Hugo Cunha

DWCS 68 video: Rizvan Kuniev clobbers Hugo Cunha for first-round stoppage

UFC hopeful Rizvan Kuniev returned from PFL drug suspension to clobber LFA heavyweight champion Hugo Cunha.

Will the second time be the charm for [autotag]Rizvan Kuniev[/autotag]? It very well could be.

In his sophomore DWCS appearance Tuesday, Kuniev (13-2-1) picked up the first-round TKO stoppage that alluded him on the series in 2021 when he finished [autotag]Hugo Cunha[/autotag] (8-2) with punches at 4:59 of Round 1.

AT THE BUZZER 🚨

Rizvan Kuniev gets the finish with just one second to go in the first round! #DWCS pic.twitter.com/ZkuEyBPoMc

— UFC (@ufc) August 21, 2024

Kuniev, 31, is the former Eagle FC heavyweight champion. After the UFC passed on him in 2021, he returned to Eagle and defeated Anthony Hamilton. He signed with PFL thereafter and defeated Renan Ferreira in his promotional debut. However, he later tested positive for multiple banned substances, and the fight was overturned to a no contest. Tuesday’s fight was his first after his suspension concluded.

Cunha, 31, will return to the regional scene but still holds the LFA title. The defeat Tuesday snapped a two-fight winning streak.

The up-to-the-minute DWCS 68 results include:

Rizvan Kuniev def. Hugo Cunha via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 4:59
Cortavious Romious def. Michael Imperato via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Torrez Finney def. Cam Rowston via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Cody Haddon def. Billy Brand via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 4:59

Dana White’s Contender Series takes on international theme, 10 fights added to upcoming season

Ten fights are on the docket for Season 5 of Dana White’s Contender Series.

The lineup for Dana White’s Contender Series, Season 5 is slowly coming to form. Contracts are going out and fighters are putting their names on the dotted lines.

The upcoming installment has a different flare than recent years, with a large percentage of the roster coming from outside North America. The majority are from Brazil, Russia and beyond. Of the fights that have surfaced thus far, only a few Americans are set to partake in Season 5, which is set to begin in August.

Portions of Dana White's Contender Series S5 roster have leaked. Many international fighters and it's not a coincidence, I'm told. That was the intent from the start.#UFC was looking to increase talent level anyway, but this also offsets limited international signings in 2020.

— Nolan King (@mma_kings) May 26, 2021

The first known event date is Aug. 31. The series will extend at least through mid-October, with the latest event on the schedule currently set for Oct. 12.

A number of fights have leaked prior to the UFC’s official announcements. Scroll below to see the fights MMA Junkie has confirmed thus far.

10 heavyweights you can expect to see on Dana White’s Contender Series, Season 4

The return of Dana White’s Contender Series isn’t far off, and here are 10 big men who are candidates to appear on the show.

Dana White’s Contender Series has become a focal point for fighters on the regional scene. Since its inception in 2017, the UFC Fight Pass-turned-ESPN+ summer original removed some of the guesswork for up-and-comers trying to make it big.

With UFC president Dana White and matchmakers Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby cageside, the stakes are high. Have an impressive, exciting win on the show, and you’re in.

Rumored for a late-June 2020 start date, DWCS Season 4 is almost here. The lineups haven’t been announced quite yet, but advanced planning is underway. While there are hundreds of fighters qualified to compete on the show, we’ll be narrowing each divisional pool to 10 fighters you should expect to see on the show this summer.

We begin with the big boys – heavyweights.

****

Record: 5-0
Age: 27
Height: 6’4″
Birthplace: Rio de Janeiro

Brazil is known for its roots in jiu-jitsu, but [autotag]Hugo Cunha[/autotag] lives by his wrestling. A coach to Alex Oliviera, Thiago Santos and more, Cunha is highly touted among Brazilians for his wrestling abilities, but his ground skills don’t stop there. Cunha also has a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Competing for Future FC, Titan FC, and WOCS, Cunha has finished all five of his professional fights. He’s green, but he’s improving. What better way to figure out if he’s ready for the big leagues than DWCS?

Chris Daukaus

Record: 8-3
Age: 30
Height: 6’2″
Birthplace: Philadelphia

Brother of DWCS Season 3 competitor Kyle Daukaus, [autotag]Chris Daukaus[/autotag] deserves his fix, too. After starting his career at 2-2, Daukaus has won six of seven. His lone loss in the stretch came against Azunna Anyanwu – a fight he was largely winning. Daukaus is currently booked to face a DWCS alumnus Shawn Teed, one of the three men to hold wins over Daukaus. If Daukaus successfully defends his CFFC title and avenges a loss in the process, DWCS should be next.

More fighters on the next page:

Pages: 1234