LAS VEGAS – It’ll be at least four more months before UFC fans see [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] compete again, according to promotion CEO Dana White.
The saga involving McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) has dragged on for over three years, through leg surgery and recovery, an “Ultimate Fighter” coaching stint, a booking, a withdrawal due to a toe injury, and to present day.
For much of that time, McGregor has been aligned with [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag], who remains waiting for another official booking against his penciled-in foe.
But Chandler (23-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC) will have to wait even longer now. White revealed Tuesday after Dana White’s Contender Series 67 that McGregor won’t return until at least early 2025.
“He wants to fight, so we’ll figure it out,” White told reporters including MMA Junkie. “Not this year. He won’t fight this year.”
McGregor, 36, has voiced eagerness to return since he withdrew from UFC 303 in June due to a toe injury. It’s unclear if the injury or something else is the latest cause for delay.
Chandler, 38, who has remained a good solider throughout the drawn-out process recently expressed thoughts about a potential pivot in his next move.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for DWCS 67.
Dana White’s Contender Series cards see prospects fighting for the opportunity to sign a UFC deal, with UFC president Dana White on hand to make the decisions.
The first week of the eighth season saw 10 fighters compete for their shot at a UFC contract. In the feature bout at middleweight, undefeated Mansur Abdul-Malik (6-0) took on Wesley Schultz (6-2).
The UFC Apex hosted Tuesday’s card, which streamed live on ESPN+.
DWCS 67 full results
MAIN CARD (ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)
Mansur Abdul-Malik def. Wesley Schultz via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 3:55
Bruno Lopes def. Mikheil Sazhiniani via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 4:14
Jose Delgado def. Ernie Juarez via knockout (knee and punches) – Round 2, 1:25
Lone’er Kavanagh def. An Tuan Ho via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 2:35
Who won a UFC contract?
At the conclusion of the event, White handed out four UFC contracts. The UFC CEO awarded contracts to Winners Abdul-Malik, Lopes, Delgado, and Kavanagh.
Mansur Abdul-Malik vs. Wesley Schultz
Round 1 – Abdul-Malik stalks forward patiently as Schultz offers a few kicks and punches. Abdul-Malik connects with a flurry and Schultz covers up and circles. After the reset, Abdul-Malik blitzes again, but Schultz gets on the hips and scrambles to the back, but can’t keep the position. Schultz offers a variety of kicks, but Abdul-Malik evades. Another blitz of heavy strikes from Abdul-Malik leads to the fight going to the ground. Schultz keeps Abdul-Malik wrapped up to avoid ground and pound, and the fight returns to the feet. Schultz offers another series of kicks as Abdul-Malik stays out of range. Abdul-Malik lands a short left. Abdul-Malik catches a kick, but lets it go. Schultz spins with a punch, but eats counters from Abdul-Malik.
Round 2 – Schultz comes out with high kicks, and Abdul-Malik lands a left hand. Schultz lands a spinning kick followed by a punch, and starts the charge forward. Abdul-Malik lands a nice counter, but Schultz keeps coming forward with offense. More strikes from Schultz leads to a takedown and ground and pound. Abdul-Malik gets back to his feet, but gets dragged back down. Abdul-Malik eventually gets free and connects with big punches. Schultz shoots in and is stuffed. Schultz rolls for an armbar, but gets reversed. Big ground and pound from Abdul-Malik now. Heavy elbows raining down! That’s it! What a big finish to close the show.
Round 1 – Single strikes are offered from both as the feel-out process unfolds. Hamed, bouncing in a karate side stance, lands a sharp left and an inside leg kick. Ding lands a nice short counter as Hamed darts forward. Now Ding looks for a takedown, but a knee goes south. The fight is paused for a couple of seconds, and Hamed is ready to get right back into it. Hamed looks for a jumping knee as Ding closes in to clinch. They separate briefly, and another clinch also stalls out. One minute to go now. Both go to the body with punches before another clinch is started by Ding. They separate again and both swing and miss with big punches.
MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Hamed.
Round 2 – Ding kicks to the leg and lands a spinning back kick to the body. Hamed lands a straight left. Ding closes in for a clinch but Hamed shakes him off. Now Hamed ducks under a strike and initiates a clinch, but Ding quickly puts his back on the fence. Hamed complains about a low knee, but the referee says it was legal to the beltline. They separate a moment after anyway. Ding continues his forward pressure. They trade punches, both just missing with powerful offerings. Hamed with a nice body kick. A moment later, Hamed darts with a left, but Ding gets a takedown with a few seconds left.
MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Ding.
Round 3 – Ding charges forward with punches and connects with a spinning back kick. Leg kicks are exchanged. Ding, turning up the volume connects with a punching combo. Hamed begins to fire back, but another Ding kick goes low, pausing the fight for the second time. Ding gets a final warning before the fight resumes. Hamed touches with a head kick, Ding taunts it off and waves Hamed in. Ding bouncing around more, looking to get the action going. Both kick at the same time, but Ding’s goes low again. The fight is halted again and Ding is docked a point. The fight resumes and Ding continues to press forward as Hamed circles outside. Ding clinches and Hamed quickly gets him off. Another clinch by Ding. Hamed lands a left hand. Another clinch by Ding and he gets a knee to the body on the exit as Hamed lands a few solid counter punches. Ding yells at Hamed to fight, but he keeps circling. One more exchange before the horn.
MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Hamed, and with the point deduction, gets the win 29-27.
Result: Rami Hamed def. Meng Ding via unanimous decision (30-26, 29-27, 29-27) Photos:Dana White’s Contender Series 67: Best photos Records: Ding (34-9), Hamed (13-3) Division: Welterweight Broadcast: ESPN+ Referee: Chris Tognoni
Bruno Lopes vs. Mikheil Sazhiniani
Round 1 – Sazhiniani threatens an early takedown but doesn’t fully commit. They reset and size each other up for a moment, and Sazhiniani charges forward with punches. Lopes lands a hard leg kick. Another not far behind it. Lopes evades a big overhand from Sazhiniani. Lopes lands a solid right hand. Sazhiniani lands the big overhand right and Lopes is down! Sazhiniani charges in but Lopes gets control of him and gets back to his feet. Sazhiniani still looking for the finish closes in with another right. Lopes fires back now. Sazhiniani looks for a takedown, but can’t get it.
MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Sazhiniani.
Round 2 – Lope offers a big knee, but Sazhiniani catches him and fires punches after a brief clinch. Sazhiniani throws a head kick, but misses. He then charges forward with a left. Lopes circles and fires off a combination of his own. Sazhiniani gets in on the hips looking for a single leg. It’s not there and they get back to trading punches in the middle. Sazhiniani connects with another overhand right. Sazhiniani, looking fatigued, wants another clinch but gets reversed. Lopes lands a nice punch. Sazhiniani is clearly tired now. A big shot to the liver from Lopes! Sazhiniani folds over and covers up. Lopes swarms with punches, and it’s over!
Round 1 – Both fighters come out swinging punches in hectic early exchanges. Delgado switches it up with a nice takedown, but Juarez works up pretty steadily. They swing punches again on the feet before Delgado gets another body lock takedown. Delgado ends up on the back as Juarez works back to his feet. A rear-naked choke threat is there, but Juarez fights off the hands well. Back to standing now, and Delgado starts to light up Juarez with a fast combo. Another takedown from Delgado, but Juarez works up quickly, and they return to the center. Juarez mounts some offense before a clinch battle. The round ends as Juarez lands a knee to Delgado.
MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Delgado.
Round 2 – Juarez catches a kick and looks for a takedown, but Delgado prevents it. Juarez digs in a solid body kick. Juarez lands a solid 1-2. Another kick to the body for Juarez. Delgado circles around and lands a left hand. He jumps forward with a big left knee! Juarez is down and out as follow-up hammerfists rain in. What a finish!
Round 1 – Ho started the action with leg kicks and offering punches first. Kavanagh’s early offense consists of attacks with leg kicks. Ho darts forward with punches, but Kavanagh evades. Out of nowhere, both fighters come forward at the same time, but it’s Kavanagh who connects with a short left hook that puts Ho completely out! It’s a walk-off KO for Kavanagh! WOW.
In Tuesday’s headlining bout at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Abdul-Malik (6-0) finished opponent [autotag]Wes Schultz[/autotag] (6-2) with ground-and-pound elbows at 3:55 of Round 3.
The back-and-forth bout was entertaining throughout. Both fighters have wrestling backgrounds, but Abdul-Malik appeared to be the stronger grappler. Schultz was light on his feet as he attempted flashy strikes and landed a few hard ones on Abdul-Malik’s head.
But ultimately it was Abdul-Malik’s blows that would get the job done. Brutal elbows smashed Schultz’s dome until referee Herb Dean stepped in.
Mikheil Sazhiniani’s face said it all when Bruno Lopes drilled him in the midsection as they fought for a UFC contract.
[autotag]Bruno Lopes[/autotag] was unwilling to let his second Dana White’s Contender Series chance slip through his fingers.
At DWCS 67, Lopes (13-1) finished opponent [autotag]Mikheil Sazhiniani[/autotag] (13-3) with a series of body blows for a stoppage at 4:14 of Round 2. The light heavyweight bout was the third of the series’ eighth season, which launched with its first card Tuesday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Sazhiniani had a strong opening round. As the fight progressed, however, the tables turned. Sazhiniani wore down and Lopes’ body shots expedited the process of cardio failure. A big step-knee to the body by Lopes just prior to the finish hurt Sazhiniani. Seconds later, a body punch put Sazhiniani in visible agony. Lopes pounced and landed a series of punches to the midsection as Sazhiniani covered up.
Lopes, 31, makes good one year after he lost in a massive upset to Brendson Ribeiro on DWCS in 2023. After the loss, he returned to LFA where he defended his title in January with a second-round submission win.
Sazhiniani, 27, has a six-fight winning streak snapped. The Georgian light heavyweight had competed in BRAVE CF and Octagon among other promotions prior to Tuesday’s bout.
UFC hopeful Jose Deglado kept the violence rolling at Dana White’s Contender Series 67 when he put Ernie Juarez’s lights out.
[autotag]Jose Delgado[/autotag] kept the violence rolling Tuesday when he put [autotag]Ernie Juarez[/autotag]’s lights out.
At Dana White’s Contender Series 67, Delgado (8-1) very likely punched his ticket into the UFC when he knocked Juarez (8-1) out with a knee and punches for a stoppage at 1:25 of Round 2. The featherweight bout took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
After a strong first round, Delgado took the judges out of the equation in Round 2. Juarez appeared to be out on the initial knee, but referee Chris Tognoni didn’t get involved until Delgado some follow-up hammerfists landed thereafter.
Dana White wrote “holy sh*t” on his bout sheet after UFC hopeful Lone’er Kavanagh scored a terrifying knockout of An Tuan Ho.
[autotag]Lone’er Kavanagh[/autotag] kicked off Dana White’s Contender Series, Season 8 with a bang Tuesday when he scored a knockout that left the UFC CEO writing “holy sh*t” on his bout sheet.
In the season opener, Kavanagh (7-0) clobbered previously undefeated [autotag]An Tuan Ho[/autotag] (6-1) with a brutal left hook that ended the fight at 2:35 of Round 1. The bout took place at DWCS 67 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Ho was down on the canvas for an elongated period of time, blankly staring into the distance as his corners, medical staff, and referee Herb Dean tried to assist him in coming back to. Eventually, Ho rose to his feet under his own power but was not present for the reading of the official decision.
Kavanagh, 25, is the latest Cage Warriors product to make an impression on the UFC brass. The knockout Tuesday was the fifth of his seven-fight career. The win was the fifth in a row where Kavanagh defeated a previously unbeaten fighter.
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The up-to-the-minute DWCS 67 results include:
Lone’er Kavanagh def. An Tuan Ho via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 2:35
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for DWCS 67.
Check out these photos from the fights at Dana White’s Contender Series 67 in Las Vegas.
Check out these photos from the five fights at Dana White’s Contender Series 67, which took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. (Event photos courtesy of UFC)
Dec 12, 2020; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Eric Stokes (27) celebrates after intercepting a pass against the Missouri Tigers during the first half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA – DECEMBER 05: DeVonta Smith #6 of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts after scoring a touchdown against the LSU Tigers at Tiger Stadium on December 05, 2020 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
University of Maryland wrestler Mansur Abdul-Malik has showcased violent knockout abilities ahead of his UFC tryout.
[autotag]Mansur Abdul-Malik[/autotag] wasn’t always as positive as he is now. It took time, but the progression was natural. He discovered the power of the mind and is now on the UFC’s doorstep because of it.
A 5-0 pro, Abdul-Malik fights Tuesday at Dana White’s Contender Series 67 with the opportunity to change his life, and the lives of those around him. Isn’t that enough to smile about?
“There’s no other place I want to be,” Abdul-Malik recently told MMA Junkie. “There’s literally no other place I’d want to be than worshipping God and just being peaceful and make my family happy. Other than that, there’s no other place I’d want to be. I just love it so much in there. I just feel like my mind is emptied in there.”
“When I go compete, it just feels so freeing. I swear, it feels so natural than regular, everyday life. When I go compete, it’s like a breath of fresh air. It’s like I’m here. I’m here and I can drop all the worries. I can drop all the other stuff that doesn’t matter. I can drop all the negativities and people that don’t matter.”
A Maryland native, Abdul-Malik has long been destined for the opportunity like the one he’ll have Tuesday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. There were some necessary delays along the way, but the journey always resumed.
A jiu-jitsu practitioner since six, Abdul-Malik fell in love with wrestling in middle school. That passion and success carried over into high school, and then at wrestling career at the University of Maryland while studying kinesiology.
Along the way, Abdul-Malik met fellow Maryland native Bryan Hamper, of SuckerPunch Entertainment, who served as a mentor and helped pave his path toward MMA success.
“I’ve known him since I was a teenager,” Abdul-Malik said. “That’s one of my best people in this sport and in this life as well. That’s a good man.”
In a place where adrenaline and nerves flow at the highest levels, Abdul-Malik has found peace and spiritual freedom. As he racked up first-round finish after first-round finish (he now has five of them) the cage began to feel more and more like home.
“I wasn’t always like this,” Abdul-Malik said. “I definitely wasn’t thinking positive. I wasn’t optimistic. But I understood the power of the mind. The power of positivity. The power of good vibes and belief and the faith in what you’re doing and your actions. It just flowed into MMA. It’s all just one big bubble. It’s not just one aspect of my life I’m positive in. It’s everything.
“… This is what I want to dedicate my life too, but also in the same hand, I kind of disconnect and treat it like it’s something that’s recreational. As much as I care about it, it’s also one of the very last things that matters in life. Life is so beautiful, man. There are so many different aspects of it. I have my family. I have my body. I have my health. I have other things I’m involved in that make me happy. I have food. I freaking love food. There are so many other aspects of life I feel people kind of forget.”
Abdul-Malik will fight Wes Schultz (6-1) in the headlining bout of DWCS 67 and have the opportunity to earn a UFC deal if he impresses the brass. While it’s an accomplishment to get this far, the real reward remains distant.
“My short-term goal is to get my hand raised on Tuesday,” Abdul-Malik said. “My long-term goal is to become a two-weight world champion, get all the money I can get my hands on and then give back to the people that gave to me, and give back to other people in forms of inspiration when it comes to anything financial, helping them in any way I possibly can. I’ll just live a good life and continue to build my wealth and status after fighting. I know and understand this won’t last forever, but I’m going to take every single possible thing I can from this career. It doesn’t only revolve around fighting.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for DWCS 67.
