‘Dana White’s Contender Series’ Season 8 results: Four knockouts in Week 1

Aug 13, 2024, 09:25 PM ET

“Dana White’s Contender Series” returns for Season 8 on Aug. 13. The show, which has been a pipeline to the UFC for top talent from around the world, has helped the UFC discover some of the best fighters in the sport today including bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley and former light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill.

There are also many top prospects who have found a home in the UFC through the show such as Bo Nickal, Jack Della Maddalena, Payton Talbott, and Jailton Almeida. Will Season 8 of DWCS produce the sport’s next future star?

Here are the fighters to watch, matchups and results from each week:

Laura Sanko’s top fighters to watch

ESPN spoke with UFC analyst Laura Sanko to get a list of the fighters she is most excited to see on this season of DWCS. “There is an emerging theme this year,” Sanko told ESPN. “Many of the fighters a really young, but they appear to be ready for this stage. They pass the eye test more than the fighters in previous years.”

Torrez Finney, middleweight

Record: 8-0
Age: 25
Fighting out of: Chattanooga, Tennessee

Finney fought on DWCS last season, winning via second-round submission, but he wasn’t awarded a contract. It seemed like UFC president Dana White and matchmaker Mick Maynard wanted him to get a little more experience. Though he won by submission in Season 7, Finney’s background is in wrestling, he was a three-time Tennessee state wrestling champion and a former all-conference fullback at the University of Tennesee Chattanooga. Finney is an absolute powerhouse, and despite his size, he never seems to slow down inside the cage.

Gauge Young, lightweight

Record: 8-1
Age: 24
Fighting out of: Kansas City, Missouri

Young is only 24 years old, but he’s super polished. He started his career as a grappler, but in his last few fights, he has dialed it in on the feet. He’s not a heavy puncher, he’s more of a sniper. Young trains at Ignite Jiu-Jitsu and MMA Academy with former UFC fighters Zac Cummings and Jason High.

Austin Bashi, featherweight

Record: 12-0
Age: 22
Fighting out of: West Bloomfield Township, Michigan

Bashi is one of the best prospects in all of MMA. He enters DWCS Season 8 having finished each of his last four opponents (three submissions, one KO). He has a wrestling background, but he has striking that his opponent has to respect. Despite his age, Bashi has already faced and beaten high-level competition. Just two fights ago, he submitted Askar Askar another highly-touted prospect. Bashi has what it takes to be a champion one day.

Artem Vakhitov, light heavyweight

Record: 2-1
Age: 33
Fighting out of: Prokopyevsk, Russia

Vakhitov has little professional MMA experience, but he is a former Glory kickboxing champion. Most notably, Vakhitov was the last guy to beat UFC light heavyweight champ Alex Pereira in kickboxing. And that’s why he’s making this move, he’s coming for Pereira.