Dana White's Contender Series
Fight Preview
Week 6 Preview | Dana White's Contender Series Season 9
Previewing The Ten New Hopefuls Competing For A Shot At The Big Show On September 16
The first of two mid-season weeks delivered another first for Season 9 last week on Dana White’s Contender Series as Shanelle Dyer became the first athlete to land on the unhappy side of the results, but still earn the opportunity to compete in the UFC. It’s only happened a couple times in the passed, most recently with Jose Daniel Medina, and becomes another touchstone moment in what has already been an exciting season.
In addition to Dyer, four of last week’s five winners earned contracts, including Caroline Foro, who defeated Dyer, and her Brazilian compatriots Samuel Sanches and Lerryan Douglas, as well as heavyweight Steven “Concrete” Asplund, while the fifth victorious fighter, Freddy Vidal, was booked for a return appearance in Week 10 following his last-second, short-notice win over Felipe Franco.
Meet Us In Perth? UFC Fight Night: Ulberg vs Reyes, Tickets On Sale Now
As we ready for Week 6, there have been 21 contract awarded, and for the third consecutive week, the competitor with the greater Since Score emerged victorious in three out of the five matchups, bringing the cumulative record through 25 fights up to 13-11 with one push.
Will the back half the season begin with a bang? We’ll find out Tuesday, but here’s a look at the hopefuls that will be doing their best to ensure that happens.
Hecher Sosa vs Mackson Lee
Bantamweights get top billing this week as Spanish standout Hecher Sosa faces off with undefeated Brazilian Mackson Lee in the final bout of Week 6.
The 30-year-old “Guanche Warrior” enters with a 13-1 record and a 10-fight winning streak, where each of the last five victories have come inside the distance. Sosa possesses a -6.5 Since Score, but it’s slightly skewed as a result of his debut coming against a weekend warrior and several of his previous opponents having not yet returned to action.
See Who DraftKings Picks For Week 6 Of DWCS
Lee is a 26-year-old with incredible size for the division, standing six-foot-one and sporting a 75-inch reach. Perfect as a professional through nine fights, there are only fight details for last four victories on Tapology, and with two of his opponents not having profiles on the fight database site, his -8.0 Since Score is slightly favorable to him.
InSoo Hwang vs Paddy McCorry
Middleweight has been one of the most prominent divisions so far this season and features again here as InSoo Hwang squares off with TUF alum Paddy McCorry.
Hwang arrives in Las Vegas riding a four-fight winning streak that includes a split decision win over Road to UFC competitor Han Seul Kim and carrying an 8-1 record overall and a +3.0 Since Score. Each of his first six bouts ended in the opening round, while he’s gone the distance in each of his last two outings, most recently having successfully defended his Road FC middleweight title in March.
A member of the middleweight cast on TUF 32, McCorry steps in for fellow Cage Warriors alum Will Currie, looking to make the most of his second chance to punch his ticket to the UFC. The Fight Academy Ireland product is 6-1 overall and has won his last four, while carrying a -1.0 Since Score into his return to the UFC APEX.
Iwo Baraniewski vs Mahamed Aly
It’s a clash of undefeated light heavyweights here as Poland’s Iwo Baraniewski and Brazilian Mahamed Aly clash in Las Vegas on Tuesday evening.
The 26-year-old Baraniewski had an extensive amateur career, posting a 17-3 record before turning pro two years ago. He’s gone 5-0 thus far, earning first-round finishes each time out, while amassing a -1.0 Since Score along the way.
How To Watch Season 9 Of Dana White's Contender Series
Aly, who won the IBJJF Worlds in the super heavyweight division in 2018, is 4-0 since transitioning from the mats and into MMA in 2024. Though he has a -3.0 Since Score, it is worth nothing that he earned a unanimous decision win over recently released UFC veteran Jared Gooden last time out to maintain his unblemished record.
Cody Chovanchek vs Raphael Uchegbu
The first of Tuesday’s twin bantamweight matchups features Canadian Cody Chovanchek and England’s Raphael Uchegbu.
Unbeaten in eight professional bouts and training out of Niagara Top Team, Chovanchek claimed the Unified MMA bantamweight title two fights back with a fifth-round calf slicer submission and successfully defended the belt in May. He’s earned finishes in five of his eight bouts and sports a -8.0 Since Score, which can be attributed wholly to one previous opponent.
Uchegbu touches down in Las Vegas riding a four-fight winning streak and a 10-1 record, that includes a title win and two successful title defenses under the Full Contact Contender (FCC) banner in England. Like so many regional fighters looking to gain experience, he’s unfortunately faced a host of late replacements and opponents with limited experience, resulting in a -15.0 Since Score heading into this one.
Adam Livingston vs Thomas Gantt
Undefeated American lightweights meet here as Adam Livingston and Thomas Gantt share the Octagon on Week 6.
Fighting out of Long Island MMA, the 24-year-old Livingston has earned six straight wins to begin his professional career, only going to the scorecards once. The three-year pro carries a -3.0 Since Score, though three of his previous opponents failed to compete after their meeting, with the others are collectively winless, making the young New Yorker a difficult prospect to profile based on previous results.
A former All-American wrestler at North Carolina State, Gantt has posted a 10-0 record with one no contest since turning pro in the spring of 2024. He’s earned finishes in all but one of those bouts, but carries a -8.0 Since Score into his clash with Livingston on Tuesday evening.
