Dana White's Contender Series: Season 8, Week 1 Preview & Fight Card

Get invested in DWCS Season 8

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A new breed of UFC talent is geared up to grace the Octagon, and it begins this week on the return of Dana White's Contender Series (DWCS).

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The first week of the 2024 Contender Series season will resume on Tuesday, August 13, and will play host to five fights in five separate men's divisions.

• An Tuan Ho (6-0) vs. Lone'er Kavanagh (6-0); FLW
• Jose Delgado (7-1) vs. Ernie Juarez (8-0); FW
• Bruno Lopes (12-1) vs. Mikheil Sazhiniani (13-2); LHW
• Meng Ding (34-8) vs. Rami Hamed (12-3); WW
• Mansur Abdul-Malik (5-0) vs. Wes Schultz (6-1); MW Main Event

DWCS 2024 Week 1 Preview

An Tuan Ho vs. Lone'er Kavanagh - Promising Up-And-Comers

China's An Tuan Ho was on the cusp of fighting for the LFA flyweight title before signing to DWCS. He remains undefeated in seven amateur contests and six professional fights, with four professional wins by finish. He is a product of The MMA Lab, which is the home of many fighting veterans like Benson Henderson, Sean O'Malley, and Jared Cannonier.

Tuan Ho is a relatively wiry flyweight, with strong leg kicks, solid cardio, and exceptional pressure. He's also been tested at a decent level.

Also undefeated, Lone'er Kavanagh possesses the same record of 6-0, with four wins by finish. He had a rocky amateur career, which contained fights with some high-caliber opposition like Cage Warriors' Nik Bagley. As a professional, Kavanagh cut his teeth in Cage Warriors, also coming close to their flyweight title.

Kavanagh gives up two inches in height, but makes up for it with his stocky frame. He's also a striker, very willing to stand and trade shots.

Jose Delgado vs. Ernie Juarez

Also hailing from The MMA Lab, Jose Delgado has been nearly flawless in his extensive amateur and professional career, possessing only one loss in each. He's never seen the final bell in his victories, with three knockouts and four submissions. Delgado blitzed through the regional scene, picking up wins in Tuff-N-Uff, UFL, and LFA.

Delgado is an versatile striker with a solid ground game, he makes great use of collar ties and long-framed head kicks.

Ernie Juarez is shorter, but undefeated as an amateur and as a professional. He possesses a 50 percent finish rate. Juarez won and then defended the featherweight title twice in Uriah Faber's A1 Championship.

Bruno Lopes vs. Mikheil Sazhiani - Battle of Regional Champs

This will be Bruno Lopes' second shot at the UFC after being KO'd by Brendson Ribeiro in the 2023 DWCS season. He's a prolific finisher with 84 percent of his 12 victories coming by finish. Lopes was the light heavyweight LFA champion, and defended his title even after losing on DWCS.

On the other hand, Mikheil Sazhiani has been locked to the Georgian regional scene, owning the light heavyweight championship in GFC. Like Lopes, he's a vicious finisher, with 92 percent of his 13 professional victories coming by way of KO/TKO.

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Meng Ding vs. Rami Hamed

Most people wouldn't look at Meng Ding's 42-fight record and think 'contender'. 'The Ruthless Assassin' has been fighting for a decade, and maintains a record of 34-8, with 29 wins by finish. He also possesses a 1-1 record in ONE Championship.

Ding is an exceptionally tall welterweight standing 6'2", and does not waste time in his fights, whether it's a TKO on the feet, or ruthless ground and pound that secures the victory.

Rami Hamed is equally dangerous on the feet, and comes into this fight on a two-fight leg kick finishing streak. Hamed is another tall fighter just an inch shorter than Ding, he's bouncy on the feet and puts a lot of power into every strike.

Mansur Abdul-Malik vs. Wes Schulz

MMA Masters product Mansur Abdul-Malik is on a five-fight streak of first-round finishes since his professional debut in 2021. He brings relentless aggression, whether it's power shots on the feet or damaging wrestling with suplexes to boot. Abdul-Malik forces his opponents to fight his fight by making it ugly.

Hailing from LFA, Wes Schulz is an unconventional striker with great finishing ability. His only defeat is to DWCS 2023 alum Dylan Budka in January 2023. His style should prove to trouble Abdul-Malik, and could create an interesting matchup in the night's main event.

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