Five fights are scheduled to take place at Dana White’s Contender Series Week 2 on Tuesday, June 25.
For the ten fighters set to compete at the new Apex facility in Las Vegas, the stakes have never been higher. The promotion is hunting for talented, but mostly exciting fighters who are capable of wowing fans at UFC shows.
At the Contender Series, a dominant victory may result in a UFC contract, but a stunning knockout, submission, or generally entertaining strategy will almost certainly boost a fighter’s chances of entering the promotion.
Last week, it was Punahele Soriano and Yorgan De Castro who joined the UFC after scoring impressive victories. Brendan Loughnane showcased excellent skills in his unanimous decision win against Bill Algeo, but Dana White wasn’t too impressed by Loughnane’s decision to shoot for a takedown with ten seconds remaining in the fight. Loughnane missed out in favor of Soriano and De Castro.
The memo has never been clearer for fighters who are competing at Dana White’s Contender Series; it’s all about bringing the action.
Read on for the full Contender Series fight card and for more updates.
Contender Series Week 2 Fight Card
Watch on ESPN+ (8 pm ET)
- Alton Cunningham vs. Tony Johnson
- Zach Zane vs. Justin Gonzales
- Michael Lombardo vs. Kyle Daukaus
- Richie Santiago vs. Miles Johns
- Miguel Baeza vs. Victor Reyna
Contender Series Week 2 Updates
The fight card has undergone some changes since it was first announced.
The main event of the evening was initially scheduled as a welterweight matchup between Miguel Baeza and Ramiz Brahimaj. However, Brahimaj withdrew from the fight with two weeks to go, citing that he experienced a medical issue and now requires surgery.
Sad news….Ramiz Brahimaj is out of his fight against Miguel Baeza at #DWTNCS Season 3 Week 2. (Per @170Ramiz IG). Due to a medical issue he need immediate surgery.
Wishing all the best to Ramiz and a speedy recovery 🙏 pic.twitter.com/Cw6aFk7SNf
— Marcel Dorff 🇳🇱🇮🇩 (@BigMarcel24) June 13, 2019
Victor Reyna accepted a short-notice fight against Miguel Baeza but was required to cut 30 pounds to make the welterweight limit in just two weeks.
Unsurprisingly, Reyna didn’t make the 171-pound requirement by the time of the official weigh-ins. Reyna weighed in just over eight pounds heavier than Baeza, hitting the scales at 178 pounds.
The fight has since been moved from the main event position to the opening bout of the evening.
Miguel Baeza has agreed to face Victor Reyna for tomorrow night's DWTNCS despite Reyna weighing 7 lbs over the 171 lbs weight limit.
Reyna attempted to cut 30 lbs in two weeks, but stopped cutting due to medical concerns.
It will now be the opening bout rather than main event.
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) June 24, 2019