UPDATED: 20 PERCENT of the UFC roster is from contender series

[MikeyB]

One thing about the Contender series, no one comes from a happy home. There's a good chance someone they loved died.

You think an up and comer just shoots a random family member for the story?

 

[Sweater of AV]

I is 6 is wayyyy too much. But if thatd the cost of getting grappling out of the sport then it's a net benefit I suppose

Must not be working because all the fights tonight were boring grappling matches. I hope no one was awarded a ufc contract

You're part of the problem.

 

[Chael_Sonnen]

God that's a joke. What happened to people building themselves up on the regional scene?

 

[Nelly]

God that's a joke. What happened to people building themselves up on the regional scene?

Most of them do that before they get an offer to be on the contender series.

 

[Minnja]

I don't really get the hate for the Contender Series guys. It's not much different from seeing regional guys making UFC debuts. Some will lose and get cut within 2-3 fights and some will stay for a long time and have success and some will even crack into the top 10 or better. The only difference is that we see the Contender Series highlights for their introductions instead of them just shadow boxing to the camera lol.

 

[Bobby Pistachio]

This show is meant to get us to care about low profile fighters

Which is why i dont watch it

 

[Chael_Sonnen]

Most of them do that before they get an offer to be on the contender series.

Have you seen the level of some of these guys? I highly doubt most of them did as much as people did before.

 

[TITS]

Can't be true because some have been axed like Bevon Lewis.

They've already released a shitload of DWCS alumni. I'm sure at least half of the 37 fighters they signed this season will be gone by the end of next year.

 

[Jose Beehive]

They've already released a shitload of DWCS alumni. I'm sure at least half of the 37 fighters they signed this season will be gone by the end of next year.

I mean it's hard to tell who is signed and who's isn't sometimes they just bring random cans out of nowhere for squash matches that you never see again.

 

[Feardafighta1126]

Baldy gets them off of the contender series for cheap. Only pays them 3/3

 

[Prologue]

As much as I love MMA, I kind of miss the days where we had a bit of time between cards and many of them felt truly stacked.

Sure, fights every week is cool and all, but seems like I can watch consistently and still not know 2/3rds of who's fighting. Nor really care since they're just bodies filling time slots.

I know it would never happen, but it would be awesome to see the UFC dial back the cards, get rid of DWCS and work with more regionals via Fight Pass. That way you can trim the fat and maintain the integrity of the UFC brand, while still providing fight content for the hardcore fans.

 

[Lethal_Striker]

The math of 1 out of every 6 UFC fighters doesn't work when a lot of the DWCS guys afterwards when they get into UFC proper are 1 and dones before getting cut. But on the flip side is its not like guys fighting on DWCS wouldn't get shots in UFC without the show. Only difference is guys on the fence of getting a shot in UFC and need 1 more win to get said shot at UFC that fight is on DWCS instead of a regional show.

 

[TITS]

I mean it's hard to tell who is signed and who's isn't sometimes they just bring random cans out of nowhere for squash matches that you never see again.

I'm right in the middle of compiling an exhaustive list of DWCS losers/winners that were not signed but brought back (either to DWCS or short notice UFC cards) and it's taking forever. The Wikipedia page leaves off a SHITLOAD of names. I've been at it for 2 hours now.

For example, Ricky Simon won but was not signed but ended up in the top 15 almost immediately.

 

[Jose Beehive]

I'm right in the middle of compiling an exhaustive list of DWCS losers/winners that were not signed but brought back (either to DWCS or short notice UFC cards) and it's taking forever. The Wikipedia page leaves off a SHITLOAD of names. I've been at it for 2 hours now.

For example, Ricky Simon won but was not signed but ended up in the top 15 almost immediately.

Good work! look forward to seeing the results .

 

[TITS]

Good work! look forward to seeing the results .

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention a really important one: Giga Chikadze got choked stiff on DWCS, then went back to crushing cans in Gladiator Challenge, then got brought back to the UFC on short-notice (to fight DWCS contract winner Brandon Davis, who has since been cut) and has been dominating ever since.

 

[Oeshon]

God that's a joke. What happened to people building themselves up on the regional scene?

What regional scene? Regional scene is shrinking and covid has pretty much stomped on its neck

 

[Chael_Sonnen]

What regional scene? Regional scene is shrinking and covid has pretty much stomped on its neck

I mean, your right for this year, but last year had plenty of regional bouts and yet Contender series was in full flight.

 

[Jose Beehive]

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention a really important one: Giga Chikadze got choked stiff on DWCS, then went back to crushing cans in Gladiator Challenge, then got brought back to the UFC on short-notice (to fight DWCS contract winner Brandon Davis, who has since been cut) and has been dominating ever since.

Nice! I didn't know that, or that about Ricky Simon either, I'm wondering how many got signed to Developmental contracts and ended up fighting or disappearing too.

 

[Mohawk Banditó]

A good number of them have been cut so I don’t know this is very accurate

This. Sherdoggers and math, man, I swear.

106 contracts since DCWS started.
646 fighters right now.

These are not comparable numbers.

 

[TITS]

Nice! I didn't know that, or that about Ricky Simon either, I'm wondering how many got signed to Developmental contracts and ended up fighting or disappearing too.

The developmental contracts are kind of few and far between. Off the top of my head: Greg Hardy, Chase Hooper, and Bevon Lewis (who got pushed too fast then shitcanned a few days ago).