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 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.
Up next, the featherweights…
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Mohammad Alavi
Record: 5-0
Age: 33
Height: 5’8″
Birthplace: Tehran, Iran
It’s hard to build your record when you struggle to find willing opponents. That’s the issue [autotag]Mohammad Alavi[/autotag] has been having lately. At only 5-0, Alavi hasn’t generated much buzz outside of the Australia/New Zealand regional circuit. However, many inside the circuit view him as a force to be reckoned with. He’s finished all of his fights inside the distance, including his 102-second knockout of Jackson Small at XFC 42 in August. With the coronavirus outbreak canceling his March 20 bout for Superfight MMA, Alavi could jump right into DWCS this summer.
Anthony Avila
Record: 18-5
Age: 31
Height: 5’7″
Birthplace: Lemoore, Calif.
It’s crazy that [autotag]Anthony Avila[/autotag] is only 31 years old considering the amount of experience he’s accumulated over the years. From his Shark Fights and Strikeforce Challengers days early on, to his most recent fights in Combate Americas and Tachi Palace Fights, Gutierrez has been around the block. Over the years, the Team Alpha Male product faced top-tier regional talent. He’s had ups and downs, but now he’s ready. A winner of five of his most recent six outings, Avila has proved he’s made the proper advancements to stay consistent.