Ahead of UFC 305 in Australia, and with The Ultimate Fighter 32 still to wrap up, season eight of Dana White’s Contender Series arrived on Tuesday, August 13, 2024 with a five-pack of fights featuring some of the best up-and-coming talent in MMA.

That’s not hyperbole for at least one fight. Though not the featured fight of the evening, the flyweight showdown between An Tuan Ho and Lone’er Kavanagh legitimately featured two of the hottest 125lb prospects around, especially given their age. Either (or at some point, both) had the potential to go far in the promotion, which only recently let one of the best prospects in MMA walk in Muhammad Mokaev.

Bruno Lopes, meanwhile, made his return to the Contender Series on Tuesday as part of Week 1 of Season Eight, taking on Mikheil Sazhiniani. An LFA champ, Lopes (or alternately Sazhiniani) was looking to join a 205lb weight class badly in need of fresh blood.

Where to Watch Dana White’s Contender Series Season 8, Week 1

As always, the new season of DWCS airs live from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, on ESPN+ in the U.S., and Sportsnet/Sportsnet+ in Canada. The card will also be carried on UFC Fight Pass. Full results from the event can be found below.

Dana White’s Contender Series Season 8, Week 1 Results

Middleweight: Mansur Abdul-Malik def. Wes Schultz by TKO, Round 2, 3:55
Welterweight: Rami Hamed def. Meng Ding by unanimous decision (30-26*, 29-27, 29-27)
Light Heavyweight: Bruno Lopes def. Mikheil Sazhiniani by TKO, Round 2, 4:14
Featherweight: Jose Degaldo def. Ernie Juarez by KO, 2, 1:25
Flyweight: Lone’er Kavanagh def. An Tuan Ho by KO, Round 1, 2:35

* Score was announced incorrectly as 30-27, as reported by John Morgan

Contract Winners: Lone’er Kavanagh, Jose Degaldo, Bruno Lopes, Mansur Abdul-Malik

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In a must-see match-up between young prospects, meanwhile, flyweights An Tuan Ho and Lone’er Kavanagh collide.

With the season kicking off, it’s time to break down each fight and give our predictions for episode 1!

Middleweight, Mansur Abdul-Malik (5-0) vs. Wes Schultz (6-1)

Notable Notes

• Both are the same height but Abdul-Malik has a four-inch reach advantage.
• Abdul-Malik has only beaten one person with a winning record (1-0).
• Schultz’s only pro loss comes to UFC fighter Dylan Budka.
• Abdul-Malik has never fought outside round one.
• Abdul-Malik trains out of the predominant camp at MMA Masters.

Pros and Cons

Prediction: Not surprised to see Abdul-Malik on the Contender Series for DWCS 2024 but he’s so raw that he would benefit from gaining more experience. Yet while he is raw, he’s still so athletic and has the wrestling base along with the power to be something special.

Saying that there are concerns. If you watch his pro debut you’ll see those concerns. He wasn’t setting anything up, was reckless, and got dropped. He’s grown since then but there are still a lot of unanswered questions that remain.

Wes Schultz would be the complete opposite. He’s seasoned and we’ve seen him put in every position. His only loss is to UFC’s Dylan Budka.

This fight I can see going two ways. Abdul-Malik will just run through Schultz or Schultz will survive round one and take over. Schultz fought another wrestler in Budka and Schultz would just pull guard and accept the bottom position. If he does that to Abdul-Malik who is a stronger better wrestler than Budka, Schultz will be in trouble.

I ultimately think that happens because of the superior wrestling of Abdul-Malik. Picking Schultz would just be me assuming the cardio of Abdul-Malik stinks. I just think Abdul-Malik is a bad matchup for Schultz. Abdul-Malik will land the bigger shots on the feet but more importantly, get the takedowns and land with that ground n’ pound. I’ve got Abdul-Malik by first-round knockout and I’m 65% confident.

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