Dana White’s Contender Series delivered once again this year, with 42 prospects earning a spot in the UFC. Contract winner Cody Haddon already secured his first UFC win earlier this month at UFC Fight Night: Royval vs. Taira, showcasing the talent that the latest season of the annual Tuesday night competition produced.
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Now, let’s take a look at some of the best moments from Season 8:
What Better Way To Start The Season – (Week 1)
This season couldn’t have gotten off to a better start for UFC CEO Dana White. Week 1 started off with a bang in the flyweight division with undefeated prospects An Tuan Ho and Lone’er Kavanagh.
As soon as the fight began, you could tell both athletes were well-experienced and extremely technical. After trading kicks and finding their range for the first two minutes, it took just one punch to close the show.
Less than halfway through the first round, Kavanagh landed a quick left hook that sent Ho crashing to the canvas out cold. It was one and done for the 25-year-old, who now finds himself at 7-0 and with a UFC debut already on the horizon when he takes on Jose Ochoa at UFC Fight Night: Yan vs Figueiredo on November 23.
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Yuneisy Duben Defies The Odds – (Week 4)
Despite being unbeaten through her first six professional fights, 28-year-old Yuneisy Duben entered the Octagon as a +800 underdog in her Week 4 clash with undefeated Canadian Shannon Clark.
Clark was the aggressor early, but that ultimately became her downfall. Lunging forward with looping strikes, Duben quickly picked up her timing and landed nearly every counter she threw. Just 50 seconds into the round, Duben caught Clark coming in with a right hand, sending her to her knees. Once Clark got back to her feet, she found herself on the backfoot, with Duben hunting for a finish.
At just 1:13 of Round 1, Duben landed a thunderous overhand right that stiffened Clark before she even hit the ground. It drew one of the most significant reactions of the season from White, who leaped out of his chair as soon as the punch connected.
Another City Kickboxing Product Breaks Through – (Week 5)
Auckland, New Zealand’s premier mixed martial arts gym, City Kickboxing, has produced numerous UFC athletes, including former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya, Kai Kara-France, Dan Hooker and Carlos Ulberg, among many others.
Week 5 of DWCS Season 8 saw 26-year-old light heavyweight Navajo Stirling become the newest member of the gym to be signed to the UFC after securing a second-round stoppage victory.
Just over two minutes into the second round, Stirling uncorked a picture-perfect left hook, knocking out opponent Phillip Latu with no follow-up shots necessary. Stirling makes his UFC debut against Tuco Tokkos on Saturday, December 14, in Tampa, Florida.
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Torrez Finney Gets It Done
Often, fighters competing on Dana White’s Contender Series are very young in their professional careers, so they’re still unknown to many mixed martial arts fans. That couldn’t be less true of Torrez Finney, who’s competed three times on the show.
The five-foot-eight middleweight made his DWCS debut on Week 10 of Season 7, but didn’t do enough to earn a contract that evening. He then fought to a unanimous decision victory in Week 2 this past season but received an earful of constructive criticism from White following the performance. Rather than being rewarded a UFC contract that night, Finney earned another opportunity to compete later that season on Week 8.
Finney maximized the spotlight in his third showing inside the Octagon, stopping Abdellah Er-Ramy in the first round to improve his pro record to 10-0 and secure a position on the UFC roster.
Closing Out Season 8 In Style
The final fight of DWCS Season 8 saw the quickest submission on the show in 2024 when Nick Klein stepped in on short notice to face Heraldo Souza in Week 10’s featured bout.
Klein wasted absolutely no time taking the fight to the mat, securing a takedown in under 10 seconds. He then rained down ground-and-pound until Souza gave up his back. Klein jumped on the opportunity and latched onto Souza’s neck, sinking in a rear-naked choke and forcing a tap just 37 seconds into the fight.
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