Dana White's Contender Series Season 8
Season 8 of Dana White's Contender Series commences in August 2024 and in the US is exclusive to ESPN+, ESPN's over-the-top subscription package. Week 1 – August 13 Background Contract awards The following fighters were awarded contracts with the UFC: * Mansur Abdul-Malik, Bruno Lopes, Jose Delgado, and Lone'er Kavanagh Week 2 – August 20 Contract awards The following fighters were awarded contracts with the UFC: * Andreas Berg Gustafsson, Rizvan Kuniev, Cortavious Romious, and Cody Haddon Week 3 – August 27 Background Contract awards The following fighters were awarded contracts with the UFC: * Andrey Pulyaev, Bogdan Grad, Marco Tulio, and Malcolm Wellmaker Week 4 – September 3 Background Tommy McMillen was scheduled to face Austin Bashi in a featherweight bout at the event, but he withdrew due to injury and the bout was cancelled. Bashi instead faced Dorian Ramos. Contract awards The following fighters w ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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ESPN+
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The company was founded in 1979 by Bill Rasmussen along with his son Scott Rasmussen and Ed Eagan. ESPN broadcasts primarily from studio facilities located in Bristol, Connecticut. The network also operates offices and auxiliary studios in Miami, New York City, Las Vegas, Seattle, Charlotte, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles. James Pitaro currently serves as chairman of ESPN, a position he has held since March 5, 2018, following the resignation of John Skipper on December 18, 2017. While ESPN is one of the most successful sports networks, there has been criticism of ESPN. This includes accusations of biased coverage, conflict of interest, and controversies with individual broadcasters and analysts. , ESPN reaches approximately 76 mi ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Dana White's Contender Series
Dana White's Contender Series, formerly named Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender Series, is an American mixed martial arts promotion. In May 2017, the UFC announced White would hold the competition weekly on UFC Fight Pass (It has since been moved to ESPN+). As with the earlier web series ''Looking for a Fight'', the goal of the series is for White to scout talent for the UFC. Similar to The Ultimate Fighter none of the fighters involved will have existing UFC contracts. Licensed separately from the UFC with Dana White applying for a promoter's license, it was stated ahead of the license being approved that “this is not the UFC, this is not the UFC brand, but instead a promotion that will allow up and coming fighters the chance to showcase their talents in hopes that one day they may compete in the UFC." The inaugural event took place on July 11, 2017. All events have been held at the UFC's home base of Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simp ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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ESPN Inc
ESPN Inc. is an American multinational sports media conglomerate majority-owned by The Walt Disney Company, with Hearst Communications as an equity stakeholder. For management and financial reporting purposes, the company is the main entity within the ESPN and Sports Content segment of Disney. Headed by James Pitaro, it owns and operates local and global cable and satellite television variants of ESPN, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com and other related ventures. Commonly and colloquially marketed as the "Worldwide Leader in Sports", programming on its television networks include broadcasts of live or tape-delayed sporting events and sports-related programming including talk shows and original documentary series and films. History ESPN Inc. was founded in 1979 by Bill Rasmussen, initially as an attempt to broadcast Connecticut sports over an "Entertainment and Sports Programming Network" (ESPN) cable channel, and soon became a nationwide cable sports network. Shortly after being ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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UFC Apex
UFC Apex (stylised as UFC APEX) is a live events and production center in Enterprise, Nevada, operated and owned by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). The facility was chosen in part due to its close proximity to the UFC Performance Institute, which serves as the company headquarters and is located across the street. The Apex was built to host live events as well as studio shows. History The facility was officially opened on June 18, 2019. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, COVID-19 pandemic, following three events in Jacksonville, Florida, Jacksonville, all U.S.-based UFC events were held at the Apex Behind closed doors (sport), behind closed doors. As of July 2022, the Apex continues to host select Fight Night events, and now allows for limited public spectators. The Apex features the 25-foot diameter Octagon variant typically used for smaller events and venues, as opposed to the standard 30-foot diameter version. As UFC began staging the majorit ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Las Vegas Valley
The Las Vegas Valley is a major metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada, and the second largest in the Southwestern United States. The state's largest urban agglomeration, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Statistical Area is coextensive since 2003 with Clark County, Nevada. The Valley is largely defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a basin area surrounded by mountains to the north, south, east and west of the metropolitan area. The Valley is home to the three largest incorporated cities in Nevada: Las Vegas, Henderson and North Las Vegas. Eleven unincorporated towns governed by the Clark County government are part of the Las Vegas Township and constitute the largest community in the state of Nevada. The names Las Vegas and Vegas are interchangeably used to indicate the Valley, the Strip, and the city, and as a brand by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority to denominate the region. The Valley is affectionately known as the "ninth island ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Nick Piccininni
Nicholas Piccininni (born December 16, 1996) is an American professional mixed martial artist and graduated folkstyle wrestler who currently competes in the flyweight division. As a wrestler, Piccininni became a three–time NCAA Division I All-American and a four–time Big 12 Conference champion out of the Oklahoma State University for John Smith. Wrestling career High school Piccininni was born and raised in East Setauket, New York, and went on to attend Ward Melville High School. He made the varsity team in wrestling when he was in the eighth grade, year in which he placed third at the state championships. He won the state title in every year of high school, making him a four–time NYSPHSAA champion at four different weight classes (106, 113, 120 & 126 respectively). He also competed at FloNationals, tournament in which he was the runner-up on 2013 and the champion on 2014. He graduated with a record of 226–3 and was awarded the 2015 Dave Schultz High School ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Yousri Belgaroui
Yousri Belgaroui (born 2 June 1992) is a Tunisian- Dutch kickboxer and mixed martial artist who competes in the middleweight division of Glory, where he is former three-time Glory Middleweight Championship challenger. He was ranked as a top ten middleweight by Combat Press between November 2021 and March 2022, peaking at #2 Personal life Belgaroui was born in Amsterdam to a Tunisian father and a Dutch mother. He holds a degree in Public Governance and Management from the University of Amsterdam. He works as a commentator for Veronica TV. Kickboxing career In 2016 Belgaroui entered the Glory Middleweight Contender's Tournament, held at Glory 34: Denver on October 21, 2016. In the semi-finals, he won a unanimous decision over Ariel Machado, but lost a split decision to Israel Adesanya in the tournament finals. Yousri entered the 2017 Middleweight Contender Tournament as well, which was held at Glory 40: Copenhagen on April 29, 2017, and was booked to face Agron Preteni ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Tallison Teixeira
Tallison Teixeira (born December 7, 1999) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who competes in the Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). A professional since 2021, Teixeira earned his UFC contract on Dana White's Contender Series, winning by first round KO. As of March 18, 2025, he is #14 in the UFC Heavyweight rankings. Mixed martial arts career Early career Teixeira began his professional MMA career in 2021, quickly establishing himself as a heavyweight prospect. Teixeira amassed a record of 6-0 fighting exclusively in Brazil for promotions such as Legacy Fighting Alliance with all his wins coming via first round stoppage. Dana White's Contender Series Teixeira was then booked to compete on Week 6 of Season 8 of Dana White's Contender Series on September 17, 2024, against fellow Brazilian prospect Arthur Lopes. He won the fight via first round knockout and was subsequently awarded a contract by Dana White. Ultimate Fighting Championship Teixeira ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Artem Vakhitov
Artyom Olegovich Vakhitov ( rus, Артё́м Оле́гович Вахитов; born April 4, 1991) is a Russian Muay Thai kickboxer who competes in the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions. Having begun practicing Muay Thai at eleven years old, Vakhitov first came to prominence due to a successful amateur career by winning three world championships as well as taking gold in 2013 at the World Combat Games and silver in 2010. He turned professional in 2009, and signed with Glory in 2013, where he would twice be crowned the Glory Light Heavyweight (-95 kg/209 lb) champion. As of September 2022, he is ranked the #1 light-heavyweight and #5 pound-for-pound kickboxer in the world by Combat Press, as well as the #1 light-heavyweight and #3 pound-for-pound kickboxer by Beyond Kick. Early life Artem Vakhitov was born in Prokopyevsk on April 4, 1991, and began basic martial arts training under his father's tutelage at the age of five years before going on to study ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Islam Dulatov
Islam Dulatov (born August 2, 1998) is a German mixed martial artist and professional fashion model. He is currently competing in the welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Background Dulatov was born in the small town of Urus-Martan, Chechnya, Russia. He grew up in a large family with six brothers, being the middle child. During the turbulent years of the Second Chechen War, Dulatov's family frequently moved across the region, including to Shali and Grozny, in search of safety. Due to the ongoing insurgency, the Dulatov brothers had little opportunity to attend school. Instead, they spent much of their time outdoors, engaging in bodyweight workouts and helping their parents by unloading trucks to support the family financially. In December 2007, the family relocated to Germany as war refugees. Initially, Dulatov and his brothers struggled to adapt to their new environment, particularly in school, where the language barrier posed a significant challen ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |