight was on the main card of UFC 327 and won Josh fight of the night honors.
Hokit fought again in June on UFC Freedom 250 where he stopped UFC veteran Derrick Lewis with punches in the second round of their bout.
Hokit is now the #6 ranked UFC heavyweight so, it’s a loss that has aged gracefully for Uriel.
The Road Back
Since his first Contender Series appearance last year, Uriel has competed once and had two cancelled bouts.
Uriel took on a 2-2 Leonardo Fraga at LFA 229 and finished him in just 96 seconds.
Considering all the clout that Gilherme’s first opponent has earned under the UFC banner it’s no surprise Uriel gets an invitation back after winning just one bout.
Gameplan/New Opponent
For his second chance on the Contender Series Guilherme will be taking on another fighter looking for his shot at redemption, Mario Piazzon.
As is usually the case when two redemption fighters meet, this one is guaranteed to be a banger. Extremely unlikely that the winner doesn’t walk out of the UFC APEX without a contract.
