Dana White's Contender Series: Season 9, Week 1: Odds And Predictions
Since the DWCS began in 2017, UFC CEO Dana White has awarded 287 UFC contracts to the competitors. Last year, in Season 8 of the DWCS , White handed out 42 UFC deals.
Three fighters have become UFC champions after appearing on a DWCS card: Sean O'Malley, Jamahal Hill, and Jack Della Maddalena.
Season 9, Episode 1 of the DWCS airs on ESPN+ at 7:00 p.m. ET.
Below, we look at the matchups, betting odds, picks, and predictions for the August 12 DWCS fight card.
Ilian Bouafia Vs. Neemias Santana
A middleweight matchup between Ilian Bouafia and Neemias Santana is slated to headline the first episode of Season 9 of the DWCS. Bouafia brings a 6-0 record into the event. He is a 6-foot-five inch kickboxer, who last competed under the Ares FC banner. Bouafia's most recent fight was a February 2025 unanimous decision win over Paulin Begai. The bout marked the first time Boufia went the distance. His previous five outings ended via knockout, with four of those stoppages coming in the first round and the other in the second stanza.
Santana is 7-2-1 over his career. He checks in at 6-foot-two. Santana is coming off a second-round knockout win over Marcos Vinicius on a March 2025 LFA card. He is 3-0-1 heading into Tuesday and has not lost since 2022.
According to BetOnline, Bouafia is a -260 betting favorite over the +175 Santana.
Bouafia uses his length well and uses a technical kickboxing style. As for Santana, he is a pressure fighter, who looks to use his power to wrap things up.
The pick is Bouafia to win via knockout, but Santana, thanks to his approach, might be a pick to score an upset KO.
Radley da Silva Vs. George Mangos
This Radley da Silva vs. George Mangos bout takes place at featherweight. Da Silva (7-1) is a three-time defending featherweight champ under the Battlefield Fight League banner. The 30-year-old last defended that title in January with a second-round submission win over Drew Brokenshire. Da Silva has three submission wins, three decision victories and one KO. His only loss came in his first pro bout in 2013.
Like his opponent in this scrap, the 21-year-old Mangos (7-0) is a defending champion. He won the HEX Fight Series crown in 2024 and has defended that belt, most recently knocking out Ethan Thomas in 34 seconds in their March 2025 scrap. Mangos has five submissions and two knockout wins. He has gone into the third round once.
The current betting odds for Da Silva vs. Mangos has Mangos listed at -150 and Da Silva at +120.
Both of these men are good grapplers, but Mangos might have the advantage there. He is also the better striker. With his better all-around skillset, the betting pick is for a Mangos decision win.
Ty Miller Vs. Jimmy Drago
In the middle of Tuesday's DWCS fight card is a welterweight matchup between Ty Miller and Jimmy Drago. Miller brings a perfect 5-0-0-1 record with him into the contest. The 25-year-old Miller is coming off a no contest on an LFA card in December. Before that he three knockouts and two decision victories.
Drago is a former Ring of Combat champ. The 7-2-0-1 fighter is also coming off a no contest in his most recent matchup, a March 2025 scrap under the Cage Fury banner. Drago has four knockouts, two decisions and one submission win. He has one knockout loss and one submission setback.
The betting odds for this bout find Miller at -185 and Drago at +155.
The pick is for Miller to score a decision victory.
Christopher Ewert Vs. Yuri Panferov
Christopher Ewert and Yuri Panferov are scheduled to meet at 185 pounds. Ewert is a perfect 7-0 since making his pro debut in 2022. The 31-year-old was set to make his UFC debut at UFC 317, but a massive weight miss cost him that opportunity and his UFC contract. However, the promotion is giving him a second chance at a contract via the DWCS. Ewert has five knockouts and two decisions. He last fought in January of this year, going the distance on a Fury FC card.
Panferov has an 8-1 record. The 28-year-old competed on the DWCS in 2023, losing to Torrez Finney via rear naked choke. Since that setback, Panferov is 2-0 with two knockout victories for CES. He has not fought since November 2024. Three of his career wins are by knockout, and the other five have come via submission. Panferov's most recent fight ended with 10 seconds left in the third stanza.
Ewert is a -170 betting favorite over the +140 Panferov.
Look for Ewert to be motivated to earn a UFC contract in this matchup after missing weight for UFC 317. He should be able to exploit the gaps in Panferov's striking and get a knockout win.
Baysangur Susurkaev Vs. Murtaza Talha
Opening Season 9 of the DWCS is a middleweight fight between Baysangur Susurkaev and Murtaza Talha. Susurkaev is the biggest favorite on the card at -350. He has an 8-0 record with seven knockouts and one decision. The 24-year-old is coming off a knockout on a February Fury FC card. The only question about Susurkaev is that he is taking this fight on short notice.
The 29-year-old Talha fell short in 2023 when he had an opportunity to earn a DWCS deal. In that matchup, Rodolfo Bellato knocked out Talha in the second round. Since then, Talha is 1-0 with a win over Oleg Klimov who was 0-1 as a pro. So, it is a bit of a head scratcher as to why he is getting a second look on the DWCS. Talha is a +275 underdog.
The pick is for Susurkaev to pick up a knockout win.
We will have more on Season 9 of the DWCS as the events take place. On Tuesday night, we will have results, reactions and contract winners for Season 9, Episode 1 of the Dana White Contender Series.
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