5 graduates of Dana White's Contender Series who could fight for UFC gold in the future
In the years that have followed its first season back in 2017, Dana White’s Contender Series has become the primary source of new talent entering the UFC.
new fighters to the roster after an incredible week of the #DWCS!UFC President @DanaWhite welcomes ✋ new fighters to the roster after an incredible week of the #DWCS! https://t.co/X2rt3rLPqw
We’ve already seen Alex Perez, a product of DWCS, challenge for the UFC flyweight title, but could more fighters from the show fight for gold in the octagon in the near future?
With the amount of talent that the show has produced thus far, it seems inevitable.
With that in mind, here are five graduates of Dana White’s Contender Series who could fight for UFC gold in the future.
#5. Andre Muniz – UFC middleweight
Given that reigning UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has largely cleaned out the 185lb division, it’s likely that up-and-coming contenders, rather than more established ones, are likely to end up getting a shot at him in the near future.
We’re already seeing that in a way, as Alex Pereira has been pegged as the next challenger for ‘The Last Stylebender’ despite having just three wins in the octagon, but one fighter who could also break through in the near future is Andre Muniz.
The Brazilian emerged onto the scene via the third season of DWCS in 2019, submitting Taylor Johnson. Interestingly, it wasn’t his first appearance on the show. Muniz actually fought on the Brazilian edition in 2018, winning his fight, but he wasn’t deemed impressive enough to earn a contract.
Since arriving in the promotion, though, he has been very impressive. He’s reeled off five wins in a row, and in 2021, he became the only fighter to ever submit grappling legend Jacare Souza in MMA, tapping him with an armbar in the first round.
André Muniz SUBMITS Ronaldo Souza in the first round! 👏
#UFC262 https://t.co/0WkHWwgklt
With three wins in the octagon via submission, it’s clear that ‘Sergipano’ is one of the best grapplers in the middleweight division, if not the best right now. Given that both Adesanya and Pereira have question marks over their ground games, it’d be fascinating to see him face either of them.
Currently ranked at No.10, Muniz probably needs one more big win to claim a title shot, but based on what we’ve seen thus far, it’s definitely possible that he can secure one in the near future.
#4. Jamahal Hill – UFC light heavyweight
This weekend’s UFC Fight Night event features a light heavyweight headliner between former title challenger Thiago Santos and hot prospect Jamahal Hill. If ‘Sweet Dreams’ can find a way to beat the No.6-ranked Brazilian, then he could be on the cusp of a title shot.
It’s been a swift rise to the top for Hill, who emerged as an unbeaten prospect on DWCS in the summer of 2019. After beating Alexander Poppeck via TKO on the show, he made his octagon debut in early 2020 and quickly reeled off three wins, culminating in a knockout victory over veteran Ovince Saint Preux.
2021 started badly for ‘Sweet Dreams’, as he was stopped by Paul Craig when the Scotsman dislocated his elbow in the first round. Since then, though, he’s bounced back nicely with big knockout wins over Jimmy Crute and Johnny Walker.
The 205lb division was just put on NOTICE 🤯
[ @JamahalH | #UFCVegas48 ] https://t.co/1vNMNXNJSZ
Why is Hill a potential future title challenger? Not only is he massively exciting to watch – just two of his bouts in the UFC have left the first round – but the 205lb division is an aging one of sorts, meaning that at 31, he’s still got time to improve.
Given that he’s already got all the physical gifts needed to get to the top – including a lengthy 79” reach – it seems highly likely that if he continues on his current trajectory, a title shot could well be in his future.
#3. Maycee Barber – UFC women's flyweight
While it’s now impossible for her to become the youngest champion in UFC history, as she professed was her goal after she claimed a contract with the promotion following her victory on DWCS in 2018, flyweight prospect Maycee Barber may still make a big impact on the title picture in the near future.
‘The Future’ is still only 24 years old, and despite suffering a severe knee injury in her 2020 loss to Roxanne Modafferi that kept her out for well over a year, she’s recently bounced back nicely.
Barber is currently riding a three-fight win streak, having beaten Miranda Maverick, Montana De La Rosa and Jessica Eye. While it’s now been nearly three years since her last victory via stoppage, it’s safe to say that she’s done well in terms of stepping up in competition.
The Future is NOW!
@MayceeBarber makes it three straight wins with the UD victory 💪
[ #UFC276 Early Prelims are LIVE NOW on @ESPNPlus ] https://t.co/lu3oXODWgN
‘The Future’ has an improving striking game, devastating power in her punches, and her cardio is excellent to the point where she rarely appears to slow down.
Given that the flyweight division has been utterly dominated over the past few years by reigning champion Valentina Shevchenko – to the point where ‘Bullet’ has already beaten five of the other contenders in the top 10 – one more big win for Barber could easily elevate her into contention.
If Shevchenko were then to move up in weight and vacate her title, as some have suggested, ‘The Future’ could definitely find herself competing for the gold in the near future, particularly if she can continue to improve her overall game.
#2. Adrian Yanez – UFC bantamweight
Right now, there aren’t many hotter fighters in the UFC’s bantamweight division – and in the promotion overall – than Adrian Yanez. While he is yet to defeat a truly elite-level fighter, it seems like only a matter of time before he climbs into the upper echelon.
Yanez emerged from the series in 2020, stopping Brady Huang in a violent performance. He immediately garnered a lofty comparison, with commentator Paul Felder describing him as being like a young Jorge Masvidal.
Since then, he certainly hasn’t let anyone down. The Texan prospect has taken out all five of his opponents in the octagon, with only one of them – the highly-experienced Davey Grant – lasting the distance with him.
A STATEMENT IN HIS HOME STATE 😤
@yanezmma was determined to get the finish at #UFCAustin https://t.co/XZOB45HOqi
However, Yanez has proven that he’s not just a heavy-handed brawler, as he’s displayed tremendous fight IQ at times, most notably in his come-from-behind win over Randy Costa in the summer of 2021.
Right now, Yanez is not currently ranked in the division’s top 15, but it seems like he could break through to that level with one more big win, probably before the end of 2022. Based on his current trajectory, it seems inevitable that at some point in the future, he’ll challenge for the bantamweight title.
#1. Sean O’Malley – UFC bantamweight
Given that he’s booked to fight a former titleholder – and a fighter who is still ranked as his division’s top contender – in Petr Yan in his next bout, it’s undeniable that the graduate of DWCS who is closest to a UFC title shot right now is Sean O’Malley.
‘Sugar’ was actually one of the first fighters to be produced by the show, as he defeated Alfred Khashakyan by knockout during his appearance in the first season back in the summer of 2017.
At that stage, O’Malley was just 22 years old, but it didn’t take him long to make an impact in the octagon. He defeated his first two opponents, and then after returning from a USADA suspension, violently knocked out two more experienced foes in Jose Quinonez and Eddie Wineland.
WALK OFF, @SUGASEANMMA! #UFC250HE SLEPT HIM! 😱 WALK OFF, @SUGASEANMMA! #UFC250 https://t.co/extMDtAGGU
A loss to Marlon Vera then derailed him somewhat, but ‘Sugar’ quickly bounced back, taking out three opponents via KO before an errant eye poke caused his most recent fight with Pedro Munhoz to end in a no contest.
However, while some fans might criticize him for not facing the toughest opposition, it’s hard to deny his sheer talent in the octagon. Not only does he hit heavily, but his use of range and timing is fantastic, and he’s more than willing to throw strikes from unorthodox positions.
Whether or not he can overcome Yan is another thing entirely, but if he can pull it off, he’ll definitely be in line for a shot at the UFC bantamweight title – and even if he loses, he may get there in the near future anyway. Overall, he’s definitely been the biggest star to come out of DWCS.