This promises to be the most prolific year of Dana White’s Contender Series.
The UFC launched the show in 2017 in order to find talent to add to its roster. Through its first four seasons, the promotion awarded 117 fighter contracts, including a record 37 last season.
Season 5 began Aug. 31 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, and five more contracts were awarded — on a night with just four fights. The two episodes to follow also each saw five more fighters getting contracts. The season was off and running, at a record-setting pace. Now, with nine episodes having played out and just one to go, the UFC has offered contracts to a record-tying 37 fighters.
The show is back to close out the season on Tuesday night, with five more bouts. If just one fighter earns a contract, it will set a record. That is highly likely to happen, because no episode in the show’s five seasons has produced zero contracts.
Will the UFC discover the next Jimmy Crute, Geoff Neal or Sean O’Malley? They’re the best among the fighters who have found their way onto the UFC roster via the four previous seasons of the Contender Series.
All of the fights are on ESPN+ starting at 8 p.m. ET.
How to watch the fights
Watch on ESPN+. Download the ESPN App | WatchESPN | TV schedule
Don’t have ESPN+? Get it here.
There’s also FightCenter, which offers live updates for all fight cards.
Tuesday’s fight card
ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET
Lightweight: Maheshate Maheshate vs. Achilles Estremadura
Welterweight: Yohan Lainesse vs. Justin Burlinson
Men’s flyweight: Qiu Lun vs. Erisson Ferreira da Silva
Men’s featherweight: Canaan Kawaihae vs. Jonas Bilharinho
Men’s flyweight: Shang Zhifa vs. Juan Puerta
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