Who is A.J. Fletcher, the MMA fighter in Dana White's Contender Series?

A.J. Fletcher is one of the newest prospects to be added to the UFC roster. His stupefying success in Dana White's Contender Series recently bolstered his foray into the promotion. Aged 24, Fletcher was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in February 1997.

Hailed as a hotbed of combat sports talent, Louisiana is home to some of the most popular MMA fighters like Dustin Poirier, Daniel Cormier and more. If his work on the latest edition of DWCS is anything to go by, 'The Ghost' is well on his way to joining Poirier and 'DC' in Louisiana MMA folklore.

The aspiring UFC welterweight fights out of Lafayette, Louisiana, under the tutelage of Tim Credeur from the Gladiators Academy. A.J. Fletcher stands at 5'9" with a reach of 67". He weighed 171.0lbs during his most recent weigh-in.

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A.J. Fletcher stuns on Dana White's Contender Series

Kicking things off for season 5 of DWCS, A.J. Fletcher recorded an astounding win over Leonardo Damiani. 'The Ghost' took on the Italian at the UFC Apex in a welterweight scrap on Tuesday.

While the fight in itself did not last too long, A.J. Fletcher ensured that he would leave a lasting impression on the minds of UFC President Dana White and matchmakers Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby.

WHAT. A. FINISH. 🤯AJ Fletcher with an INSANE flying knee to kick off our first bout! [ #DWCS LIVE on @ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/5VSPBxx7ZG

— UFC (@ufc) September 1, 2021

Recording a KO win right in the first round, 'The Ghost' certainly made his way into the promotion with a bang. Reluctant to waste any time, A.J. Fletcher threw a vicious flying knee. With no room to retreat, the knee landed flush on the Italian's chin, thereby putting him away for good.

What makes this achievement all the more impressive is that, in addition to improving his 8-0, Fletcher brought Damiani's unbeaten streak of six fights to an end. Fletcher has certainly lived up to the reputation of Louisiana-based fighters.