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 ninth episode of the new season takes place on Oct. 8 and streams live on ESPN+ starting at 8 p.m. ET.
LHW: Islem Masraf (3-0, Unknown Gym, France) vs. Artem Vakhitov (2-1, Kuzbass Muay Thai Federation, Russia)
WW: Chasen Blair (6-2, MMA Fight Academy, USA) vs. Kody Steele (6-0, Checkmat BJJ, USA)
Fighter: Artem Vakhitov
HW: Mario Pinto (8-0, Fightzone London, Portugal/UK) vs. Lucas Camacho (6-0, Nova Uniao, Brazil)
WW: Vanilto Antunes (16-6, Russao Muay Thai, Brazil) vs. Islam Dulatov (10-1, UFD Gym, Germany)
FLY: Sean Gauci (9-1, Dominance MMA, Australia) vs. Anthony Drilich (8-1, DCA MMA, Australia)
The most name-recognized fighter on this season of the Contender Series is easily Artem Vakhitov, a former Glory Kickboxing Champion who owns a win over UFC Champ Alex Pereira in the sport of kickboxing. Vakhitov has made the jump to MMA and has looked as dangerous as ever in doing so. He will be at a striking advantage in basically any fight he takes. The question will be about his wrestling. If he can defend takedowns like Alex Pereira, he will be a star. That’s what the UFC is hoping for.
A striker’s delight in on tap when German bruiser Islam Dulatov takes on Vanilto Antunes of Brazil. Both guys like to bang and will meet in the center of the cage looking for the knockout. We will talk more about Dulatov in a moment, but Antunes is a rangy fighter who will try to strike from the outside like normal, but will be tough against the longer Dulatov. Either way, he will work his way inside his reach and try to put him away. Overall this should be fun while it lasts.
A guy flying under the radar for this card is the aforementioned Dulatov, a fighter that could make a statement on the Contender Series. He’s a good power striker with a 6’6” frame and good submission wrestling, which makes him a well-rounded combatant. He owns a victory over UFC vet Will Chope, his biggest win to date. Dulatov can make a major statement with a win here.
Islem Masraf is just 3-0 in his pro career and has not really proven himself yet. He is most famous for his ten-second head kick knockout of Mickael Groguhe, a fight in which Groguhe, for some reason, started the fight with his hands down and out of fighting stance. So, Masraf threw a high kick that unsurprisingly connected, leading to the quick finish of the fight. That will be tough to do here against Artem Vakhitov, who is a world-renowned striker and a heavy favorite.
| LHW: Islem Masraf vs. Artem Vakhitov | Vakhitov |
| WW: Kody Steele vs. Chasen Blair | Steele |
| HW: Mario Pinto vs. Lucas Camacho | Pinto |
| WW: Vanilto Antunes vs. Islam Dulatov | Dulatov |
| FLY: Sean Gauci vs. Anthony Drilich | Gauci |