Dana White's Contender Series
Dana White's Contender Series Picks: Season 9, Week 8 | DraftKings Sportsbook
Tim Finnegan of DraftKings Breaks Down This Week’s Episode Of Dana White’s Contender Series
Season 9 of Dana White’s Contender Series continued last week at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, and six fighters earned a UFC contract: Rafael Tobias, Javier Reyes, Jeisla Chaves, Sofia Montenegro, Murtazali Magomedov, and Mantas Kondratavicius. Kondratavicius made quick work of Dani Barbir, landing a ferocious 1-2 combo to record a KO/TKO stoppage one minute into the fight.
A DraftKings Sportsbook bettor cashed in during last week's event, turning $50 into over $1,300 with a Dana White’s Contender Series Parlay Bet featuring the following picks:
- Rafael Tobias Point Spread
- Javier Reyes Point Spread
- Murtazali Magomedov Point Spread
- Jeisla Chaves Moneyline
- Mantas Kondratavicius Moneyline
As a result of all of these outcomes hitting in the Parlay Bet, the DWCS bettor took home $1,333.00.
Week 8 of Dana White’s Contender Series airs on Tuesday, September 30 at 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN+. This week features a middleweight bout between Jungle Fight champion Vitor Costa and 23-year-old Damian Pinas.
Dana White’s Contender Series Odds: Week 8
- Vitor Costa (+105) vs Damian Pinas (-135)
- Kurtis Campbell (-475) vs Demba Seck (+325)
- Eliezer Kubanza (-280) vs Christopher Alvidrez (+210)
- Louis Jourdain (-175) vs Magno Dias (+135)
- Rashid Vagabov vs Paulo Henrique: odds TBD
Download the DraftKings Sportsbook app or check out Dana White’s Contender Series Odds Page!
Vitor Costa vs Damian Pinas
Costa has a good background. Costa is a double-champion in the Jungle Fight promotion in Brazil, winning the title in both the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions. Costa has also posted recent training footage with the Fighting Nerds and coach Erick Terere.
Costa is a good striker and is active, attacking with volume. Costa does not have huge one-punch knockout power but his ability to land with accuracy and volume wears opponents down and leaves them vulnerable to fight-ending combinations. Costa walks forward with pressure and leaves himself vulnerable to counters, but his chin has mostly been hard and he’s eaten the strikes. The exception to this was his KO/TKO loss to current UFC middleweight César Almeida in 2021, which is Costa’s only pro loss.
Costa is also a capable grappler. Costa has a jiu-jitsu background and has won three of his nine pro MMA fights by guillotine choke, showcasing a good squeeze. Costa is not particularly athletic or explosive with his takedowns but has dragged fights to the ground to work from top position.
Pinas is young and does not have a lot of experience, but he has flashed potential, particularly with his striking. Pinas’ hands look powerful, and he keeps a high guard with his arms to protect himself defensively. Pinas has been a strong finisher and he has finished all seven of his pro MMA wins, including his last four by KO/TKO.
Pinas’ biggest weakness is probably his grappling. The commentators on Pinas’ second most recent fight in 2024 claimed he was a white belt in jiu-jitsu. Pinas displayed soft takedown defense and did not look comfortable off his back, but did impressively record a kimura reversal from bottom half guard, which is not a technique you see very often. Pinas also attacked a leg entanglement from bottom position.
Costa could take advantage of Pinas’ inexperience on the ground, but Pinas is more athletic and more powerful, and there could be an opportunity for Pinas to capitalize on Costa’s forward pressure with a power strike that ends the fight inside the distance.
Prediction: Damian Pinas to win by KO/TKO
Read about UFC Point Spread betting at DraftKings Network: How to Bet UFC Point Spreads on DraftKings Sportsbook
The Crown Is Yours: Sign up for DraftKings and experience the ultimate host for games and betting experiences!
All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook, lines and odds subject to change.