Last year, the opening week of the season gave us Dana’s “Be Joe Pyfer” speech, and since then, the middleweight powerhouse has gone on to pick up consecutive first-round stoppage wins over Alen Amedovski and Gerald Meerschaert to solidify his standing as someone to pay close attention to in the 185-pound weight class.
Other opening night graduates over the years include light heavyweights Alonzo Menifield, Dustin Jacoby, and Azamat Murzakanov, UFC 291 winner Uros Medic, and featherweight rising star Joanderson Brito.
Here’s a look at the five sets of fighters looking to impress the UFC brass and join the ever-growing list of DWCS alumni competing inside the Octagon.
Lucas Fernando vs. Cesar Almeida
The first headlining bout of the season comes in the middleweight division, as Brazilians Lucas Fernando and Cesar Almeida battle in hopes of securing a UFC contract.
Fernando is the reigning LFA middleweight titleholder, having claimed the belt with a fourth-round stoppage win over DWCS alum Jansey Silva in March to extend his winning streak to four and his record to 9-1. A standout kickboxer, the 35-year-old Almeida is 3-0 in MMA with a trio of first-round stoppage wins, but hasn’t competed under this rule set since the end of 2021.
Which of the Brazilian hopefuls will emerge victorious and will do enough to earn a call to the biggest stage in the sport?
Tom Nolan vs. Bogdan Grad
Australia’s Tom Nolan faces off with Austrian Bogdan Grad in a battle of lightweights with impressive records.
The 23-year-old Nolan is undefeated in five pro bouts, with “Big Train” earning each of his last three victories inside the distance. Owning an 11-1 record, Grad is the more experienced of the two, and touches down in Las Vegas on a five-fight winning streak of his own.
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Level of competition is always a question when it comes to Contender Series competitors, so it’ll be interesting to see which of these two has the superior skills to go along with their shiny records.
Caio Machado vs. Kevin Szaflarski
Caio Machado and Kevin Szaflarski face off in a clash of young heavyweights looking to punch their ticket to the UFC in the middle of this week’s action.
The 29-year-old Machado is the reigning BFL heavyweight champion, having earned six consecutive victories, with each of his last four victories coming in the opening round. After being forced to withdraw from an appearance last season, the 28-year-old Szaflarski gets his opportunity to compete in front of the UFC braintrust this week, having won 11 straight since dropping his professional debut.
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Both men have been in the mix to compete on the Contender Series in the past, and know what is at stake on Tuesday night, so expect fireworks as soon as this one pops off.
Payton Talbott vs. Reyes Cortez Jr.
Unbeaten Payton Talbott squares off with the returning Reyes Cortez Jr. in the first bantamweight matchup of the season.
After a 5-0 run as an amateur, Talbott has replicated that mark to begin his professional career, posting a five-pack of stoppages with the last three coming at Urijah Faber’s A1 Combat events that aired on UFC Fight Pass. The first returning fighter of the season to step into the cage, Cortez has earned a pair of wins since his Season 5 loss to Christian Rodriguez, and once again looks to join his sister Tracy on the UFC roster.
Will Talbott remain undefeated? Can Cortez claim a victory in his second DWCS appearance? How will the fight play out and will it be enough to earn the victor a contract?
Kevin Borjas vs. Victor Dias
The opening bout of the season takes place in the flyweight division, as Peru’s Kevin Borjas takes on Brazilian Victor Dias.
Originally scheduled to face Joshua Van before he was called up to the main roster earlier in the summer, Borjas brings an 8-1 record and three fight winning streak with him into the first fight of the season. The 32-year-old Dias has made four of his last five appearances under the Titan FC banner, registering stoppage victories in each of his last three outings and wins in five straight overall.
The fighter that won the opening bout of every full season of Dana White’s Contender Series has eventually found their way into the Octagon, so it will be interesting to see if Borjas or Dias will be able to keep that trend alive this season.
