Dana White's Contender Series season 6

Dana White's Contender Series
Season 6
Release
Original network	ESPN+
Original release	July 26 (2022-07-26) – September 27, 2022 (2022-09-27)
Season chronology
← Previous Season 5 Next → Season 7

Season 6 of Dana White's Contender Series commenced in July 2022 and in the US is exclusive to ESPN+, ESPN's new over-the-top subscription package. ^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]}

Week 1 – July 26

Dana White's Contender Series 47
Promotion	DWCS
Date	July 26, 2022
Venue	UFC Apex
City	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

Main Card
Weight class				Method	Round	Time	Notes
Middleweight	Joe Pyfer	def.	Ozzy Diaz	TKO (punches)	2	1:39
Light Heavyweight	Anton Turkalj	def.	Acácio dos Santos	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00
Featherweight	Dennis Buzukja	def.	Kaleio Romero	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00
Flyweight	Alessandro Costa	def.	Andres Luna Martinetti	Decision (split)	3	5:00

^[6]

Background

A bantamweight bout between Farid Basharat and Willian Souza was booked as the fifth fight on this card. However, Souza missed weight by ten pounds and the Nevada Athletic Commission cancelled the bout. ^[7]

Contract awards

The following fighters were awarded contracts with the UFC: ^[8]

• Joe Pyfer

Week 2 – August 2

Dana White's Contender Series 48
Promotion	DWCS
Date	August 2, 2022
Venue	UFC Apex
City	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

Main Card
Weight class				Method	Round	Time	Notes
Lightweight	Chris Duncan	def.	Charlie Campbell	KO (punches)	1	1:43
Flyweight	Vinicius Salvador	def.	Shannon Ross	TKO (punches)	2	4:22
Featherweight	Francis Marshall	def.	Connor Matthews	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00
Heavyweight	Waldo Cortes-Acosta	def.	Danilo Suzart	TKO (punches)	1	3:40
Welterweight	Billy Goff	def.	Shimon Smotritsky	TKO (punches)	1	3:37

^[9]

Background

It was announced on May 16, 2022 that Season 5 week 6 contender Shimon Smotritsky would be granted a second chance to win a UFC contract, having defeated former UFC fighter William Macário in his first bout following the Contender Series loss. The fight was against CES MMA's current Middleweight & Welterweight champion Billy Goff. ^[10]

Contract awards

The following fighters were awarded contracts with the UFC: ^[11]

• Chris Duncan, Vinicius Salvador, Francis Marshall, Waldo Cortes-Acosta, and Billy Goff

Week 3 – August 9

Dana White's Contender Series 49
Promotion	DWCS
Date	August 9, 2022
Venue	UFC Apex
City	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

Main Card
Weight class				Method	Round	Time	Notes
Middleweight	Bo Nickal	def.	Zachary Borrego	Submission (rear-naked choke)	1	1:02	[a]
Heavyweight	Jamal Pogues	def.	Paulo Renato Jr.	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00
Featherweight	Erik Silva	def.	Anvar Boynazarov	TKO (elbows and punches)	1	1:32
Flyweight	Clayton Carpenter	def.	Édgar Cháirez	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00
Women's Strawweight	Karolina Wójcik	def.	Sandra Lavado	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00

1. Borrego missed weight (187.5 lbs)

^[12]

Contract awards

The following fighters were awarded contracts with the UFC: ^[13]

• Jamal Pogues, Erik Silva, and Clayton Carpenter

Week 4 – August 16

Dana White's Contender Series 50
Promotion	DWCS
Date	August 16, 2022
Venue	UFC Apex
City	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

Main Card
Weight class				Method	Round	Time	Notes
Lightweight	Esteban Ribovics	def.	Thomas Paull	KO (punches)	1	1:30
Middleweight	Claudio Ribeiro	def.	Iván Valenzuela	KO (punch)	1	0:25
Bantamweight	Jose Johnson	def.	Jack Cartwright	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00
Women's Bantamweight	Hailey Cowan	def.	Cláudia Leite	Decision (split)	3	5:00
Lightweight	Nazim Sadykhov	def.	Ahmad Suhail Hassanzada	KO (punch)	3	1:59

^[14]

Contract awards

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

• Esteban Ribovics, Claudio Ribeiro, Jose Johnson, Hailey Cowan, and Nazim Sadykhov

Week 5 – August 23

Dana White's Contender Series 51
Promotion	DWCS
Date	August 23, 2022
Venue	UFC Apex
City	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

Main Card
Weight class				Method	Round	Time	Notes
Heavyweight	Mick Parkin	def.	Eduardo Neves	Submission (rear-naked choke)	1	1:57
Welterweight	Darrius Flowers	def.	Amiran Gogoladze	TKO (submission to slam)	1	1:13
Flyweight	Jesus Santos Aguilar	def.	Erisson Ferreira	Submission (guillotine choke)	3	1:56
Bantamweight	Cameron Saaiman	def.	Josh Wang-Kim	KO (punch)	3	2:52
Women's Strawweight	Denise Gomes	def.	Rayanne Amanda	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00

^[16]

Contract awards

The following fighters were awarded contracts with the UFC: ^[17]

• Mick Parkin , Darrius Flowers, Jesus Santos Aguilar, Cameron Saaiman , and Denise Gomes

Week 6 – August 30

Dana White's Contender Series 52
Promotion	DWCS
Date	August 30, 2022
Venue	UFC Apex
City	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

Main Card
Weight class				Method	Round	Time	Notes
Welterweight	Yusaku Kinoshita	def.	José Henrique	TKO (punches)	3	0:43
Middleweight	Sedriques Dumas	def.	Matěj Peňáz	Submission (standing guillotine choke)	1	0:47
Lightweight	Mateusz Rębecki	def.	Rodrigo Lídio	Submission (rear-naked choke)	1	3:05
Women's Strawweight	Viktoriya Dudakova	def.	Maria Silva	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00
Featherweight	Blake Bilder	def.	Alex Morgan	Submission (rear-naked choke)	1	3:15

^[18]

Contract awards

The following fighters were awarded contracts with the UFC: ^[19]

• Yusaku Kinoshita, Sedriques Dumas, Mateusz Rębecki, Victoria Dudakova, and Blake Bilder

Week 7 – September 6

Dana White's Contender Series 53
Promotion	DWCS
Date	September 6, 2022
Venue	UFC Apex
City	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

Main Card
Weight class				Method	Round	Time	Notes
Light Heavyweight	Vitor Petrino	def.	Rodolfo Bellato	KO (punches)	2	3:36
Welterweight	Gabriel Bonfim	def.	Trey Waters	Submission (Von Flue choke)	1	4:13
Heavyweight	Karl Williams	def.	Jimmy Lawson	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00
Lightweight	Ismael Bonfim	def.	Nariman Abbasov	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00
Women's Flyweight	Tereza Bledá	def.	Nayara Maia	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00

^[20]

Contract awards

The following fighters were awarded contracts with the UFC: ^[21]

• Vitor Petrino , Gabriel Bonfim, Karl Williams, and Ismael Bonfim

Week 8 – September 13

Dana White's Contender Series 54
Promotion	DWCS
Date	September 13, 2022
Venue	UFC Apex
City	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

Main Card
Weight class				Method	Round	Time	Notes
Bantamweight	Farid Basharat	def.	Allan Begosso	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00
Middleweight	Ikram Aliskerov	def.	Mário Sousa	Submission (kimura)	1	2:09
Lightweight	Trevor Peek	def.	Malik Lewis	TKO (punches)	2	2:37
Women's Strawweight	Bruna Brasil	def.	Marnic Mann	KO (head kick)	2	4:33
Bantamweight	Daniel Marcos	def.	Brandon Lewis	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00

^[22]

Contract awards

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

• Farid Basharat , Ikram Aliskerov , Trevor Peek, Bruna Brasil, and Daniel Marcos

Week 9 – September 20

Dana White's Contender Series 55
Promotion	DWCS
Date	September 20, 2022
Venue	UFC Apex
City	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

Main Card
Weight class				Method	Round	Time	Notes
Middleweight	Brunno Ferreira	def.	Leon Aliu	TKO (punches)	1	1:35
Bantamweight	Raul Rosas Jr.	def.	Mando Gutierrez	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00
Heavyweight	Austen Lane	def.	Richard Jacobi	TKO (punches)	1	4:34
Lightweight	Nurullo Aliev	def.	Josh Wick	TKO (punches)	1	4:36
Flyweight	Jafel Filho	def.	Roybert Echeverria	TKO (punches)	3	1:31

^[24]

Contract awards

The following fighters were awarded contracts with the UFC: ^[25]

• Brunno Ferreira, Raul Rosas Jr. , Austen Lane , Nurullo Aliev, and Jafel Filho

Week 10 – September 27

Dana White's Contender Series 56
Promotion	DWCS
Date	September 27, 2022
Venue	UFC Apex
City	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

Main Card
Weight class				Method	Round	Time	Notes
Middleweight	Bo Nickal	def.	Donovan Beard	Submission (triangle choke)	1	0:52
Lightweight	Sam Patterson	def.	Vinicius Cenci	Submission (rear-naked choke)	2	4:18
Featherweight	Jack Jenkins	def.	Freddy Emiliano Linares	TKO (punches)	3	4:30
Flyweight	Rafael Ramos Estevam	def.	João Elias	TKO (punches)	2	2:25
Bantamweight	Mateus Mendonça	def.	Ashiek Ajim	KO (punches)	1	0:48

^[26]

Contract awards

The following fighters were awarded contracts with the UFC: ^[27]

• Bo Nickal , Sam Patterson , Jack Jenkins, Rafael Ramos Estevam, and Mateus Mendonça

References

1. Cruz, Guilherme (2022-05-04). "Brazilian prospects Vitor Petrino, Rodolfo Bellato set to rematch at DWCS in September". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2022-05-04.
2. Bitter, Shawn (2022-04-13). "Charles Johnson vs. Shannon Ross Set for Contender Series on August 2". Cageside Press. Retrieved 2022-05-04.
3. Bitter, Shawn (2022-04-13). "Hailey Cowan vs. Claudia Leite Booked for Contender Series on August 16". Cageside Press. Retrieved 2022-05-04.
4. "Dana White's Contender Series, Season 6 roster quickly filling out, dates officially set". MMA Junkie. 2022-05-17. Retrieved 2022-05-18.
5. Heck, Mike (2022-05-17). "Dana White's Contender Series expected to begin sixth season on July 26". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2022-05-18.
6. Sherdog.com. "Dana White's Contender Series - Contender Series 2022: Week 1". Sherdog. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
7. Steven Marrocco (2022-07-25). "Willian Souza 10 pounds over weight, NAC cancels bantamweight DWCS co-headliner vs. Farid Basharat". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2022-07-26.
8. Marrocco, Steven (2022-07-26). "DWCS Season 6, Week 1 results: Joe Pyfer closes show with knockout – and gets only UFC contract". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2022-07-27.
9. Sherdog.com. "Dana White's Contender Series - Contender Series 2022: Week 2". Sherdog. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
10. Ganor, Tomer (16 May 2022). "The UFC dream: Smotritsky will again compete at "the Contender"". One (in Hebrew). Retrieved 16 May 2022.
11. Marrocco, Steven (2 August 2022). "DWCS Season 6, Week 2 results: Chris Duncan's insane knockout comeback caps 5-contract night". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
12. Sherdog.com. "Dana White's Contender Series - Contender Series 2022: Week 3". Sherdog. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
13. Matthew Wells (2022-08-09). "Dana White's Contender Series 49 results: Bo Nickal invited back for second fight, 3 others receive UFC contracts". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2022-08-09.
14. Sherdog.com. "Dana White's Contender Series - Contender Series 2022: Week 3". Sherdog. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
15. Brian Knapp (2022-08-16). "Esteban Ribovics Leads Parade of Five UFC Signees on Dana White's Contender Series". sherdog.com. Retrieved 2022-08-16.
16. Sherdog.com. "Dana White's Contender Series - Contender Series 2022: Week 5". Sherdog. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
17. Matthew Wells (2022-08-23). "Dana White's Contender Series 51 results: All winners earn UFC contracts for second week in a row". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2022-08-23.
18. Sherdog.com. "Dana White's Contender Series - Contender Series 2022: Week 6". Sherdog. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
19. "Dana White's Contender Series 52 results: For third-straight week, all five winners earn UFC contracts". MMA Junkie. 31 August 2022. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
20. Sherdog.com. "Dana White's Contender Series - Contender Series 2022: Week 7". Sherdog. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
21. "Dana White's Contender Series - Season 6, Week 7 results". FIGHTMAG. 6 September 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
22. Sherdog.com. "Dana White's Contender Series - Contender Series 2022: Week 8". Sherdog. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
23. Marrocco, Steven (13 September 2022). "DWCS Season 6, Week 8 results: 5 more, including 'best female knockout' in DWCS history, headed to UFC". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
24. Sherdog.com. "Dana White's Contender Series - Contender Series 2022: Week 9". Sherdog. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
25. "Dana White's Contender Series 55 results: 17-year-old Raul Rosas Jr. among five to get contracts". MMA Junkie. 20 September 2022.
26. Sherdog.com. "Dana White's Contender Series - Contender Series 2022: Week 10". Sherdog. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
27. Matthew Wells (2022-09-27). "Dana White's Contender Series 56 results: Bo Nickal among five UFC contract earners". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2022-09-27.