The latest season of Dana White’s Contender Series continued with a highlight, finished-filled night in Las Vegas.
DWCS began in 2017 and has produced a notable number of fighters currently on the UFC’s roster. Since the show’s inception in 2017, a couple have even gone on to claim UFC championships. Known as “The ultimate job interview,” DWCS features five fights weekly, over the course of 10 weeks, as combatants compete to impress UFC CEO and President Dana White and earn a UFC contract.
Last year’s edition saw 42 fighters earn a contract with the world’s leading MMA organization across 10 events, slightly down from the 46 handed out in 2023. Episode eight of season nine this week saw four prospects earn the opportunity to taste the Octagon’s bright lights.
Kurtis Campbell provided the first highlight of the night, scoring a first-round finish of Demba Seck. Campbell laid in a solid head kick in the opening seconds before Seck tried to fire back with a kick-based offense of his own. Campbell scored a takedown to try and nullify Seck’s offense. Seck was able to work his way to his feet, but Campbell landed a solid knee that put him back down. Some follow-up shots later, and Campbell had done enough for the win and a UFC contract.
Christopher Alvidrez followed that up with a solid performance over Eliezer Kubanza. Alvidrez dictated the pace, mixing up his strikes and nearly scoring a takedown on Kubanza in the first. While Kubanza landed some power shots, Alvidrez landed a solid one-two that caught Kubanza’s attention. Kubanza, however, landed a damaging body kick and caught Alvidrez coming in, briefly using his grappling to pin him to the fence.
Alvidrez turned things into his favor for good with a right hand, followed by a left, to drop Kubanza. Alvidrez then unleashed a flurry on the ground, and despite a long leash from referee Herb Dean, the fight was stopped, giving Alvidrez a late first-round finish and a UFC contract.
In the co-main event, Louis Jourdain, the brother of UFC fighter Charles Jourdain, pulled off a third-round submission of Magno Dias. Jourdain came out with some speed in his strikes, looking to take control early, while Dias looked to pressure him toward the fence. Jourdain briefly dropped Dias with an elbow, but Dias got back to his feet and managed to score a takedown. Dias locked in a neck crank, but Jourdain managed to scramble out and get top position, working his way back to the feet.
Jourdain troubled Dias with a calf kick and a solid knee in the second round until Dias pushed Jourdain to the fence. Dias looked to take back control with the fight back on the ground, but Jourdain got the fight standing, landing more leg kicks and troubling Dias’ movement. Jourdain laid in a couple of more knees in the third round before working around Dias’ guard attempt to score a rear-naked choke and UFC contract via submission.
In the main event, Damian Pinas managed to land a devastating blow to score a big knockout of Vitor Costa. Pinas landed an uppercut that split Costa’s guard, landing a strong flurry in the first minute of the fight. Costa landed some low kicks and tried to get on the inside before taking Pinas to the fence briefly. A short time later, however, Pinas cracked Costa with a right hand, dropping Costa out cold for the highlight knockout and UFC contract.
The night opened with Rashid Vagabov sweeping the cards against Paulo Henrique. Vagabov landed from the outside despite Henrique’s pressure, landing low kicks and working combinations. The two had their exchanges of power shots during the opening round, but Vagabov controlled the last portion of the first round, pinning Henrique against the fence before scoring a takedown. Henrique brought the grappling pressure in the second round, pressing Vagabov into the fence. A takedown attempt was reversed, however, and Vagabov quickly brought the action back to the feet, controlling the action there.
Vagabov then dominated the third round with grappling, scoring a takedown and being unrelenting with his pressure, nearly scoring a submission on a couple of occasions before earning a decision win. It wasn’t, however, enough to earn a contract.
