Dana White’s Contender Series 57 Results

Dana White’s Contender Collection, a staple tv program in recent times for the UFC, makes its long-awaited return tonight for its 57th installment, and first in what must be an epic seventh season.

Over the following 10 weeks, 100 fighters will compete for a spot within the UFC with weekly fights below the unified rule set. Nonetheless, the onus will likely be on the fighters to not solely safe victories, however impress UFC President Dana White, who will welcome a choose few winners into the promotion on the finish of each episode.

A brand new season of #DWCS begins TONIGHT!

LIVE at 7pmET / 4pmPT on @ESPNPlus 📺 pic.twitter.com/DFw4aLsaOJ

— UFC (@ufc) August 8, 2023

This week’s episode of DWCS is about to get underway at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT and might be streamed on ESPN+.

Almeida vs. Fernando

Brazilians will take high billing in the principle occasion of the primary DWCS of 2023. César Almeida and Lucas Fernando are two proficient middleweight prospects who might have a future within the UFC no matter the results of their combat. Almeida is 3-0 in MMA, however has not competed since 2021 as he moonlights in skilled kickboxing. As a kickboxer, Almeida is 3-4. He has fought Alex Pereira thrice and even beat him as soon as, necessitating his inclusion on DWCS. Pereira’s path to the UFC was related, in any case, and he went on to change into the UFC middleweight champion.

Fernando, in the meantime, is a distinct sort of puzzle to unravel. At 6-foot-3, Fernando is very large for the middleweight division. A winner in 9 of his first 10 fights, he has additionally proven a capability to make use of his attain successfully and play to the weaknesses of his opponents. Whereas Almeida was initially scheduled to compete in LFA earlier this yr, Fernando truly has competed in LFA, holding a 4-0 document in opposition to fighters with a mixed document of 37-7. It actually looks like his combat to lose, however Almeida’s fight sports activities expertise can’t be discounted.

Nolan vs. Grad

The co-main occasion of this week’s episode will likely be a striker’s delight as Tom Nolan battles Bogdan Grad within the light-weight division. Nolan trains out of the Crew Compton Coaching Centre in Brisbane, Australia, and is 5-0 as an expert. He additionally just lately give up his job to coach full-time as his prospects have come collectively in latest months. His aggressive model has led to a few consecutive finishes, and he’ll look to earn a fourth in opposition to one other proficient striker in Austria’s Grad.

Dana White’s Contender Collection is again TONIGHT‼️

Here is how one can watch the thrilling kickoff to the seventh season of #DWCS ⤵️ https://t.co/DLsTON1YHl

— UFC Information (@UFCNews) August 8, 2023

Regardless of coaching out of Europe, Grad by no means competed in any of the highest European-based promotions. That stated, he has misplaced simply as soon as in a 12-fight profession and boasts one high quality the UFC loves of their fighters: ending means. Grad has knocked out or submitted his opponent in 9 out of 11 wins, and all of these finishes have come throughout the first two rounds. His lone defeat got here on the judges’ scorecards, so Nolan’s finest likelihood for victory will likely be to assault his opponent dynamically and no less than tease the takedown to get Grad to drop his arms and open issues up on the ft.

Machado vs. Szaflarski

An fascinating matchup will happen in the course of the cardboard, when Brazil’s Caio Machado meets unbeaten Polish heavyweight Kevin Szaflarski. Szaflarski has by no means misplaced, however is coming off a large layoff, having not fought since Could 2022. Previous to that, he had not fought since February 2021, so whereas he has proven a capability to shake off the rust, the shortage of exercise is a trigger for concern.

He’ll look to make his mark in opposition to Machado, a sport fighter who trains out of Franco Kickboxing Pankration in Vancouver, B.C. Machado has competed completely in Canadian regional promotion Battlefield Battle League (BFL), and has been on a roll as of late with six straight wins, the final two of which have come by armbar. Making it three-consecutive armbars will likely be a tall activity in opposition to Szalflarski, who boasts an all-around skillset and fills out his heavyweight body. Nonetheless, Szalflarski additionally lacks anybody spectacular attribute about his sport and Machado might pose issues if he will get high place.

Talbott vs. Cortez

Some of the anticipated fights on the present must be Payton Talbott taking up Reyes Cortez at 135 kilos. The winner will possible be inserted into maybe probably the most expertise laden division within the sport, however each have all of the instruments to place collectively lengthy, profitable UFC careers. “Junior” Cortez is the older brother of UFC flyweight contender Tracy Cortez, and has appeared on the present prior to now. He got a tough draw with future training partner Christian Rodriguez when he appeared on the present two years in the past, and has since received fights in dominant trend in 2022 and 2023.

Talbott is the extra “projectable” prospect of the 2, boasting several physical advantages that will likely be powerful to cope with. At 5-foot-10, Talbott is very large for the bantamweight division, and combines his measurement with fight-breaking velocity on the ft, much like Sean O’Malley. Nonetheless, whereas he has by no means misplaced as an expert, Talbott has solely 5 fights to his title. He slowed down considerably earlier than stopping Cristhian Rivas within the third spherical at a latest Urijah Faber’s A-1 Fight occasion, with Rivas too broken and exhausted himself to totally take benefit.

If Cortez can climate the early storm, he has the pedigree to push Talbott to his limits and punch his ticket to the UFC, becoming a member of his sister within the course of. Nonetheless, the Talbott hype practice might depart the station if he can end Cortez impressively. There is no such thing as a method Dana White isn’t going to like every little thing he brings to the desk.

Borjas vs. Dias

Kevin Borjas, 8-1 as an expert, was initially set to tackle Joshua Van earlier than Van was pulled from the combat to tackle Zhalgas Zhumagulov at UFC on ABC 5 in Jacksonville. Van proved his price in that combat, and Borjas will now look to do the identical in opposition to 11-2 Dias.

Regardless of their data, each fighters are comparatively unproven, making DWCS an optimum proving floor for each. Borjas competes on the Peruvian regional scene, which has solely just lately begun to supply professional MMA prospects. The final degree of expertise on the scene is skinny in comparison with North American and European regional promotions, however the high Peruvian prospects have to date confirmed worthy of the large stage. Claudio Puelles has had some success within the UFC, and the success Jesus Pinedo has seen the present PFL season give loads of hope to the prospects of Peru.

Dias has confirmed to be a submission machine with six submissions in 11 profession wins. He too has not fought an extremely powerful energy of schedule so far, however has the good thing about having competed in Titan FC, a wonderful proving floor for fighters primarily based within the Southeast United States and the Caribbean.

Dana White’s Contender Collection 57 Outcomes

César Almeida* def. Lucas Fernando through Unanimous Resolution (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)

Tom Nolan* def. Bogdan Grad through Knockout (Left Hook) at 1:23 of Spherical 1

Caio Machado* def. Kevin Szaflarski through Unanimous Resolution (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Payton Talbott* def. Reyes “Junior” Cortez through Unanimous Resolution (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Kevin Borjas* def. Victor Dias through Unanimous Resolution (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

* -Chosen for UFC Contract by UFC President Dana White