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#3 Edmen Shahbayzan emerged from Dana White's Contender Series
Thus far at least, Armenian-American Middleweight Edmen Shahbazyan is the only graduate of Dana White’s Contender Series to main event a UFC show. Sure, that fight – a clash with battle-tested contender Derek Brunson – didn’t go to plan, as ‘Golden Boy’ was knocked out in the third round, but that’s beside the point. The 22-year old remains one of the UFC’s best prospects in any weight class.
Shahbazyan’s appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series took place in July 2018, and it took him just 40 seconds to dispose of opponent Antonio Jones via knockout.
A training partner of former UFC Bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey during her title reign, ‘Golden Boy’ was just 20 when Dana White handed him his contract, making him one of the UFC’s youngest fighters.
It took Shahbazyan just five months to make his full UFC debut, a fight that saw him outwrestle Darren Stewart for a decision. In his fights that followed, ‘Golden Boy’ destroyed Charles Byrd, Jack Marshman, and Brad Tavares to find himself firmly embedded in the top 15 at 185lbs.
Despite his recent loss to Brunson, Shahbazyan is still a red-hot prospect. With incredibly heavy strikes, tons of aggression, ruthless finishing instincts and improving technical skills in all areas, ‘Golden Boy’ still has his prime years ahead of him.
When all is said and done, he could end up becoming the first fighter of an Armenian background to hold UFC gold.
#2 Alex Perez emerged from Dana White's Contender Series
November 21st, 2020 is set to be a special day for Dana White’s Contender Series. The date marks UFC 255, where – assuming the fight isn’t affected by injuries or Covid-19 – Alex Perez should become the first graduate of the show to attempt to win a UFC title.
In this case, the title is the UFC’s Flyweight crown, currently held by dangerous Brazilian Deiveson Figueiredo. ‘Deus Da Guerra’ has lost just once in his career, but Perez will be hoping to change that and claim the gold, shocking UFC fans in the process.
The truth is that although he’s only been given this title shot due to an injury to Cody Garbrandt, Perez has been a fantastic addition to the UFC’s roster ever since he arrived in 2017.
His appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series saw him defeat Kevin Gray via anaconda choke, and just four months later, he used the same move to dispatch of Carls John de Tomas in his full UFC debut.
Since then, Perez has won 5 of his next 6 UFC fights, losing only to perennial contender Joseph Benavidez. Along the way, he’s defeated tough opponents such as Eric Shelton and Mark De La Rosa and most recently took out highly-rated veteran Jussier Formiga.
That fight saw Perez destroy the Brazilian with a series of brutal leg kicks – becoming only the third fighter to stop Formiga in his 15-year professional career.
A dynamic, explosive fighter with incredible scrambling skills, great striking and cardio for days, Perez will almost certainly prove to be a tricky challenge for Figueiredo. If he can unseat the Brazilian and become the first graduate of Dana White’s Contender Series to claim UFC gold, it’ll be impossible to deny him his spot in UFC history.
#1 Sean O’Malley emerged from Dana White's Contender Series
Although he’s only had 5 UFC fights since debuting on Dana White’s Contender Series back in 2017, no other fighter to graduate from the show has received the hype that Sean O’Malley has. However, it’s safe to say that the skills he’s shown inside the Octagon have proven that ‘Sugar Sean’ deserves it.
Still just 25 years old, O’Malley stunned viewers with his striking skill when he knocked out Alfred Khashakyan in the first round of his fight on Dana White’s Contender Series. Upon entering the UFC proper, he outworked Terrion Ware for a decision, and then hasn’t looked back since.
O’Malley picked up his first $50k bonus from Dana White at UFC 222, winning the ‘Fight of the Night’ award for his war with Andre Soukhamthath. His career was then derailed due to a positive drug test – but upon his return in March 2020, he picked up where he left off by KOing Jose Quinonez to win another $50k bonus.
June saw ‘Sugar Sean’ claim his third bonus reward with a knockout of former WEC Bantamweight champ Eddie Wineland in what was easily one of 2020’s most brutal finishes. And while he was recently defeated by the underrated Marlon Vera, there’s no question that his future in the UFC is bright.
Already a favorite of Dana White’s thanks to his brash personality and exciting fighting style, it’s easy to imagine O’Malley as a future UFC poster-boy. To date at least, he’s been the most impressive graduate of Dana White’s Contender Series.
