It is hard to know which of the fighters will make the cut for the upcoming Dana White Contender Series 2021. There are many great prospects and contenders to choose from, but who will be the best? Here are some of the candidates. Here’s a look at their past fights and where they stand today. I’m not a boxing expert, but I can tell you that I’m a big fan of Dana White and the Contender Series, and I can’t wait to see who she brings on in the years to come.
Bo Nickal
If you’re a fan of UFC and mixed martial arts, you can’t miss the final installment of the Dana White Contender Series on August 9th. The five-bout event will feature a number of talented athletes including Bo Nickal, a three-time NCAA D1 wrestling champion. Nickal has not only won three national championships, but he also won 19 straight NCAA tournament matches.
The decision to call Nickal up as a UFC contender sparked a backlash from social media. Nickal himself explained that he was not surprised by the decision, adding that he had much more to prove and was excited for the upcoming challenge. While Nickal may not have the winning streak of some of his more famous competitors, he is still a talented wrestler. Moreover, Nickal has a wrestling background that will make him a prime candidate for a UFC contract.
Bo Nickal’s UFC debut will come in Las Vegas, where he’ll face Zachary Borrego. Nickal, who has only fought twice in his pro career, will make his first appearance in the UFC. Although Nickal’s performance in the fight did not earn him a UFC contract, the event has helped Nickal get noticed by the UFC. Besides, Dana White had promised to give him more opportunities on the Contender Series in the future.
While a wrestling career was a lucrative option for Nickal, he also decided to switch to MMA. He signed a management contract with First Round Management and is currently training at the American Top Team. With the help of Dan Lambert, he plans to open his own gym in Pleasant Gap, Pennsylvania. In March, Nickal made his pro debut in iKON FC 3, knocking out John Noland in a 33-second KO.
Albert Duraev
After winning Dana White’s Contender Series 39, Albert Duraev will now be fighting for a shot at a title shot in the future. The Russian dominated Caio Bittencourt, submitting him in the first round. Although Bittencourt is sneaky athletic and throws flying knees, Albert Duraev has an edge in speed. His last two victories came by submission and knockout in under two minutes.
However, the signing of Albert Duraev has drawn criticism. In his last fight, he spoke out in support of an 18-year-old student who beheaded his teacher. Buckley has had several high-profile fights and is no stranger to attention. His recent bout against Impa Kasanganay was his highest-profile win to date. Dale Brown, meanwhile, gained attention after he posted a series of self-defence videos on TikTok. His content was widely shared on the social media site and he was accompanied by Joaquin Buckley to the octagon.
Season 5 of the Dana White Contender Series will premiere on ESPN+ on August 31. The final episode will be aired on November 2nd. The show has been instrumental in recognizing fighters outside of the UFC. The fights will take place at UFC Apex Arena. Last week, Jose Alday won by split decision over Saimon Oliveira. The show is now available online via ESPN+.
The Contender Series is an exciting showcase of top prospects from around the world. DWCS airs every Tuesday on ESPN+ and features five bouts per episode. Prospects vie for a UFC contract in the hopes of becoming the next UFC fighter. To date, 142 of the show’s participants have won contracts. Among them are Albert Duraev, who will make his UFC debut on October 30, and Jailton Almeida, who will make his UFC debut on November 13th.
Jailton Almeida
Almeida’s recent success has caught the attention of fans and sports enthusiasts alike. A BJJ black belt, Almeida has gone eight fights without losing and is a 14-2 pro. His last win was a submission that earned him the Dana White Contender Series title. Among light heavyweight contenders, an eight-fight winning streak is a rarity. His confidence in his striking is obvious during his first UFC fight week.
Having won eight of his nine fights in the Contender Series, the Brazilian landed his first UFC contract after a second-round rear-naked choke submission win over Nasrudin Nasrudinov. Almeida’s dominance in the UFC was obvious after winning the Contender Series in September. In addition to his dominant showing in the first round, Almeida also boasted a 37-2 edge in total strikes landed. Furthermore, he earned 2:48 of control time. This is definitely an exciting young fighter to watch in 2021.
Despite being an underdog in this fight, Jailton Almeida is a strong betting favorite. He opened as a -355 favorite in the oddsmakers’ books. His opponents, Danilo Marques and Mike Rodriguez, are also listed as underdogs. Almeida is four years younger and 2 inches shorter than Marques. He is a 100% finisher with a 9-fight winning streak.
Currently, Jailton Almeida has a 15-2 pro record. He is on a 10-fight winning streak and has finished his fights inside two rounds. His introduction to UFC fans came at Dana White’s Contender Series in September 2021, where he submitted Nasrudin Nasrudinov with a rear-naked choke. Later, in UFC Vegas 47, Almeida fought fellow Brazilian Danilo Marques. In this bout, he dominated Marques and finished the fight within three minutes.
Robert Paprocki
In the MMA world, Robert Paprocki is looking to prove his mettle in the UFC. The former boxer lost his last fight at the last minute to Emily Ducote, a 4-3 Bellator veteran. Paprocki is 3-1 as a pro. He also beat Isis Verbeek in a boxing matchup last year. He’s also won a Muay Thai bout and trained at high altitudes in Colorado.
The fifth season of Dana White’s Contender Series is now in its fifth season on ESPN+. Each episode features a new group of athletes trying to earn a contract with the UFC. The most recent season featured lightweights Genaro Valdez and Fernie Garcia. This season will award 25 contracts total. There will be more than one new contender in the Contender Series, so keep an eye out for the latest updates on the competition.
Silva’s kicks are effective at securing a win, but Paprocki is still a mobile striker and stays mobile. He counters Silva’s kicks with punches and knees and gets to the fence with a kneebar. With two minutes remaining, Silva shoots back into mount and locks in a back armbar. Paprocki gets back on his feet, but Silva gets the win.
In week seven of the Contender Series, the lineup featured five bouts. Despite the heavyweights’ popularity, the season’s first 135lb main event was cancelled due to mismatches. Manuel Gaxhja missed weight due to a botched weight cut and left Duncan with no opponent. Luckily, the MMA world was quick to move forward and book a fast turnaround for the MMA hopeful. He will face Team Alpha Male’s Slava Borshchev.
Carlos Candelario
After an incredibly controversial decision loss on the Dana White Contender Series, Carlos Candelario has been awarded a UFC contract. He’ll now head to Las Vegas to prove he’s ready for the next level of competition. Here’s a look at Candelario’s resume. It’s balanced, too, with four first-round finishes. He’s fought in only one league, but his experience in it should serve him well.
The former prospect appeared on the Dana White Contender Series in 2017, and he was rated the number one 125lb prospect. However, he lost the fight due to an ACL tear and retired from the sport. Just a few years later, he returned to the ring at CES 63, where he took on Mexico’s Victor Altamirano. Despite being a late replacement, he looked very good on his return.
Despite losing his first fight, Candelario earned the UFC contract as the first Dana White Contender Series fighter to sign a professional contract despite a loss. White told Candelario that he believed he won the fight, but he also respected the fact that he was fighting on two weeks notice. He scored five takedowns in the fight, while the unofficial stats showed both men landing 76 significant strikes.
Born on June 4, 1991, in New Britain, Connecticut, Carlos Candelario is 31 years old. His height is 68 inches, while his leg reach is 38″. He trains at Underdog Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. His impressive chin and long legs have earned him a number of relationships. He’s also very rich, thanks to his MMA career. The UFC’s president has endorsed him, and is currently in negotiations with him to sign a contract.
