Tony Gravely and Ray Rodriguez to clash on Contender Series Week 8

Week 8 of Season 4 of the Dana White Contender Series has added a high-level bantamweight bout, The Body Lock has learned.

According to sources close to the situation, a fight between CES bantamweight champion Tony Gravely (18-5) and Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) and Combate Americas veteran Ray Rodriguez (15-5) will be contested on the August 13 event.

Gravely, 27, is one of the nation’s top bantamweight prospects. The CES and ex-KOTC titlist has won six straight fights, with all six of those wins coming by way of stoppage.

The Virginian finisher has only lost fights to those of the highest caliber, including the UFC’s touted Manny Bermudez (14-0) and Merab Dvalishvili (9-4), Bellator‘s heralded Ricky Bandejas (11-3) and Patrick Mix (11-0), and CFFC featherweight champion Pat Sabatini (11-2).

Gravely has defended his CES title twice, most recently finishing ACB veteran Darren Mima (10-8) with a second-round rear-naked choke at CES 55 in March.

Rodriguez, 31, is likewise considered one of the best bantamweights on the regional circuit.

“The Judge” has won ten of his last eleven fights, with a lone loss to UFC veteran Chris Gutierrez (13-3-1) as his only blemish since 2015. Of those ten recent wins, Rodriguez amassed eight stoppages, with six coming by way of submission.

Rodriguez is a longtime LFA staple, having competed under the promotion’s banner six times dating back to the pre-merger LFC days.

Since his loss to Guiterrez, Rodriguez has finished two straight fights, setting the stage for his bout on the Contender Series.

Week 8 of Season 3 of the Dana White Contender Series event, which is set for August 13, now includes:

• Tony Gravely (18-5) vs. Ray Rodriguez (15-5)
• Herdem Alacabek (5-0) vs. William Knight (4-0)
• Karl Reed (6-1) vs. Julius Anglickas (6-1)
• Brok Weaver (13-4) vs. Devin Smyth (9-1)
• Shana Young (6-1) vs. Sarah Alpar (8-4)