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.
Mario Piazzon (10-1 MMA)
Age: 28 years old
Height: 5’11″ / Reach: 73″
Weight Class: Heavyweight (265lbs.)
First DW’s Contender Series Fight: 2023 (Week 8)
Old DW’s Contender Series Opponent: Alexander Soldatkin (18-4 MMA)
Second DW’s Contender Series Fight: 2026 (Week 3)
New Opponent: Guilherme Uriel (7-2 MMA)
First Contender Series Fight
Before competing on the Contender Series for the first time, Mario was wrecking his opponents on the regional circuit in Brazil. A veteran of the Demo Fight promotion, Mario finished five of his seven opponents (one of his seven bouts was flagged for ineligibility by Tapology).
Mario was the Demo Fight heavyweight champion and successfully defended his belt twice.
In his first Contender Series fight, Mario engaged in a grind fest of clinching and grappling until the fight was ended in the third round when Mario’s opponent landed an illegal knee. Because Piazzon was unable to continue after a knee to the head while considered grounded, the fight was scored as a DQ victory for Piazzon.
First Contender Series Opponent
Mario’s opponent on his first appearance on the Contender Series was Alexander Soldatkin. Obviously, Soldatkin didn’t earn a UFC contract. Soldatkin would go on to compete and win a pro kickboxing fight. Then after a one-off bout with Ecipse Fight Night, Soldatkin was signed to RIZIN. There he is 3-0 and won the heavyweight tournament championship last September over a 9-4, Marek Samociuk.
Soldatkin was eve supposed to take on Ryan Bader on New Years Eve 2025, but Bader withdrew due to injury. Alexander is definitely an opponent that has aged well for Mario, despite not being under the UFC’s banner.
The Road Back
Since appearing on the Contender Series in 2023, Piazzon has competed 5 times. He’s gone 4-1 over that stretch.
First, Piazzon took on Michel Lomba in May of 2024 in a bout that has been omitted from his professional record due to ineligibility (the entire card in question has been stricken from the record by Tapology due to lack of proper documentation).
In July of 2024, Piazzon took on a then 9-2, Andre Vieira. Piazzon finished his opponent deep in the second round in a tough fight.
In March of 2025, after two cancelled bouts, Piazzon took on 15-39, last second replacement, Alex Junius. Alex did the improbable, stunning Piazzon and handing him his first loss, stopping him in just half a round.
In his next bout, which was in September of 2025, Mario took on a then 11-9, Fernando Batista. Piazzon finished the fight via ground ‘n pound near the end of the second round.
And in his most recent fight back in March, Maro defeated a then, 9-4, Andre Vieira, to punch his return ticket back to the Contender Series.
Gameplan/New Opponent
For his shot at redemption on the Contender Series, Mario will be taking on Guilherme Uriel. Guilherme is actually on his own quest for redemption as he appeared on the 2025 Season of the Contender Series.
Redemption fights seem to always bring extra action and energy into the octagon so fans can expect this fight to deliver and produce a new edition to the UFC roster (potentially two).
