Tag: Brendson Ribeiro

Dana White’s Contender Series, Season 7 roster filling up for summer 2023 launch

Dana White’s Contender Series will return this summer. Check out the fighters and fights that have been booked thus far.

Dana White’s Contender Series, Season 7 is in the works.

DWCS debuted in 2017 with an eight-episode inaugural season. Season 2 was held in 2018 with eight episodes, followed by a three-episode DWCS: Brasil. In 2019, DWCS was extended to 10 episodes for its third season. The length was repeated in 2020, 2021, and 2022.

Each season, the number of fighters signed has increased. Thus far, the show has produced UFC notables including Sean O’Malley, Maycee Barber, Geoff Neal, Ryan Spann, Sodiq Yusuff, Jamahal Hill, Taila Santos, Johnny Walker, Alex Perez, Bo Nickal, Jailton Almeida, Jack Della Maddalena, and Marina Rodriguez among others.

In recent weeks, the UFC matchmakers have been gearing up for a summer DWCS return, expected to launch Aug. 8. Athletes and matchups have slowly but surely been booked. The number of episodes for Season 7 is not yet known.

Scroll below to see the latest athletes and fights booked, which have been confirmed by MMA Junkie or posted about by the fighters involved. This list will be updated as more fighters and matchups come to light.

LFA champ Bruno Lopes faces Brendson Ribeiro on Dana White’s Contender Series

UFC hopefuls Bruno Lopes and Brendson Ribeiro will square off on Dana White’s Contender Series.

LFA light heavyweight champion [autotag]Bruno Lopes[/autotag] is one impressive performance away from a UFC contract – as is his opponent, [autotag]Brendson Ribeiro[/autotag].

Lopes (11-0) and Ribeiro (14-5) will fight on the fifth episode of Season 7 of Dana White’s Contender Series, which takes place Sept. 5 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Two people with knowledge of the matchup recently informed MMA Junkie of the booking but asked to remain anonymous because the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

Lopes, 30, has finished nine of his 11 professional opponents with five knockouts and four submissions. At LFA 143 in September 2022, Lopes won LFA gold with a knockout of Willyanedson Paiva.

Ribeiro, 26, is the Shoot Brasil light heavyweight champion and enters the bout on a two-fight winning streak. All 14 of his professional wins have come inside the distance including eight knockouts and six submissions.

Dana White’s Contender Series, Season 7 is beginning to fill up with a number of fighters and matchups already coming to light. The series is expected to kick off Aug. 8.

With the addition, the DWCS 61 lineup includes:

  • Jean Silva vs. Kevin Villejos
  • Bruno Lopes vs. Brendson Ribeiro