Dana White's Contender Series season 1

The inaugural 2017 season of Dana White's Contender Series included a total of 8 weekly shows. Viewers had a choice of a traditional commentary team, or alternate commentary provided by rapper Snoop Dogg and UFC Hall of Famer Urijah Faber.^[1] Commentators included active fighter Paul Felder who would go on to commentate on UFC events.

Dana White's Contender Series
Season 1
Release
Original network	UFC Fight Pass
Original release	July 11 (2017-07-11) – August 29, 2017 (2017-08-29)
Season chronology
Next → Season 2

Week 1 - July 11

Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender Series 1
Information
Promotion	DWCS
Date	July 11, 2017
Venue	UFC Training Centre
City	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

Main Card^[2]
Weight class				Method	Round	Time	Notes
Featherweight	Kurt Holobaugh	vs.	Matt Bessette	NC (overturned)	1	2:59	^[a]
Heavyweight	Zu Anyanwu	def.	Greg Rebello	KO (punch)	2	3:04
Bantamweight	Boston Salmon	def.	Ricky Turcios	Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)	3	5:00
Middleweight	Charles Byrd	def.	Jamie Pickett	Submission (arm-triangle choke)	1	4:55
Flyweight	Joby Sanchez	def.	Manny Vazquez	Decision (unanimous) (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)	3	5:00

1. Originally a KO (punch) win for Holobaugh, overturned after Holobaugh's unlawful use of an IV before fight.^[3]

Contract awards

The following fighters were awarded contracts with the UFC:^[4]

• Kurt Holobaugh, and Boston Salmon
• Zu Anyanwu while not being offered a contract on the show was brought in as a short-notice replacement for Justin Ledet at UFC Fight Night 116.^[5]

Week 2 - July 18

Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender Series 2
Information
Promotion	DWCS
Date	July 18, 2017
Venue	UFC Training Centre
City	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

Main Card^[6]
Weight class				Method	Round	Time	Notes
Light Heavyweight	Daniel Spohn	def.	Angel DeAnda	Submission (arm-triangle choke)	1	3:10	^[a]
Bantamweight	Sean O'Malley	def.	Alfred Khashakyan	KO (punch)	1	4:14
Featherweight	Thanh Le	def.	Lazar Stojadinovic	KO (head kick and punches)	2	1:35
Welterweight	Sidney Outlaw	def.	Michael Cora	Decision (unanimous) (29-27, 29-28, 29-27)	3	5:00
Flyweight	Casey Kenney	def.	C.J. Hamilton	Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)	3	5:00

1. DeAnda was deducted one point in round 1 due to strikes to the back of the head.

Contract awards

The following fighters were awarded contracts with the UFC:^[7]

• Sean O'Malley

Week 3 - July 25

Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender Series 3
Information
Promotion	DWCS
Date	July 25, 2017
Venue	UFC Training Centre
City	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

Main Card^[8]
Weight class				Method	Round	Time	Notes
Light Heavyweight	Karl Roberson	def.	Ryan Spann	KO (elbows)	1	0:15
Welterweight	Kyle Stewart	def.	Jason Jackson	TKO (ankle injury)	2	0:21
Middleweight	Geoff Neal	def.	Chase Waldon	TKO (punches)	1	1:56
Light Heavyweight	Alonzo Menifield	def.	Daniel Jolly	TKO (eye injury)	1	5:00
Featherweight	Dan Ige	def.	Luis Gomez	Submission (rear-naked choke)	3	3:23

Contract awards

The following fighters were awarded contracts with the UFC:^[9]

• Karl Roberson and Geoff Neal
• Dan Ige while not being offered a contract on the show was brought in to face Charles Rosa, who was later replaced by Julio Arce at UFC 220.^[10]

Week 4 - August 1

Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender Series 4
Information
Promotion	DWCS
Date	August 1, 2017
Venue	UFC Training Centre
City	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

Main Card^[11]
Weight class				Method	Round	Time	Notes
Middleweight	Julian Marquez	def.	Phil Hawes	KO (head kick)	2	2:20
Bantamweight	Kyler Phillips	def.	James Gray	TKO (elbows and punches)	1	0:46
Flyweight	Carlos Candelario	def.	Ronaldo Candido	Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)	3	5:00
Featherweight	Brandon Davis	def.	Austin Arnett	Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 30-27, 30-26)	3	5:00
Bantamweight	John Castañeda	def.	Cheyden Leialoha	Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)	3	5:00

Contract awards

The following fighters were awarded contracts with the UFC:^[12]

• Julian Marquez and Brandon Davis
• Kyler Phillips while not being offered a contract on the show was brought in to compete on The Ultimate Fighter: Undefeated.^[13]

Week 5 - August 8

Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender Series 5
Information
Promotion	DWCS
Date	August 8, 2017
Venue	UFC Training Centre
City	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

Main Card^[14]
Weight class				Method	Round	Time	Notes
Light Heavyweight	Mike Rodríguez	def.	Jamelle Jones	KO (flying knee and punches)	1	2:15
Featherweight	Julio Arce	def.	Peter Petties	TKO (punches)	2	2:39
Flyweight	Alex Perez	def.	Kevin Gray	Technical Submission (anaconda choke)	1	2:54
Bantamweight	Ricky Simón	def.	Donavon Frelow	Decision (split) (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)	3	5:00
Heavyweight	Shelton Graves	def.	Everett Sims	TKO (knees)	3	2:20

Contract awards

The following fighters were awarded contracts with the UFC:^[15]

• Mike Rodríguez and Alex Perez
• Julio Arce while not being offered a contract on the show was brought in as a short-notice replacement for Dan Ige at UFC 220.^[16]

Week 6 - August 15

Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender Series 6
Information
Promotion	DWCS
Date	August 15, 2017
Venue	UFC Training Centre
City	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

Main Card^[17]
Weight class				Method	Round	Time	Notes
Middleweight	Charles Byrd	def.	Buddy Wallace	Submission (rear-naked choke)	2	2:03
Featherweight	Grant Dawson	def.	Adrian Diaz	Submission (rear-naked choke)	2	1:15
Light Heavyweight	Cameron Olson	def.	Karl Reed	Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)	3	5:00
Flyweight	Jaime Alvarez	def.	Martin Day	Decision (unanimous) (28-27, 29-28, 29-27)	3	5:00
Women's Strawweight	Jamie Colleen	def.	Tiffany Masters	Submission (armbar)	3	4:43

Contract awards

The following fighters were awarded contracts with the UFC:^[18]

• Charles Byrd and Grant Dawson

Week 7 - August 22

Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender Series 7
Information
Promotion	DWCS
Date	August 22, 2017
Venue	UFC Training Centre
City	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

Main Card^[19]
Weight class				Method	Round	Time	Notes
Light Heavyweight	Kennedy Nzechukwu	def.	Anton Berzin	Decision (split) (29-27, 28-29, 29-27)	3	5:00
Bantamweight	Benito Lopez	def.	Steven Peterson	Decision (split) (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)	3	5:00
Flyweight	Joby Sanchez	def.	JP Buys	TKO (punches)	2	2:28
Lightweight	Mike Santiago	def.	Mark Cherico	KO (punches)	1	2:59
Flyweight	Jordan Espinosa	def.	Nick Urso	Technical Submission (D’Arce choke)	1	1:23

Contract awards

The following fighters were awarded contracts with the UFC:^[20]

• Benito Lopez and Joby Sanchez
• Mike Santiago was not awarded a contract on the show but one week later was signed to the UFC as a short notice replacement for Nick Hein at UFC Fight Night 115^[21]

Week 8 - August 29

Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender Series 8
Information
Promotion	DWCS
Date	August 29, 2017
Venue	UFC Training Centre
City	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

Main Card^[22]
Weight class				Method	Round	Time	Notes
Lightweight	Matt Frevola	def.	Jose Flores	Submission (arm-triangle choke)	2	3:32
Middleweight	Bevon Lewis	def.	Elias Urbina	TKO (punches)	2	2:47
Flyweight	Adam Antolin	def.	Casey Kenney	Decision (split) (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)	3	5:00
Women's Bantamweight	Lauren Mueller	def.	Kelly McGill	Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-26, 30-27)	3	5:00
Heavyweight	Allen Crowder	def.	Don'Tale Mayes	TKO (punches)	3	4:12

Contract awards

The following fighters were awarded contracts with the UFC:^[23]

• Matt Frevola, Lauren Mueller, and Allen Crowder
• Bevon Lewis was signed to a development league contract^[24]

References

1. "Snoop Dogg serving play-by-play on UFC show".
2. "Tuesday Night Contender Series 1". ufc.com. 11 July 2017.
3. MMA Fighting Newswire (2017-10-10). "Kurt Holobaugh suspended nine months, DWTNCS win overturned due to IV use". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2017-10-10.
4. Danny Segura (2017-07-11). "Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender Series Week 1 results: Kurt Holobaugh, Boston Salmon earn UFC contracts". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2017-07-11.
5. "DWCS winner Zu Anyanwu gets short-notice fill-in spot at Saturday's UFC Fight Night 116". 11 September 2017.
6. "Tuesday Night Contender Series 2". ufc.com. 11 July 2017.
7. Jed Meshew (2017-07-18). "Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender Series 2 results: Sean O'Malley earns UFC contract with first-round KO". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2017-07-18.
8. "Tuesday Night Contender Series 3". ufc.com. 25 July 2017.
9. Danny Segura (2017-07-25). "Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender Series 3 results: Karl Roberson, Geoffrey Neal earn UFC contracts after quick finishes". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2017-07-25.
10. "Julio Arce Replaces Charles Rosa, Meets Dan Ige at UFC 220 in Boston". Sherdog. 3 January 2018.
11. "Tuesday Night Contender Series 4". ufc.com. 1 August 2017.
12. Danny Segura (2017-08-01). "Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender Series 4 results: Julian Marquez, Brandon Davis earn UFC contracts". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2017-08-01.
13. "'The Ultimate Fighter 27' cast of undefeated competitors revealed". MMA Junkie. 26 January 2018.
14. "Tuesday Night Contender Series 5". ufc.com. 8 August 2017.
15. Alexander K. Lee (2017-08-08). "Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender Series 5 results: Mike Rodriguez, Alex Perez latest UFC signees". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2017-08-09.
16. "Julio Arce Replaces Charles Rosa, Meets Dan Ige at UFC 220 in Boston". Sherdog. 3 January 2018.
17. "Tuesday Night Contender Series 6". ufc.com. 15 August 2017.
18. Danny Segura (2017-08-15). "Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender Series 6 results: Grant Dawson, Charles Byrd earn UFC contracts". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2017-08-16.
19. "Tuesday Night Contender Series 7". ufc.com. 22 August 2017.
20. Danny Segura (2017-08-22). "Dana White Tuesday Night Contender Series 7 results: Joby Sanchez, Benito Lopez earn UFC contracts". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2017-08-22.
21. "Mike Santiago replaces Nick Hein, faces Zabit Magomedsharipov at UFC Fight Night 115".
22. "Tuesday Night Contender Series 8". ufc.com. 29 August 2017.
23. Danny Segura (2017-08-29). "Dana White Tuesday Night Contender Series 8 results: Allen Crowder, Lauren Mueller, Matt Frevola earn UFC contracts". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2017-08-29.
24. Mobile, Adept. "DWTNCS WEEK 8: Three contracts & plenty of praise handed out on finale - Ultimate Fighting Championship-Mobile". m.uk.ufc.com.