An American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion called Dana White Contender Series was formerly known as Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series.
The UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) announced in May 2017 that Dana White would host the competition once a week on UFC Fight Pass (now switched to ESPN+). This TV series aims to explore potential mixed martial art fighters for the UFC, just like in the former web series “Looking for a Fight.”
History of the Dana White Contender Series
The history of the Dana White Contender series is pretty much attractive. The Ultimate Fighting Championship didn’t impact the combat sports community much in its early years, nor did Dana White. White didn’t take over as the promotion’s boss until 2001.
The Manual reported that after his friends Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta purchased the UFC from Semaphore Entertainment Group in 2001 for just under $2 million, Dana White was appointed as the organization’s president.
The 53-year-old described the events that led to Fertitta purchasing the UFC in a 2020 interview with SPORTSNET. White said he became aware that the UFC was up for grabs while serving as Tito Ortiz’s manager.
Since taking over as UFC President in 2001, Dana White’s priority has been to weed out the MMA underbelly and find martial artists with the potential to join the organization. Dana White applied for a promoter’s license, which was approved separately from the UFC. Before the license’s approval, it was said that “this is not the UFC brand but rather a promotion that will allow up-and-coming fighters to compete.”
But at last, on July 11, 2017, the first event was held. The UFC’s home base of Las Vegas has hosted all the possibilities. On September 27, 2022, six’s most recent season was successfully finished.
How the Dana White Contender Series Works
Finding combatants to sign contracts with for the UFC, Dana White has many options to locate the top mixed martial arts fighters worldwide, from scouts to The Ultimate Fighter television program. The idea is straightforward: compete to get a UFC contract.
Five matches are usually featured in each program. However, no victor is promised a contract, those who impress the judges the most might. Along with matchmakers Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby, the group also includes UFC president Dana White. The most contrasted ever been given to five fighters, though theoretically, up to ten might be given if everyone performed well.
You will find familiar names on the list of fighters who received contracts due to the Dana White Contender’s Series. However, the agreements typically provide the UFC the right to fire a fighter. And if the fighter suffers three straight defeats, it frequently happens.
Every year, DWCS holds one season, which consists of roughly ten specific events and about five mixed martial arts fights at each of these events. The season typically begins airing at the end of July and ends by the end of September or the middle of November.
The UFC Apex Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, serves as the venue for every DWCS season. The program emphasizes giving promising young fighters a chance to compete in front of Dana White and UFC matchmakers.
But not every victory has assured a place on the UFC roster. To get a slot, you need to battle with authority and ferocity, move quickly, and, in most circumstances, finish the match. Every season or year, more than 30 MMA competitors receive contracts.
The Purpose of the Dana White Contender Series
DWCS differs from other platforms since its main objective is discovering new talents. Top candidates can demonstrate their abilities and be spotted by Dana White on this recruiting platform to land a seat on the UFC roster.
The DWCS program provides you with a summary of each fighter’s history. Exciting fights and giving competitors a media stage to present themselves to the sizable UFC fan base are at the heart of the program. Defined, DWCS is a program that highlights the rise to the top of freshly signed mid or lower-tier fighters who are sometimes neglected by the media.
The UFC agrees to provide exclusive fighter rights and financial benefits for y number of fights in exchange for paying them $x. For instance, a 5-bout deals at $25,000 per fight.
The contracts also permit bonuses; one example is the “fight of the night.” Additionally, the majority of contracts include a winning incentive. If a contract calls for $25,000 per bout and the boxer wins, they receive a $25,000 bonus because it is often double the contract value.
The Impact of the Dana White Contender Series
Unsigned athletes compete in each event of Dana White’s Contender Series for the chance to sign with the UFC. Five people have recently received contracts from White, including Jefel Filho, Nurullo Aliev, Austen Lane, Raul Rosas Jr., and Bruno Ferreira.
As the youngest athlete to sign a contract with the UFC and the youngest fighter in UFC history, Rosas attracted much attention as soon as it came. The best-unsigned talent in the world is what we bring here, according to White, who added that “you only have one chance to show the world who you are.”
Therefore, potential and interested MMA fans are urged to develop and demonstrate their talents through this global platform, enhancing organizational success and giving the new generation tremendous leverage.
For instance, Sean O’Malley is currently the most well-known fighter to emerge through the DWCS. With a victory over Alfred Khashakyan in the first season, he was awarded a contract with the UFC. The list of different well-known UFC fighters created by DWCS is provided below.
Here are five Dana White’s Contender Series alums that may compete for UFC glory in the future:
Sean O’Malley – UFC Bantamweight
Even though O’Malley was only 22 years old, he quickly distinguished himself in the octagon. After defeating his first two opponents and returning from a USADA suspension, he brutally knocked out Jose Quinonez and Eddie Wineland, two opponents with more experience.
Adrian Yanez – UFC Bantamweight
Adrian Yanez is now one of the hottest fighters in the UFC’s bantamweight division and the entire organization. Even though he hasn’t yet beaten an elite-level opponent, it is a matter of time before he moves up.
Maycee Barber – UFC Women’s Flyweight
Flyweight prospect Maycee Barber may still have a significant impact on the title picture shortly, even though it is now impossible for her to become the youngest champion in UFC history, as she declared was her goal after she claimed a contract with the organization following her victory on DWCS in 2018.
Jamahal Hill – UFC Light Heavyweight
Hill, who became a beaten prospect on DWCS in the summer of 2019, has risen to the top quickly. He made his octagon debut in early 2020. He promptly rattled off three wins, culminating in a knockout victory over veteran Ovince Saint Preux, after defeating Alexander Poppeck via TKO on the program.
Andre Muniz – UFC Middleweight
Israel Adesanya, the current middleweight champion of the UFC, has largely eliminated the 185-pound division, so it’s more probable that emerging contenders, rather than more experienced ones, will receive a shot at him shortly.
Conclusion
Dana White Contender Series has a 7.7 rating and comes at the 80.2nd percentile in the Reality genre on the Internet Movie Database (IMDB). This indicates that demand for Dana White’s Contender Series is more robust than 80.2% of all Reality shows in the country.
The largest audience behavior dataset in the world, comprehensive audience attention measurement system Parrot Analytics, has discovered that the audience demand for Dana White’s Contender Series is 1.4 times greater than the demand for the typical TV series in the United States over the previous 30 days.
The need is at this level for 64.1% of all shows in this market. First-year students interested in MMA can watch this thrilling TV show and approach this large platform to seize the unavoidable possibility of becoming a well-known combat sportsperson.
