Dana White’s Contender Series is back for its eighth season.
The show, which continues on its home on ESPN+, aims to give top prospects a chance to impress the UFC brass in an attempt to earn a contract with the company. The show’s fifth episode of the new season takes place on Sep. 10 and streams live on ESPN+ starting at 8 p.m. ET.
LHW: Phil Latu (6-1, Elevation Fight Team, USA) vs. Navajo Stirling (4-0, City Kickboxing, New Zealand)
LW: Quemuel Ottoni (12-3, Familia Komodo, Brazil) vs. Kody Steele (6-0, Checkmat BJJ, USA)
MW: Taiga Iwasaki (9-1, Daido Juku-Paraestra Soka Dojo, Japan) vs. Yousri Belgaroui (7-3, Teixeira MMA, Netherlands)
BW: Otar Tanzilov (9-0, Syndicate MMA, Georgia) vs. Josias Musasa (7-0, Elite Training Center, Democratic Republic of Congo)
WFLY: Corrine Laframboise (8-4, Brazilian Top Team, Canada) vs. Nicolle Caliari (7-2, Thai Brasil, Brazil)
The fighter I am most looking forward to watching is Otar Tanzilov, a flashy, high-excitement striker that gets to work early and often. He’s got a ton of power but is known for his wide array of techniques. He has a spinning back kick and a jumping switch kick knockout. He’s also put guys down with body shots, whether it be punches or kicks. He’s only fought a couple of notable fighters, but he’s clearly got the talent and style that should attract Dana White’s eye. His opponent, Josias Musasa, should be more than willing to strike given his style.
Quemuel Ottoni-Kody Steele is the best fight on this episode, which has multiple potential bangers. Steele has a very high-level ground game, as seen in his professional grappling career and in MMA. He has developed some solid striking and good ground-and-pound as well, which makes him even more intriguing. Ottoni, on the other hand, is a veteran of 10 years in pro MMA. He owns a 2015 victory over current UFC Champion Alex Pereira, which is the biggest notch on his belt. He’s a solid all-around fighter. He should keep this fight standing, as Steele likely has the edge on the mat.
City Kickboxing has been churning out top-notch fighters the last few years and one of their best up-and-coming prospects is Navajo Stirling. He’s a good, hard-nosed striker that gets to work quick and headhunts for the knockout. He has a small sample size thus far, but from what we’ve seen, he’s a guy to keep your eye on.
The longest shot on this episode appears to be late-notice fighter Taiga Iwasaki. The Shooto veteran has a good record at 9-1, but the opponents he has faced have not been of high quality. He has an interesting karate style on the feet, but that style will play into Glory veteran Yousri Belgaroui’s wheelhouse. His only notable fight was against Rafael Lovato Jr., who bested Iwasaki quickly. We will see how Iwasaki performs here.
| LHW: Phil Latu vs. Navajo Stirling | Stirling |
| LW: Quemuel Ottoni vs. Kody Steele | Steele |
| MW: Taiga Iwasaki vs. Yousri Belgaroui | Belgaroui |
| BW: Otar Tanzilov vs. Josias Musasa | Tanzilov |
| WFLY: Corrine Laframboise vs. Nicolle Caliari | Laframboise |