Dana White created the Contender Series to help the younger fighters on regional circuits. This season's main fight will feature the Lightweight title fight. The Middleweights, Welterweights, and Co-main Events will follow. The Ultimate Job Interview was cancelled due to injuries to main event competitors. However, this tournament offers a great opportunity to discover if you're the next big thing at the UFC.
Dana White's sixth Season of the Contender Series
The premiere date for the sixth season of Dana White’s Contender Series is Tuesday, July 26th at 8 PM ET. The program will air on ESPN+ live and air one episode per semaine. The UFC's newest fighters are scouted and offered contracts. Ten episodes will make up the sixth season.
The main event features lightweights
The lightweight division is seeing a revival with two promising prospects competing for the title shot. The main event will feature former UFC fighters Ty Flores vs Rafael Alves. Both men are currently on a four-fight winning streak. Rafael Alves, a former Titan FC interim lightweight champion, is currently a student at the MMA Masters South Florida. Miguel Baeza has been his mentor and he has witnessed his rise to stardom.
The co-main event will be hosted by middleweights
Two of the top fighters in the UFC 276 division will be featured in the co-main event. No. Jack Hermansson is 6th in the rankings and No. Sean Strickland, 7th in the rankings. Both fighters hope to face reigning division champion Israel Adesanya. Hermansson is a winner of nine fights since 2016, including six of his eight last fights. Strickland currently has a 5-fight winning streak and is looking to continue it.
Welterweights are the co-main event
The comain event of the contenders series features a fight between two former heavyweight champs, both of which are undefeated. Bruno Assis from Brazil will face Diaz, who defeated a highly-rated opponent back in March. A card featuring two exciting bantamweight bouts is also planned. Mayra Bueno Silva will take on Wu Yanan and Carlos Aldo will battle a middleweight prospect.
The co-main event will be the lightweights
The lightweight division returns for the second year in succession. One of the best prospects in the UFC will be facing a lightweight. In the co-main event of the contender series, Brendan Battles (28-0, 2 KOs) takes on an unknown opponent in Atlanta's Fred Grey. The winner will earn a spot in the lightweight division's championship fight next year.