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	<title>Wes Schultz Archives - Cageside Press</title>
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		<title>UFC Mexico City: Damian Pinas Makes Short Work of Wesley Schultz</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2026/02/28/ufc-mexico-city-damian-pinas-makes-short-work-of-wesley-schultz/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shawn Bitter]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 28 Feb 2026 22:28:37 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Prospects]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Results & Recaps]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Damian Pinas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC Fight Night 268]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wes Schultz]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=220760</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The UFC returned to Mexico City on Saturday with a Fight Night card stocked with a good half dozen newcomers. UFC Mexico City was kicked off by a pair of debuting fighters, with the first preliminary card fight of the night featuring middleweights Damian Pinas And Wesley Schultz. Both fighters had earned their way into [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2026/02/28/ufc-mexico-city-damian-pinas-makes-short-work-of-wesley-schultz/" data-wpel-link="internal">UFC Mexico City: Damian Pinas Makes Short Work of Wesley Schultz</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The UFC returned to Mexico City on Saturday with a Fight Night card stocked with a good half dozen newcomers.</p>
<p>UFC Mexico City was kicked off by a pair of debuting fighters, with the first preliminary card fight of the night featuring middleweights Damian Pinas And Wesley Schultz.</p>
<p>Both fighters had earned their way into the UFC via <em>Dana White&#8217;s Contender Series</em> in 2025.</p>
<p>Round one opened with Pinas immediately asserting control, firing off three hard leg kicks. The third visibly buckled Schultz, forcing him into a reactive takedown attempt— one that Pinas calmly shrugged off.</p>
<p>Moments later, Pinas stepped in behind a sharp one-two that dropped Schultz to the canvas. Schultz recovered quickly and desperately chased another takedown, but Pinas’ defense was strong. After stuffing the attempt, he separated and blasted Schultz with a right uppercut that put him down again.</p>
<p>Rather than rushing in, Pinas allowed Schultz to stand, almost inviting him back into range. That proved costly. Another crisp one-two sat Schultz down for good, forcing the stoppage and capping off a dominant opening-round performance.</p>
<p data-start="511" data-end="753" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">&#8220;I&#8217;m not here just to fight, I&#8217;m here to become a champion&#8230; What the future holds for me is the title, the belt,&#8221; Damian Pinas told Michael Bisping after the win, which saw him maintain his 100% finish rate. Pinas said he knows he&#8217;ll need a few fights to get there, then asked &#8220;who&#8217;s next? WHO&#8217;S NEXT??&#8221;</p>
<p><strong><em>Official Result: Damian Pinas def. Wes Schultz by TKO (punches), Round 1, 2:30</em></strong></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2026/02/28/ufc-mexico-city-damian-pinas-makes-short-work-of-wesley-schultz/" data-wpel-link="internal">UFC Mexico City: Damian Pinas Makes Short Work of Wesley Schultz</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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		<title>UFC Mexico&#8217;s Wes Schultz on Contender Series Run, UFC Debut</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2026/02/28/ufc-mexicos-wes-schultz-on-contender-series-run-ufc-debut/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Daniel Vreeland]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 28 Feb 2026 13:12:38 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wes Schultz]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=220752</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Wes Schultz&#8217;s first shot on Dana White&#8217;s Contender Series didn&#8217;t go the way he imagined. In a back-and-forth contest with Mansur Abdul-Malik, who is now 3-0-1 in the UFC, Schultz was left heading back to the drawing board. However, as he watched his former opponent in the big show, he found confidence in his success. [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2026/02/28/ufc-mexicos-wes-schultz-on-contender-series-run-ufc-debut/" data-wpel-link="internal">UFC Mexico&#8217;s Wes Schultz on Contender Series Run, UFC Debut</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Wes Schultz&#8217;s first shot on Dana White&#8217;s Contender Series didn&#8217;t go the way he imagined. In a back-and-forth contest with Mansur Abdul-Malik, who is now 3-0-1 in the UFC, Schultz was left heading back to the drawing board. However, as he watched his former opponent in the big show, he found confidence in his success.</p>
<p>&#8220;Even going back to like your wrestling days, you don&#8217;t want to get beat by someone that gets f*cking beat out of the tournament right away,&#8221; Schultz explained. &#8220;You don&#8217;t cheer for other people in this sport, but still like okay, that&#8217;s if you got if I would have got beat by someone that wouldn&#8217;t like 0-2 to and got cut I&#8217;d be like f*ck. I&#8217;d want to go back to school get my master&#8217;s or something.&#8221;</p>
<p><iframe title="West Schultz DWCS Experience, Second DWCS Shot,  Pinas Matchup | UFC Mexico" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/J9xaTVi4q8I?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>Perhaps some of that success is why Schultz was so quick to get another call to the Contender Series. It took just over one year for him to get his second shot &#8211; this time against Mario Mingaj. The time, the Pura Vida product would come out on top and would do so while hitting a unique submission. His suloev stretch would become the first in Contender Series history and just the third under the Zuffa banner, and it even surprised Schultz.</p>
<p>&#8220;I know this works and I&#8217;m going to try it because I&#8217;m crazy. I use that more for like a sweep just get people back down, but my coaches were like man, you have it f*cking just f*cking put your hips in and I did I f*cking got it which I never submit people with that in the room,&#8221; he said. &#8220;So that was actually kind of a surprise. I was like, holy f*ck. Did that just happen? Yeah, I probably would have let it go if they didn&#8217;t [yell].&#8221;</p>
<p>Now he&#8217;s ready to take that crafty approach to the UFC Octagon when he meets Damian Pinas in Mexico City. He feels that craft approach might be the difference maker against an impressive opponent.</p>
<p>&#8220;I think I&#8217;m a little bit more crafty and I go around issues. If I meet resistance doing something, I&#8217;m usually not going to try to go through it. I&#8217;m just going to go around it. I think he&#8217;s more of a kind of plod forward and what you see is what you get, which is fucking scary,&#8221; Schultz said. &#8220;I think I&#8217;m going to have more tools than him, but his tools are going to be fucking maybe a little bigger, little scarier tools.&#8221;</p>
<p>You can catch his fight with Pinas as part of the UFC Mexico prelim card. The card kicks off at 5pm EST this Saturday on Paramount+.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2026/02/28/ufc-mexicos-wes-schultz-on-contender-series-run-ufc-debut/" data-wpel-link="internal">UFC Mexico&#8217;s Wes Schultz on Contender Series Run, UFC Debut</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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		<title>Dana White&#8217;s Contender Series 2025: Week 10 &#8211; Play-by-Play &#038; Results</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2025/10/14/dana-whites-contender-series-2025-week-10-play-by-play-results/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Daniel Vreeland]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 15 Oct 2025 00:21:22 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Contender Series]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Results & Recaps]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ananias Mulumba]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Azamat Nuftillaev]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Freddy Vidal]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jovan Leka]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Juan Diaz]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Levi Rodrigues]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mario Mingaj]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marwan Rahiki]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Michael Oliveira]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Victor Valenzuela]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wes Schultz]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Won Il Kwon]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=215941</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Dana White&#8217;s Contender Series (DWCS) is back for one more week of action. Week 10 has a rare six-pack of fights to round out the end of the season. All of the action is available on ESPN+, but you keep your eyes peeled right here for all of the Contender Series results as they happen. [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/10/14/dana-whites-contender-series-2025-week-10-play-by-play-results/" data-wpel-link="internal">Dana White&#8217;s Contender Series 2025: Week 10 &#8211; Play-by-Play &#038; Results</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Dana White&#8217;s Contender Series (DWCS) is back for one more week of action. Week 10 has a rare six-pack of fights to round out the end of the season. All of the action is available on <a href="https://plus.espn.com/" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">ESPN+</a>, but you keep your eyes peeled right here for all of the Contender Series results as they happen.</p>
<h2><strong>Mario Mingaj vs Wes Schultz</strong></h2>
<p>Round 1 &#8211; Mingaj brings the pressure early, but is quickly tagged by a left hook from Schultz that wobbles him. Schultz pours it on and looks for the finish. Mingaj pulls him into a clinch and Schultz gets a body lock takedown. Mingaj uses a near sweep to get back to his feet, but Schultz jumps the back. Once there he reaches right for the ankle and looks for suloev stretch. Mingaj is grimacing and it&#8217;s over!</p>
<p><em>Official Result: Wes Schultz def. Mario Mingaj by Submission (Suloev Stretch) &#8211; Round 1 (1:51)</em></p>
<h2><strong>Azamat Nuftillaev vs Jovan Leka</strong></h2>
<p>Round 1 &#8211; They don&#8217;t spend any time trying to feel each other out. Nuftillaev immediately lets go with wild shots and uses them to close the distance. He gets in on a takedown. After some solid defense from Leka, Nuftillaev does adjust and work his was to top control. He lands the requisite shots to not get stood up, although he does get warned multiple times. As the clock moves under two minutes, Leka makes it back to his knees and works back to his feet. Nuftillaev hits a mat return with locked hands, but again doesn&#8217;t get much from it. Referee Mark Smith warns Nuftillaev again to get the action going. He scores one more takedown with ten seconds left and Leka returns to the feet to close out the round. <strong>Nuftillaev 10-9</strong></p>
<p>Round 2 &#8211; Nuftillaev looks gassed to start the second. He gets popped by Leka and then shoots a takedown, but it has none of the same gusto. Leka sprawls on it and takes Nuftillaev&#8217;s back. He gets a hook in and looks for a short choke, but doesn&#8217;t quite have the angle. Leka is making Nuftillaev carry his weight and he is clearly exhausted. Then Leka scores with some punches and a pair of 12-6 elbows. Leka keeps changing between choke attempts and more big shots. The pressure of another choke makes Nuftillaev go to all four and allows Leka to take the back with both hooks. He nearly gets the rear naked and then transitions to mount. It&#8217;s all Leka and Nuftillaev can&#8217;t even stand up. <strong>Leka 10-8</strong></p>
<p>Round 3 &#8211; Nuftillaev backing up right away at the beginning of the round. He&#8217;s breathing heavily as Leka looks to land big. Leka throws a kick that Nuftillaev catches and turns into a takedown. He has none of the energy to do anything and Leka moves right back up. He tees off with some uppercuts and it forces Nuftillaev to dive for a desperation takedown. Leka sprawls on it and puts Nuftillaev in a crucifix. Leka nearly gets a stoppage and Nuftillaev moves just enough to get a hand free. He then gets a couple more elbows and Nuftillaev rolls to his knees. Leka jumps on the back and lands big elbow. Nuftillaev gets back to his feet and is dumped on his back at the horn. <strong>Leka 10-9</strong></p>
<h2><em style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; color: #222222;">Official Result: Jovan Leka def. Azamat Nuftillaev by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-27, 29-27)</em></h2>
<figure id="attachment_215953" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-215953" style="width: 927px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-215953" src="https://cagesidepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Leka.png" alt="" width="927" height="616" srcset="https://cagesidepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Leka.png 927w, https://cagesidepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Leka-300x199.png 300w, https://cagesidepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Leka-768x510.png 768w, https://cagesidepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Leka-696x462.png 696w, https://cagesidepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Leka-632x420.png 632w" sizes="(max-width: 927px) 100vw, 927px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-215953" class="wp-caption-text">Jovan Leka of Serbia kicks Azamat Nuftillaev of Uzbekistan in a heavyweight fight during Dana White&#8217;s Contender Series season nine, week ten at UFC APEX on October 14, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)</figcaption></figure>
<h2><strong>Michael Oliveira vs Victor Valenzuela</strong></h2>
<p>Round 1 &#8211; Oliveira moving forward and pumping out his jab. He throws a couple leg kicks too and has Valenzuela on his back foot. The Chilean fighter looks to throw his way out, but Oliveira is staying safe early. Valenzuela eventually finds a home for the straight right and it stumbles Oliveira a bit. He rebounds and is right back on the pressure. He slips and lands some nice counters, which prompts a takedown attempt from Valenzuela. Valenzuela crashes in with another big right and they clinch. Oliveira lands nicely inside that position, but they break and the rounds comes to a close. It&#8217;s a close round, but the volume and impact favor the challenger early. <strong>Valenzuela 10-9</strong></p>
<p>Round 2 &#8211; The pressure of Oliveira is again the story early. Both have a touch more urgency and are opening up more. Oliveira landing more now and he has Valenzuela bleeding. The Brazilian is building momentum. He ducks out of range and drops his opponent. After some ground and pound, he lets him back up and immediately drops him again. He beckons for him to join him back on the feet. He&#8217;s picking him apart with shots all over the place. Valenzuela is fading. He lunges forward with a shot and Oliveira lands another big counter and drops him a third time. This time the ground and pound is enough for a finish.</p>
<p><em>Official Result: Michael Oliveira def. Victor Valenzuela by TKO (Punches) &#8211; Round 2 (3:56)</em></p>
<figure id="attachment_215958" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-215958" style="width: 926px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-215958" src="https://cagesidepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Oliveira.png" alt="" width="926" height="618" srcset="https://cagesidepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Oliveira.png 926w, https://cagesidepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Oliveira-300x200.png 300w, https://cagesidepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Oliveira-768x513.png 768w, https://cagesidepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Oliveira-696x465.png 696w, https://cagesidepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Oliveira-629x420.png 629w" sizes="(max-width: 926px) 100vw, 926px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-215958" class="wp-caption-text">Michael Oliveira of Brazil punches Victor Valenzuela of Chile in a welterweight fight during Dana White&#8217;s Contender Series season nine, week ten at UFC APEX on October 14, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)</figcaption></figure>
<h2><strong>Marwan Rahiki vs Ananias Mulumba</strong></h2>
<p>Round 1 &#8211; Mulumba comes out firing with big shots. He&#8217;s coming up short with the shots, and Rahiki is countering. One of those big rights scores for Mulumba and he drops him. He looks for the finish on the follow up shots. Mark Smith is calling for movement and warning for a stoppage. Rahiki keeps working enough to get to his knees. Mulumba grabs the back and nearly has a rear naked choke. Then Rahiki finds a home for some shots on the feet. Mulumba is wobbled now! He looks for the finish, but then Mulumba finds the button again! Rahiki back to the floor and Mulumba looks to end things. Rahiki rolls through to his feet and becomes a bit more defensively safe. They end on the feet in an insane round. <strong>Mulumba 10-9</strong></p>
<p>Round 2 &#8211; Both men looking for bombs early. Mulumba in on a double to try to neutralize some things, but Rahiki grabs a ninja choke. They work to the mat and it looks like it&#8217;s in. Mulumba works him up against the cage and gets the hands loose. They get back to the feet and it&#8217;s clear that Mulumba is cooked. Rahiki backs him up against the cage and starts uploading with elbows. They are all landing and it&#8217;s all over.</p>
<p><em>Official Result: Marwan Rahiki def. Ananias Mulumba by KO (Elbows and Punch) &#8211; Round 2 (2:13)</em></p>
<h2><strong>Juan Díaz vs Won Il Kwon</strong></h2>
<p>Round 1 &#8211; Diaz clearly looking for the body shots out of the gate. He lands a kick to the midsection and a hook for good measure. A big overhand right is good for Diaz an it spins Kwon around. He lands with a couple more as Kwon finds his wits. Diaz follows up with another big right, but starts to fall in love with head hunting. Kwon, as a result, gets into his rhythm with some jabs. A few more rights kind home for Diaz and a left. He then closes the distance up and gets a clinch against the cage. He leaps to the back and grabs both hooks. Diaz switches to a body triangle, but gets a little overzealous with an armbar attempt. They head back to the feet where the round ends. <strong>Diaz 10-9</strong></p>
<p>Round 2 &#8211; Kwon on his bike to start this one with a big more urgency. Diaz gets right back to the body lock. They dance along the cage. After a brief separation, Diaz shoots in for a true double leg and gets Kwon down. Back up and both men start getting budy with the hands again. Kwon is landing at a better clip, but Diaz is the far more active fighter. It&#8217;s a close round and with the time expiring, Diaz throws a spinning elbow and turns the lights right off.</p>
<p><em>Official Result: Juan Díaz def. Won Il Kwon by KO (Spinning Back Elbow) &#8211; Round 2 (4:58)</em></p>
<h2><strong>Freddy Vidal vs Levi Rodrigues</strong></h2>
<p>Round 1 &#8211; A battle of kicks is the story of the early fight, with Rodrigues clearly landing with more authority. Vidal looks for a takedown, but the shot is seen a mile away. Rodrigues stuffs it, but they stay in the clinch for a bit while they both look to advance their position. As they separate, Rodrigues lands some big rights that seem to stun Vidal. Vidal keeps trying to get in on a takedown, but in the process eats a knee and it&#8217;s done.</p>
<p><em>Official Result: Levi Rodrigues def. Freddy Vidal by TKO (Knee and Punches) &#8211; Round 1 (3:20)</em></p>
<h3><strong>DWCS Contract Winners:</strong></h3>
<ul>
<li>Wes Schultz</li>
<li>Michael Oliveira</li>
<li>Marwan Rahiki</li>
<li>Juan Diaz</li>
<li>Levi Rodrigues</li>
</ul>
<p>And for more Dana White&#8217;s Contender Series coverage, check out all of the work here on Cageside Press. We have <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/09/16/dwcs-week-6s-adam-livingston-the-ufc-wants-me-to-win/" data-wpel-link="internal">interviews with the fighters</a> as well as <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/09/14/dwcs-2025-episode-6-breakdown-and-predictions/" data-wpel-link="internal">analysis of those getting a chance</a> on Tuesday.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/10/14/dana-whites-contender-series-2025-week-10-play-by-play-results/" data-wpel-link="internal">Dana White&#8217;s Contender Series 2025: Week 10 &#8211; Play-by-Play &#038; Results</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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		<title>Redemption: Second Chance on Dana White&#8217;s Contender Series — Wes Schultz</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2025/10/13/redemption-second-chance-on-dana-whites-contender-series-wes-schultz/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Bryson Hester]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 13 Oct 2025 23:44:08 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Contender Series]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Prospects]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dana White's Contender Series]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DWTNCS 86]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wes Schultz]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=215900</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>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 [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/10/13/redemption-second-chance-on-dana-whites-contender-series-wes-schultz/" data-wpel-link="internal">Redemption: Second Chance on Dana White&#8217;s Contender Series — Wes Schultz</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>Dana White’s Contender Series</em> began back in 2017. Since then, the Contender Series has produced some big-name upcoming stars like Dan Ige, Sean O’Malley, <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2024/02/18/ufc-298-ian-garry-keeps-distance-wins-split-decision-over-geoff-neal/" data-wpel-link="internal">Geoff Neal</a>, Maycee Barber, and Edmen Shahbazyan. In short, it has been a huge success for finding talent.</p>
<p>A Contender Series fight is one that has stakes like none other, where fighters must showcase their skills to impress the<a href="http://ufc.com/" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external"> UFC</a> 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.</p>
<p>In rare cases, however, a fighter gets a second look. This series will examine those.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Wes &#8220;Party Time&#8221; Schultz (7-2 MMA)</h2>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Age:</strong> 29 years old</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Height:</strong> 6’2″ / <strong>Reach:</strong> 76&#8243;</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Weight Class: </strong>Middleweight (185lbs.)</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>First DW’s Contender Series Fight: </strong>2024 (Week 1)</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Old DW’s Contender Series Opponent:</strong> Mansur Abdul-Malik (5-0 MMA)</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Second DW’s Contender Series Fight:</strong> 2025 (Week 10)</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>New Opponent:</strong> Mario Mingaj (7-0 MMA)</p>
<h3>First Contender Series Fight</h3>
<p>Wes went 6-1 as an amateur, winning multiple middleweight championships in the process from 2019 to 2021.</p>
<p>Schultz turned pro in late 2021, with his first three opponents having a combined record of 21-24.  Some very experienced matchups for a fighter starting out as a pro, with two of those fights being under the Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) banner— a Texas, USA based promotion and leading producer of UFC talent. In his next fight, Wes lost a unanimous decision to then 4-1 fighter Dylan Budka. Dylan would go on to go 1-1 in his next two before winning a contract on the 2023 season of DWCS (Granted, Dylan went 0-3 with the UFC and was released earlier this year, but still).</p>
<p>Wes would bounce back ripping off a three-fight win streak, logging two victories in the LFA, all first round finishes. This attracted the attention of the UFC, and he was invited to the 2024 season of the Contender Series.</p>
<p>In the fight itself, Wes put up a valiant effort but was overwhelmed and finished deep in the second round via ground n&#8217; pound.</p>
<h3>First Contender Series Opponent</h3>
<p>In Schultz&#8217;s first appearance on the Contender Series, he took on Mansur Abdul-Malik. Mansur won a contract as a result of his finish against Wes. Abdul-Malik would make his UFC debut a few months later stopping a then 12-4 Dusko Todorovic. The first-round finish earned Mansur a performance bonus in the process. Earlier this year, Mansur stopped a then 6-1, Nick Klein, in the second round of their bout.</p>
<p>Most recently, Mansur logged an ultra-controversial majority decision victory against Cody Brundage. The decision was overturned to a draw after the fact (incomplete rounds were scored, which goes against Georgia Athletic Commission rules).</p>
<p>Mansur is currently scheduled to take on Antonio Troccoli in December. So, all things considered, this is a loss that has aged exceptionally for Wes and is obviously a large part of why he is back.</p>
<h3>The Road Back</h3>
<p>In the year and two months since Wes last appeared at the APEX he has competed once and had two fights cancelled.</p>
<p>Wes was actually scheduled for redemption immediately as he was supposed to fight in week 10 of the same season of the CS. But instead, Wes withdrew from his fight against Heraldo Souza. Souza, then 9-1-1, would go on to be submitted in just over 30 seconds, by short-notice replacement, Nick Klein. Klein would receive a UFC contract (and later lose to Mansur Abdul-Malik).</p>
<p>Schultz took on 7-4, Dustin Pape, in Michiana Fight League (MFL) based out of Indiana, USA. Wes smoked Dustin, subbing the fighter with a guillotine in under a minute. This fight was back in April.</p>
<p>&#8220;Party Time&#8221; was scheduled to fight 4-14, Blake Breitsprecher, at heavyweight to stay busy in July. That fight was supposed to be under the Pure FC (PFC) banner based out of Wisconsin, USA. The bout fell through as another event was scheduled and Blake was rebooked with another opponent.</p>
<h3>Gameplan/New Opponent</h3>
<p>For his shot at redemption on the Contender Series, Schultz will be taking on another undefeated fighter in Mario Mingaj.</p>
<p>Mario is a towering figure at 6&#8217;4&#8243; tall and has a good amount of experience in the cage. Mingaj was actually 2-3 in amateur MMA and started his amateur career in 2016.</p>
<p>Mario is a four-fight veteran of the Venator Fighting Championship (VFC) based out of Italy and a two-fight veteran of Cage Warriors FC based out of England. He&#8217;s got some good experience. As a professional, Mario started his career in 2021. Mario&#8217;s best opponent was his most recent fight against then 7-2 fighter Zura Zarnadze. Mario submitted Zura with a triangle choke in under two minutes of the first round of their fight in November 2024. In the fight prior to that, Mingaj&#8217;s Cage Warrior&#8217;s debut, he submitted undefeated Qendrim Pallata via triangle choke at the end of the second round.</p>
<p>Mario has finished all but one of his opponents, of those finishes, five were submissions, of those submissions, four were triangle choke. He&#8217;s nasty with the technique and finds himself in a position to execute it often.</p>
<p>Wes is drawing a difficult opponent for his shot at redemption but a victory by any means is a guaranteed ticket to the UFC.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/10/13/redemption-second-chance-on-dana-whites-contender-series-wes-schultz/" data-wpel-link="internal">Redemption: Second Chance on Dana White&#8217;s Contender Series — Wes Schultz</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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		<title>DWCS 2025: Episode 10 Breakdown and Predictions</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2025/10/12/dwcs-2025-episode-10-breakdown-and-predictions/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shawn Bitter]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 12 Oct 2025 16:24:07 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Contender Series]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Prospects]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ananias Mulumba]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Azamat Nuftillaev]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DWTNCS 86]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Freddy Vidal]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jovan Leka]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Juan Diaz]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Levi Rodrigues]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mario Mingaj]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marwan Rahiki]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Michael Oliveira]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Victor Valenzuela]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wes Schultz]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Won Il Kwon]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=215874</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The final episode of DWCS 2025 arrives this week, with Tuesday night marking the last chance for another 10 UFC hopefuls to break into the promotion this year. Through nine weeks, Dana White has awarded 41 UFC contracts, and should all five winners earn contracts this Tuesday, the total of 46 will match the show&#8217;s [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/10/12/dwcs-2025-episode-10-breakdown-and-predictions/" data-wpel-link="internal">DWCS 2025: Episode 10 Breakdown and Predictions</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The final episode of DWCS 2025 arrives this week, with Tuesday night marking the last chance for another 10 UFC hopefuls to break into the promotion this year.</p>
<p>Through nine weeks, Dana White has awarded 41 UFC contracts, and should all five winners earn contracts this Tuesday, the total of 46 will match the show&#8217;s all-time high, set in 2023. Awarding over 40 contracts is unquestionably diluting the talent pool at this point, but it&#8217;s hard to argue with some of the fights this season — especially when Adrián Luna Martinetti and Mark Vologdin put on one of the greatest fights in <em>Dana White&#8217;s Contender Series</em> history just last week.</p>
<p>Yes, Vologdin was signed off a loss, but like Forrest Griffin and the late Stephan Bonnar two decades ago, he and Martinetti absolutely tore down the house, and reminded MMA fans just why they watch the sport.</p>
<p>In Episode 10 of DWCS 2025, recent ONE Championship title challenger Kwon Won Il will look to prove he belongs in the UFC, while a full five undefeated athletes also appear. Freddy Vidal also returns for his second fight of the season.</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="FREDDY VIDAL! DANA WHITE CONTENDER SERIES PROSPECT!! FULL FIGHT!!! FLEX FIGHTS 43" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vZJ4pD-6Vyw?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<h3>Light Heavyweight: Freddy Vidal (4-0) vs. Levi Rodrigues (5-0)</h3>
<h4>Notable Notes</h4>
<ul>
<li>Second fight this Contender Series season for Vidal</li>
<li>Both fought just a month ago</li>
<li>Vidal only has one win over a fighter with a winning record</li>
<li>Vidal is 1-0 in decisions</li>
<li>Rodrigues has never gone to a decision</li>
<li>Rodrigues has all wins by KO/TKO — one each in rounds one, two, and three</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Freddy Vidal</strong></p>
<div style="width: 40%; padding: 0 10px 0 0; float: left;">
<p><em>Pros</em></p>
<ul>
<li>Physically strong</li>
<li>Good clinch work</li>
<li>Heavy top position</li>
<li>Good ground and pound</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="width: 40%; padding: 0 10px 0 0; float: right;">
<p><em>Cons</em></p>
<ul>
<li>Reaches</li>
<li>Advances in straight lines</li>
<li>Questionable cardio</li>
<li>Takedown defense needs work</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="clear: both;"></div>
<p>Vidal gets another opportunity after earning a win but no contract on Week 5. The hard truth is that the fight was sloppy. Vidal gassed out and finished an opponent who essentially quit, with a choke that wasn’t even fully locked in — and he missed weight, too. To his credit, he fought through adversity and kept pushing until the final seconds. I don’t think five weeks will make him a different fighter, but he should at least be better prepared.</p>
<p><strong>Levi Rodrigues</strong></p>
<div style="width: 40%; padding: 0 10px 0 0; float: left;">
<p><em>Pros</em></p>
<ul>
<li>Chopping leg kicks</li>
<li>Heavy hands</li>
<li>Dangerous in exchanges</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="width: 40%; padding: 0 10px 0 0; float: right;">
<p><em>Cons</em></p>
<ul>
<li>Throws wide</li>
<li>Questionable takedown defense</li>
<li>Reckless</li>
<li>Lacks setups</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="clear: both;"></div>
<p>There isn’t a ton of footage available on Rodrigues. His last two fights are online, but the others from LFA aren’t. In one, he was chaotic and scored a clean KO win. In the other, he was low volume and got the win when his opponent injured his shoulder. He was winning, but didn’t react well to punches and panic-shot takedowns.</p>
<p>Rodrigues is someone you don’t want dictating the pace. He’s effective on the outside with heavy kicks and will explode with powerful hooks for a few seconds at a time. If you go first, he tends to shell up and either shoot or throw back wild. When pressured, he slows down and can be taken down. The power is real, but that’s about it — he’s not fast, far from technical, and doesn’t throw much volume.</p>
<p><strong>Prediction:</strong> Rodrigues is the younger and more experienced fighter, with additional combat experience in boxing and kickboxing. I’d imagine Vidal will look to wrestle to avoid the more powerful striker in Rodrigues. There’s a path for Vidal if Rodrigues gasses out, but I’ll side with Rodrigues — he’s more likely to land the bigger shot, and that’s where the fight starts.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/10/12/dwcs-2025-episode-10-breakdown-and-predictions/" data-wpel-link="internal">DWCS 2025: Episode 10 Breakdown and Predictions</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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		<title>TTP Ep. 496: Wes Schultz, Chasen Blair, and UFC Paris</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2025/09/03/ttp-ep-496-wes-schultz-chasen-blair-and-ufc-paris/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Daniel Vreeland]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 04 Sep 2025 01:24:46 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Podcasts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chasen Blair]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC Paris]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wes Schultz]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=213953</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Wes Schultz Interview (1:53) Kicking off this UFC Shanghai edition of TTP is our interview with Dana White&#8217;s Contender Series welterweight, Wes Schultz. Schultz talks about his first run on the Contende Series, where he faced Mansur Abdul-Malik. Then he shares where his head went in between fights and whether or not he&#8217;d be invited [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/09/03/ttp-ep-496-wes-schultz-chasen-blair-and-ufc-paris/" data-wpel-link="internal">TTP Ep. 496: Wes Schultz, Chasen Blair, and UFC Paris</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h3>Wes Schultz Interview (1:53)</h3>
<p>Kicking off this UFC Shanghai edition of TTP is our interview with Dana White&#8217;s Contender Series welterweight, Wes Schultz. Schultz talks about his first run on the Contende Series, where he faced Mansur Abdul-Malik. Then he shares where his head went in between fights and whether or not he&#8217;d be invited back to the show. After that &#8220;Party Time&#8221; breaks down his upcoming fight with Mario Mingaj, which takes place during an October episode of Dana White&#8217;s Contender Series.</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/2164376307&amp;color=%23288aa1&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;show_teaser=true&amp;visual=true" width="100%" height="300" frameborder="no" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc; line-break: anywhere; word-break: normal; overflow: hidden; white-space: nowrap; text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif; font-weight: 100;"><a style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" title="TopTurtleMMA" href="https://soundcloud.com/topturtlemma" target="_blank" rel="noopener external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">TopTurtleMMA</a> · <a style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" title="Episode 496: Wes Schultz, Chasen Blair and UFC Paris" href="https://soundcloud.com/topturtlemma/episode-496-wes-schultz-chasen-blair-and-ufc-paris" target="_blank" rel="noopener external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">Episode 496: Wes Schultz, Chasen Blair and UFC Paris</a></div>
<p><span style="color: #111111; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 22px;">Fights, Dogs and Parlays: UFC Paris (14:06)</span></p>
<p>Two weeks removed from <a href="https://www.fanduel.com/research/ufc-shanghai-best-bets-and-props-walker-vs-zhang" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">UFC Shanghai</a>, we&#8217;re finally back to live fights. UFC Paris takes place bright and early on Saturday and it&#8217;s headlined by a pair of middleweights looking for a title fight. Fighting Nerd, Caio Borralho looks to take the number one spot from its current owner Nassourdine Imavov. Plus, the co-main event sees his teammate Mauricio Ruffy get a big step up against Benoit St. Denis. We&#8217;ll break down those fights as well as some of our other favorite fights on the main card. Plus, as always, we&#8217;re hitting you with an underdog and a plus-money parlay that we think will make your wallet fat this weekend. For this segment, all <a href="https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/mma" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">odds via FanDuel Sportsbook</a>.</p>
<h3>Chasen Blair Interview (19:34)</h3>
<p>Closing out this UFC Paris edition of TTP is our interview with Dana White&#8217;s Contender Series lightweight, Chasen Blair. Blair also talks about his first effort at Dana White&#8217;s Contender Series and the awkward circumstances behind it. Plus, he shares his thoughts on his path to get there in the first place. He also talks about his friendship with Paddy Pimblett and how training with him has helped to lead him back to the show. And, of course, we end everything with a breakdown of his upcoming fight. He throws down next Tuesday on Dana White&#8217;s Contender Series against Samuel Sanches.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/09/03/ttp-ep-496-wes-schultz-chasen-blair-and-ufc-paris/" data-wpel-link="internal">TTP Ep. 496: Wes Schultz, Chasen Blair, and UFC Paris</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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		<title>Dana White&#8217;s Contender Series Season 8, Week 1 Results</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2024/08/13/dana-whites-contender-series-season-8-week-1-results/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 13 Aug 2024 21:44:05 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Contender Series]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Results & Recaps]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[An Tuan Ho]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bruno Lopes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DWTNCS 67]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ernie Juarez]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jose Degaldo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lone'er Kavanagh]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mansur Abdul-Malik]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Meng Ding]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mikheil Sazhiniani]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rami Hamed]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wes Schultz]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=193699</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The Contender Series is back! Ahead of UFC 305 in Australia, and with The Ultimate Fighter 32 still to wrap up, season eight of Dana White&#8217;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&#8217;s not hyperbole for at least one [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2024/08/13/dana-whites-contender-series-season-8-week-1-results/" data-wpel-link="internal">Dana White&#8217;s Contender Series Season 8, Week 1 Results</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Contender Series is back!</p>
<p>Ahead of <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2024/03/28/ufc-305-set-for-perth-australia-on-august-17/" data-wpel-link="internal">UFC 305</a> in Australia, and with<a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2024/08/06/the-ultimate-fighter-32-ep-10-kaan/" data-wpel-link="internal"><em> The Ultimate Fighter 32</em></a> still to wrap up, season eight of Dana White&#8217;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.</p>
<p>That&#8217;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&#8217;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 <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2024/07/28/muhammad-mokaev-new-contract-title-shot-dana-white-suggests-pfl-is-next/" data-wpel-link="internal">Muhammad Mokaev</a>.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<h3>Where to Watch Dana White&#8217;s Contender Series Season 8, Week 1</h3>
<p><em>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 <a href="http://ufc.tv" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">UFC Fight Pass</a>. Full results from the event can be found below.</em></p>
<h3>Dana White&#8217;s Contender Series Season 8, Week 1 Results</h3>
<p><em>Middleweight</em>: Mansur Abdul-Malik def. Wes Schultz by TKO, Round 2, 3:55<br />
<em>Welterweight</em>: Rami Hamed def. Meng Ding by unanimous decision (30-26*, 29-27, 29-27)<br />
<em>Light Heavyweight</em>: Bruno Lopes def. Mikheil Sazhiniani by TKO, Round 2, 4:14<br />
<em>Featherweight</em>: Jose Degaldo def. Ernie Juarez by KO, 2, 1:25<br />
<em>Flyweight</em>: Lone&#8217;er Kavanagh def. An Tuan Ho by KO, Round 1, 2:35</p>
<p>* <em>Score was announced incorrectly as 30-27, as <a href="https://x.com/JohnMorgan_MMA/status/1823521960200200317" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">reported by John Morgan</a></em></p>
<p><em><strong>Contract Winners: Lone&#8217;er Kavanagh, Jose Degaldo, Bruno Lopes, Mansur Abdul-Malik</strong></em></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2024/08/13/dana-whites-contender-series-season-8-week-1-results/" data-wpel-link="internal">Dana White&#8217;s Contender Series Season 8, Week 1 Results</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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		<title>DWCS Week 1&#8217;s Wes Schultz: Here to Party</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2024/08/13/dwcs-week-1s-wes-schultz-here-to-party/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Daniel Vreeland]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 13 Aug 2024 14:23:09 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Contender Series]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dana White's Contender Series]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wes Schultz]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=193686</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The call to be on Dana White&#8217;s Contender Series is a monumental part in many mixed martial artists&#8217; careers. The chance to punch their ticket to the biggest stage in the sport,  and do so in front of Dana White, is a major turning point. Although all of that holds true for Wes Schultz, when [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2024/08/13/dwcs-week-1s-wes-schultz-here-to-party/" data-wpel-link="internal">DWCS Week 1&#8217;s Wes Schultz: Here to Party</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The call to be on Dana White&#8217;s Contender Series is a monumental part in many mixed martial artists&#8217; careers. The chance to punch their ticket to the biggest stage in the sport,  and do so in front of Dana White, is a major turning point. Although all of that holds true for Wes Schultz, when he got the call, there was a different initial reaction.</p>
<p>&#8220;At first I was thinking &#8216;F*ck, this is really early [to find out]. I&#8217;m going to be thinking about this for the next four goddam months,&#8221; Schultz said with a laugh. &#8220;But after that I was pretty excited, man. Obviously, this is why I do it.&#8221;</p>
<p>And it&#8217;s not surprising that Schultz wanted to get right to it &#8211; afterall, his nickname is &#8220;Party Time&#8221;. That nickname describes not just wanting to get down to the fun part of the fight, but also other aspects of his fighting style and life.</p>
<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m not afraid to have fun and kind of do different techniques &#8211; let it hang out a little bit while I&#8217;m fighting,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And when out of camp&#8230; similar philosophy.&#8221;</p>
<p>Schultz expects his Dana White&#8217;s Contender Series opponent, Mansur Abdul-Malik, to oblige him in a fun fight. He expects it to be a wild one that the boss is sure to love.</p>
<p>&#8220;I don&#8217;t foresee him trying to take me down all that much. I think we&#8217;re going to meet in the middle and f*cking start swinging leather,&#8221; Schultz explained. &#8220;Win or lose, we&#8217;re not going to get paid by the hour. I think one of us is going to f*cking find the other one. We just got to get in there and find out who it&#8217;s going to be.&#8221;</p>
<p>That fight with Mansur Abdul-Malik will serve as the main event to week one of Dana White&#8217;s Contender Series. That fight takes place this Tuesday with the card beginning at 7pm EST on ESPN+.</p>
<p><em>You can hear the entire audio of this interview at 30:32.</em><br />
<iframe loading="lazy" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1891224927&amp;color=%23ff5500&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;show_teaser=true" width="100%" height="166" frameborder="no" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc; line-break: anywhere; word-break: normal; overflow: hidden; white-space: nowrap; text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif; font-weight: 100;"><a style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" title="TopTurtleMMA" href="https://soundcloud.com/topturtlemma" target="_blank" rel="noopener external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">TopTurtleMMA</a> · <a style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" title="Episode 441: Marcin Tybura, Kate Bacik, Wes Schultz and UFC Vegas 95" href="https://soundcloud.com/topturtlemma/episode-441-marcin-tybura-kate-bacik-wes-schultz-and-ufc-vegas-95" target="_blank" rel="noopener external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">Episode 441: Marcin Tybura, Kate Bacik, Wes Schultz and UFC Vegas 95</a></div>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2024/08/13/dwcs-week-1s-wes-schultz-here-to-party/" data-wpel-link="internal">DWCS Week 1&#8217;s Wes Schultz: Here to Party</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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		<title>DWCS 2024: Episode 1 Breakdown and Predictions</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2024/08/12/dwcs-2024-episode-1-breakdown-and-predictions/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shawn Bitter]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 12 Aug 2024 15:32:02 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Contender Series]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Prospects]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[An Tuan Ho]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bruno Lopes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DWTNCS 67]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ernie Juarez]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jose Delgado]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lone'er Kavanagh]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mansur Abdul-Malik]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Meng Ding]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mikheil Sazhiniani]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rami Hamed]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wes Schultz]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=193631</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Dana White&#8217;s Contender Series returns to the air on August 13, with Season 8 once again set for 10 weeks of action from UFC hopefuls. DWCS 2024 will have some fresh blood and some familiar faces, with LFA light heavyweight champ Bruno Lopes getting a second look this time around. In a must-see match-up between [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2024/08/12/dwcs-2024-episode-1-breakdown-and-predictions/" data-wpel-link="internal">DWCS 2024: Episode 1 Breakdown and Predictions</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Dana White&#8217;s Contender Series returns to the air on August 13, with Season 8 once again set for 10 weeks of action from UFC hopefuls. DWCS 2024 will have some fresh blood and some familiar faces, with <a href="http://lfa.com" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">LFA</a> light heavyweight champ Bruno Lopes getting a second look this time around.</p>
<p>In a must-see match-up between young prospects, meanwhile, flyweights An Tuan Ho and Lone&#8217;er Kavanagh collide.</p>
<p>With the season kicking off, it&#8217;s time to break down each fight and give our predictions for episode 1!</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="Wesley Schultz vs. Justin Baehring - PURE FC 27" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yn9Ilflnvyk?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<h3>Middleweight, Mansur Abdul-Malik (5-0) vs. Wes Schultz (6-1)</h3>
<h4>Notable Notes</h4>
<ul>
<li>Both are the same height but Abdul-Malik has a four-inch reach advantage.</li>
<li>Abdul-Malik has only beaten one person with a winning record (1-0).</li>
<li>Schultz&#8217;s only pro loss comes to UFC fighter Dylan Budka.</li>
<li>Abdul-Malik has never fought outside round one.</li>
<li>Abdul-Malik trains out of the predominant camp at MMA Masters.</li>
</ul>
<h4>Pros and Cons</h4>
<div style="width: 40%; padding: 0 10px 0 0; float: left;">
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Mansur Abdul-Malik</span></strong></p>
<p><em>Pros</em></p>
<ul>
<li>Heavy ground and pound</li>
<li>Hits hard</li>
<li>Fast starter</li>
<li>Super athletic</li>
<li>Strong wrestling</li>
<li>Good straight punches</li>
</ul>
<p><em>Cons</em></p>
<ul>
<li>Head sits on the centerline</li>
<li>Reckless/Overzealous</li>
<li>Over uses energy</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="width: 40%; padding: 0 10px 0 0; float: right;">
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Wes Schultz</span></strong></p>
<p><em>Pros</em></p>
<ul>
<li>Good positional grappling</li>
<li>Submission threat</li>
<li>High work rate</li>
<li>Scrambles well</li>
<li>Crafty</li>
<li>Good ground and pound</li>
</ul>
<p><em>Cons</em></p>
<ul>
<li>Weak TDD</li>
<li>Pulls guard</li>
<li>Hands low</li>
<li>Throws naked kicks</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="clear: both;"></div>
<p><strong>Prediction:</strong> Not surprised to see Abdul-Malik on the Contender Series for DWCS 2024 but he&#8217;s so raw that he would benefit from gaining more experience. Yet while he is raw, he&#8217;s still so athletic and has the wrestling base along with the power to be something special.</p>
<p>Saying that there are concerns. If you watch his pro debut you&#8217;ll see those concerns. He wasn&#8217;t setting anything up, was reckless, and got dropped. He&#8217;s grown since then but there are still a lot of unanswered questions that remain.</p>
<p>Wes Schultz would be the complete opposite. He&#8217;s seasoned and we&#8217;ve seen him put in every position. His only loss is to UFC&#8217;s <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2024/04/06/ufc-vegas-90-cesar-almeida-tkos-dylan-budka-despite-takedown-defense-holes/" data-wpel-link="internal">Dylan Budka</a>.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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&#8217; pound. I&#8217;ve got Abdul-Malik by first-round knockout and I&#8217;m 65% confident.</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="Mansur Abdul-Malik On Getting DWCS Call, Martial Arts Background, Schultz Matchup | DWCS Week 1" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4dZCTL2NyAQ?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2024/08/12/dwcs-2024-episode-1-breakdown-and-predictions/" data-wpel-link="internal">DWCS 2024: Episode 1 Breakdown and Predictions</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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		<title>TTP Ep. 441 with Marcin Tybura, Kate Bacik, Wes Schultz, and UFC Vegas 95</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2024/08/07/ttp-ep-441-with-marcin-tybura-kate-bacik-wes-schultz-and-ufc-vegas-95/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Daniel Vreeland]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 07 Aug 2024 13:08:11 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Podcasts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kate Bacik]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marcin Tybura]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC Vegas 95]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wes Schultz]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=193413</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Marcin Tybura Interview (2:15) Kicking off this edition of TTP is our interview with UFC heavyweight, Marcin Tybura. Tyubura discusses his upcoming headliner spot at UFC Vegas 95 and how it came to be. Plus, he gives his thoughts on a rematch with Sergey Spivak and talks about how he thinks they both progressed since [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2024/08/07/ttp-ep-441-with-marcin-tybura-kate-bacik-wes-schultz-and-ufc-vegas-95/" data-wpel-link="internal">TTP Ep. 441 with Marcin Tybura, Kate Bacik, Wes Schultz, and UFC Vegas 95</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h3>Marcin Tybura Interview (2:15)</h3>
<p>Kicking off this edition of TTP is our interview with UFC heavyweight, Marcin Tybura. Tyubura discusses his <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2024/07/18/marcin-tybura-vs-serghei-spivac-ii-gets-main-event-billing-at-ufc-vegas-95/" data-wpel-link="internal">upcoming headliner spot</a> at UFC Vegas 95 and how it came to be. Plus, he gives his thoughts on a rematch with Sergey Spivak and talks about how he thinks they both progressed since their last fight.</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1891224927&amp;color=%23ff5500&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;show_teaser=true&amp;visual=true" width="100%" height="300" frameborder="no" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc; line-break: anywhere; word-break: normal; overflow: hidden; white-space: nowrap; text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif; font-weight: 100;"><a style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" title="TopTurtleMMA" href="https://soundcloud.com/topturtlemma" target="_blank" rel="noopener external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">TopTurtleMMA</a> · <a style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" title="Episode 441: Marcin Tybura, Kate Bacik, Wes Schultz and UFC Vegas 95" href="https://soundcloud.com/topturtlemma/episode-441-marcin-tybura-kate-bacik-wes-schultz-and-ufc-vegas-95" target="_blank" rel="noopener external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">Episode 441: Marcin Tybura, Kate Bacik, Wes Schultz and UFC Vegas 95</a></div>
<p><span style="color: #111111; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 22px;">Fights, Dogs, and Parlays: UFC Vegas 95 (15:27)</span></p>
<p>Fresh off an exciting <a href="https://www.fanduel.com/research/ufc-abu-dhabi-best-bets-sandhagen-vs-nurmagomedov" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">UFC Abu Dhabi</a>, the UFC heads back to the Apex for another of their fight night cards. Headlined by the aforementioned heavyweight showdown between Marcin Tybura and Sergey Spivak, UFC Vegas 95 has plenty of interesting stylistic matchups. We take a look at a few of those and let you know our picks. Plus, we find you the best value underdogs and parlays on the card. Don&#8217;t miss it! For this segment, all <a href="https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/mma" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">odds via FanDuel Sportsbook</a>.</p>
<h3>Kate Bacik Interview (21:15)</h3>
<p>Next up is our interview with Invicta FC flyweight, Kate Bacik. Bacik discusses her early professional career and why a loss early on may have actually got her to where she is. She also shares how she has quite a bit more experience than her record would seem to indicate. Plus, she breaks down her Invicta FC 56 bout with Paula Cristina that takes place this Friday on CBS Sports Network.</p>
<h3>Wes Schultz Interview (30:32)</h3>
<p>Closing out this UFC Vegas 95 edition of TTP is our interview with Contender Series middleweight, Wes Schultz. Schultz will headline week one of the ESPN+ show this upcoming Tuesday. He talked about getting the call so far in advance from the fight itself. He also shares the history of how he became known as &#8220;Party Time&#8221;. Finally, he breaks down the fight itself and his opponent. He&#8217;ll fight fellow middleweight prospect, Mansur Abdul-Malik.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2024/08/07/ttp-ep-441-with-marcin-tybura-kate-bacik-wes-schultz-and-ufc-vegas-95/" data-wpel-link="internal">TTP Ep. 441 with Marcin Tybura, Kate Bacik, Wes Schultz, and UFC Vegas 95</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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