Contender Series Season 9 Week 1 Fight Program, as Arranged by Dana White
Dana White's Contender Series Kicks Off Season 9 with 5 Exciting Fights
Dana White's Contender Series (DWCS) is back for its ninth season, airing on ESPN+ at 7:00 p.m. ET on August 12, 2025. Since its inception in 2017, the series has been a platform for impressive fighters to showcase their skills and earn a UFC contract.
Over the years, the number of UFC contracts awarded has gradually increased, peaking at 46 in Season 2023 and slightly decreasing to 42 in the following season. This year's season consists of 10 weeks of Tuesday night fight cards, following the steady pattern of 10 events per year since 2019.
This week's event features five fights across five different weight divisions. In the Middleweight division, Ilian Bouafia (6-0) squares off against Neemias Santana (7-2-1). The Welterweight division sees Ty Miller (5-0) face Jimmy Drago (7-2), while Baysangur Susurkaev (8-0) and Murtaza Talha (7-1) clash in the Middleweight division. Radley da Silva (7-1) and George Mangos (7-0) will compete in the Featherweight division, and the Middleweight division will also host Christopher Ewert (7-0) versus Yuri Panferov (8-1).
Since the DWCS began, UFC CEO Dana White has awarded a total of 287 UFC contracts to the competitors. Last year, in Season 8 of the DWCS, White handed out 42 UFC deals. The season high for UFC contracts awarded came in 2023 with 46 contracts.
Three fighters have become UFC champions after appearing on a DWCS card: Sean O'Malley, Jamahal Hill, and Jack Della Maddalena. Results and reactions from the DWCS events will be provided live, and previews and predictions for each fight card will be available.
Fighters are competing to earn a UFC contract, and the matches will take place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The DWCS season is a crucial stepping stone for aspiring UFC fighters, offering them the opportunity to prove their worth and secure a spot in the UFC roster.
Don't miss the action-packed fights of DWCS Season 9, Episode 1 on August 12, 2025. May the best fighter win!
Previous UFC Contracts Awarded:
- Season 1 (2017): 16 contracts over ~8 episodes
- Season 2 (2018): 23 contracts over 8 episodes
- Season 3 (2019): 30 contracts over 10 episodes
- Season 4 (2020): 37 contracts over 10 episodes
- Season 5 (2021): 39 contracts over 10 episodes
- Season 6 (2022): 39 contracts over 10 episodes
- Season 7 (2023): 43 contracts over 10 episodes
- Season 8 (2024): 42 contracts over 10 episodes
- Season 9 (2025): 46 contracts (and counting) over 10 episodes
Fights per Week: Approximately 5 fights per weekly episode, consistent from early seasons onward.
The returning Dana White's Contender Series (DWCS) on ESPN+ at 7:00 p.m. ET on August 12, 2025, will showcase sports like mixed-martial-arts, giving aspiring UFC fighters an opportunity to prove themselves and earn a UFC contract, just like the 287 competitors who received contracts since the DWCS began. This season, following the pattern of 10 events per year since 2019, the DWCS season offers a crucial stepping stone for UFC hopefuls, with five action-packed fights across different weight divisions happening in the first episode alone.
