Dana White’s Contender Series Starts Off With a Bang

Ever since the UFC switched gloves at UFC 302 in Newark, New Jersey, there has been a noticeable decline in fights being finished. While it hasn’t been proven that the decline in knockouts has anything to do with equipment, the fighters who fought in the first week of Dana White’s Contender Series showed it’s still possible to produce excitement.

Anyone looking at MMAfighting latest news will see that the Contender Series produced four knockouts in five fights. The Contender Series has been one of the main avenues for fighters to come into the promotion over the past few years. The Contender Series has seen two of its alumni, Sean O’Malley and Jamahal Hill, go on to hold UFC belts.

Here’s a look at who impressed during the first week of the show. Four fighters were able to earn contracts. White loves when fighters can land impressive knockouts, and he had a fair share of wild moments to choose from as his favorite.

Lone’er Kavanagh Picks Up Impressive First Round KO

Lone’er Kavanagh built up his reputation in Cage Warriors. The best MMA news sites show that Kavanagh wasn’t expected to dominate An Tuan Ho. The betting line showed that many people thought it was a pick ‘em that would go the distance.

But Kavanagh made sure that no one would need to tally up any scores. Kavanagh stepped in with a vicious left hook near the middle of the first round. When Ho hit the canvas, his head snapped back and hit the floor. He was out for several seconds. 

Jose Delgado Wears Down Ernie Juarez 

Jose Delgado earned a knockout in satisfying fashion at Contender Series. During the first round, Delgado built a lead on the scorecards with his sharp striking. But it was what Delgado did in the second round that earned him a new contract.

Ernie Juarez made a major mistake in the second round. He was shelling up and allowing Delgado to march forward. Delgado landed a number of strikes. But it was a devastating knee that brought Juarez down to the canvas.

Delgado dropped him to the canvas with a knee, then dropped a number of hammer fists to force the fight to a stoppage.

Lopes Recovers from Slow Start to Season

Bruno Lopes made the most of his second attempt at a shot on the Contender Series. When Lopes looked like he was losing control, he was able to turn things around with shots to the body. When Lopes punished a tiring Mikheil Sazhiniani consistently, he was looking for a way out.

During the second round, Lopes was able to earn his contract when he landed a body shot that forced Sazhiniani to freeze up and stop fighting. During Lopes’ last shot at fighting in the Contender Series, he was stopped by Brendson Ribeiro in the first round.

Ribeiro has struggled since landing on the UFC’s main roster. He is 0-2 so far in both of his contests, which came in 2024.

Mansur Abdul-Malik Takes Awhile to Adjust

Wes Schultz threw crazy punches and kicks at a bewildered Mansur Abdul-Malik during the main event. Many people thought that Abdul-Malik was the better prospect and would earn a stoppage in the first round. But Schultz had a goofy style that paid dividends.

Schultz stung Abdul-Malik with some strikes in the second round and was able to force him down to the canvas. Schultz fired off ground-and-pound. But ultimately, Schultz was no match for Abdul-Malik.

Abdul-Malik landed a few stiff punches late in the second round. A stiff elbow started the finishing sequence.

Contracts For (Nearly) Everyone

Rami Hamed was the only fighter to win who did not earn a contract from the opening night. It was partially his fault. Hamed had a hard time keeping Ding Meng from holding him along the fence in a clinch-heavy affair.

However, Ding wasn’t able to control his strikes either. What resulted was a sloppy fight that was halted constantly for low blows. In a rarity for the Contender Series, things got so bad that the referee deducted a point from Hamed for low blows.

Hamed won the fight by unanimous decision but didn’t achieve his ultimate goal of earning a contract. While Hamed may be invited back at a later date, he will need to do a lot to earn a spot to fight in the welterweight division.

Who Looked the Best?

There was a thought that this night would be to celebrate the achievements of Abdul-Malik, who is now 6-0 in his career. However, Abdul-Malik’s struggles to put an unorthodox Schultz away quickly tempered the excitement a bit.

Kavanagh is the prospect who stood out the most. The UFC is always looking for flyweights who can finish fights. At the lighter weight classes, fighters are generally more well-rounded and don’t hit as hard. That can lead to more fights going the distance.

If Kavanagh’s power can translate to the UFC main roster, he could be an exciting fit in the flyweight division, which is always looking for fighters who can push the action. 

A Path to Success

A more cynical portion of the fanbase points to the Contender Series as a way for the UFC to bring inexperienced fighters in on cheaper contracts. But, the show has drawn excellent reviews for how the fighters are introduced and given a place to shine.

Like with any combat sport, there is no guarantee that any fighter will be able to climb the rankings quickly, no matter how they enter a promotion. Including Week 1 of this season, 238 athletes have earned UFC contracts through the Contender Series.

There have been 67 weeks of competition. There were also 11 competitions for a three-week Brazilian-based season that took place in 2018. Not all of the people who earned deals will become champions, but they will all get an opportunity to prove they are worthy.

Find all the latest boxing news and MMA breaking updates on boxingnews.com.

By Dean McHugh.