LAS VEGAS, NV – SEPTEMBER 20: UFC President Dana White reacts to Dana White's…(+) Contender Series Season 6 Week 9 bout at UFC APEX on September 20, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
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The eighth season of Dana White's Contender Series kicks off on Tuesday, August 13 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. This season's eighth season of Tuesday night fight cards will span 10 weeks, with fighters competing for a UFC contract. Five bouts across five weight classes are scheduled for this week's event.
Since the DWCS began in 2017, White has awarded 245 contracts to participants. In the inaugural season, 16 fighters earned contracts, including current UFC bantamweight champion Sean O'Malley. By 2023, that number has jumped to 46.
DWCS season 8, episode 1 will air on ESPN+ at 7pm ET.
Below we go over the matchups, betting odds, picks and predictions for the August 13 DWCS fight card.
Meng Ding vs. Islam Duratov
A welterweight bout is scheduled for Tuesday night between Meng Ding (34-8) and Rami Hamed (12-3). The 29-year-old Ding is from China. He has 27 wins by knockout, two by submission and five by decision. Ding's losses have come by knockout (2), submission (4) and decision (2). He is on a two-fight win streak heading into the DWCS card.
Hamed, 33, comes into the bout in Beirut, Lebanon. He has eight knockouts, one submission and three decisions to his name. All three losses have come by submission. He has won his last four bouts. Hamed accepted the bout on short notice.
The betting line for this bout has Ding favored at -192, with Hamed favored at +160.
The bet was that Ding would win by knockout.
Jose Delgado vs. Ernie Juarez
Jose Delgado vs. Ernie Juarez is a featherweight bout. Delgado (7-1) is a 26-year-old from Phoenix, Arizona. He has three knockouts and four submissions. The only loss in his career has been the only time the fight has gone to the scorecards. Delgado has won his last four bouts. He comes into this bout on short notice.
Juarez (8-0) is an undefeated 26-year-old who boasts four decision wins, two knockouts and two submission wins. He is based out of Elk Grove, California.
The betting odds for this bout have Delgado favored at -285, while Juarez is favored at +230.
Delgado is expected to win this bout by decision.
Lonely Kavanagh vs. Anh Tuan Ho
The flyweight bout will feature two fighters with perfect records of 6-0 each in Ronil Kavanagh and Anh Tuan Ho.
Kavanagh is 25 years old and based in London, England. His wins include 3 knockouts, 2 decisions and 1 submission. Ho is from Vietnam and his victories have come in the same manner as his opponent.
Kavanagh is the betting favorite at -180, while Ho is the underdog at +150.
The bet was that Cabana would win by decision.
Mikhail Sajiniani vs. Bruno Lopez
The DWCS card also includes light heavyweights Mikheil Sajinani and Bruno Lopez. Sajinani (13-2), from Georgia, is on a six-fight winning streak. Twelve of his wins have come by knockout and one decision. His losses have come by knockout and submission. Sajinani is 27 years old.
Lopez (12-1), a Brazilian native, has five wins by knockout, five by submission and one by decision. His lone loss came in 2023 when he was knocked out by Brendon Ribeiro on a DWCS fight card.
The betting lines for this bout have Lopez predicted to win at -198 and Sajiniani at +164.
Lopez is expected to win by submission, but a knockout victory for Sajinani is also possible.
Mansoor Abdul-Malik vs. Wes Schultz
The main event of the first DWCS card of the 2024 season will be a middleweight bout, featuring Mansoor Abdul-Malik (5-0) taking on Wes Schultz (6-1).
Abdul-Malik, 26, has four knockouts and one decision win. He fights out of Columbia, Maryland. He has never dropped a round. Schultz, 28, has won by knockout (two), submission (three) and decision (one). His only setback was a decision loss under the LFA banner in 2023. Since then, he has won three bouts, all by first-round stoppage.
Abdul-Malik is a -345 favorite to Schultz at +275.
The betting prediction is for Abdul-Malik to win by knockout, but if the fight ends in the first round, it may be worth considering Schultz as an in-fight bet.
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