A familiar promotion is set to make its official debut for our MMASucka staff picks season. Dana White’s Contender Series 37 will take place later tonight, August 31 from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. This event marks the start of a ten-week stretch of Contender Series bouts all taking place from the state-of-the-art promotional facility. The card will begin at 8:00pm ET (5:00pm PT) live for subscribers on ESPN+.
Make sure to recap our staff picks from last Friday’s PFL 9 2021 event in Florida and Saturday’s UFC Vegas 35 event in Nevada.
Results from Dana White’s Contender Series 37 can be found here at MMASucka.
Dana White’s Contender Series 37 Fights
Tonight, Dana White’s Contender Series will begin with its fifth season since beginning in the summer of 2017. Top-ranked prospects and talents all around the world will look to earn a potential fight contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Light heavyweights Azamat Murzakanov and Matheus Scheffel will meet in the featured main event. Murzakanov had originally been signed to the UFC before a two-year USADA suspension resulted in his eventual removal from the promotion. The Russian would return to competition in late 2019 securing the vacant Brave CF championship over Mohammad Fakhreddine. With seven straight first-round finishes, undefeated Murzakanov will look to end the night early. His opponent, Scheffel, is set for his professional return after nearly a two-year hiatus from competition. In his last outing, the Brazilian made quick work of then-Future FC champion Fabio Vasconcelos by knockout. Scheffel comes in as a significant underdog, the 28-year-old hoping to make the most of his opportunity.
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In the co-main event, Diego Lopes and Joanderson Brito are set for a potential three rounds at featherweight. Lopes has dominated across the country of Mexico, winning sixteen of his last seventeen fights including the Lux Fight League title over Alejandro Solano Rodriguez in 2019. Brito targets his tenth straight win after catching the eyes of many following his LFA knockout of Jose Mariscal in just 44 seconds two years ago.
Opponent changes and COVID-19 protocols forced Lukasz Brzeski off of tonight’s fight card. As a result, only four fights will take place at Dana White’s Contender Series 37. Who are the MMASucka staff picking to win? Find out further below.
Staff Picks
Throughout the calendar year, staff picks will be composed of main card fights from both UFC and Bellator events. Main card fights and selected preliminary fights will be selected for PFL MMA. Dana White’s Contender Series will be composed of the full fight card.
The WINNER of staff picks in 2021 will have a choice between receiving a custom-made championship belt from ProAmBelts or chain from Championship Chains. For the third straight year, Michael DeSantis captured the 2020 victory compiling a record of 201-88.
See below for our Dana White’s Contender Series 37 staff picks.
Staff Records after UFC Vegas 34:
1T. Wesley Riddle: 139-81
1T. Nate Freeman: 139-81
3. Michael DeSantis: 135-85
4. Frazer Krohn: 130-90
5. Ash Camyab: 124-87
6. Jeremy Brand: 118-103
7. Mike Lynch: 114-96
8. Mitchell Banuelos: 107-89
9. Andrew Benjamin: 93-101
10. Tim Wheaton: 88-66
11. Kenny Lee: 77-64
12. Brandon Joint: 66-31
13. Matt Bricker: 57-57
14. Chris Presnell: 27-12
15. Amanda Grace: 5-6
16. Al Mac: 5-1
17. Steven Irvine: 2-3
*Note – not all staff pick for every event*
*Note – PFL 9 2021 & UFC Vegas 35 picks will be added to the above records NEXT weekend*
AJ Fletcher (8-0) vs. Leonardo Damiani (10-2-1)
Jeremy Brand: Fletcher via UD
Wesley Riddle: Fletcher via UD
Michael DeSantis: Fletcher via UD
Ash Camyab: Fletcher via Round 1 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Fletcher via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Fletcher via UD
Mike Lynch: Fletcher via UD
Nate Freeman: Fletcher via Round 2 TKO
Tim Wheaton: Fletcher via Round 3 TKO
Chris Presnell: Damiani via Round 3 SUB
Staff picking Fletcher: 9
Staff picking Damiani: 1
Victor Altamirano (9-1) vs. Carlos Candelario (8-0)
Jeremy Brand: Candelario via UD
Wesley Riddle: Altamirano via SD
Michael DeSantis: Altamirano via UD
Ash Camyab: Altamirano via UD
Andrew Benjamin: Altamirano via UD
Frazer Krohn: Candelario via Round 1 TKO
Mike Lynch: Candelario via Round 2 SUB
Nate Freeman: Altamirano via SD
Tim Wheaton: Candelario via UD
Chris Presnell: Altamirano via UD
Staff picking Altamirano: 6
Staff picking Candelario: 4
Diego Lopes (19-3) vs. Joanderson Brito (11-2-1)
Jeremy Brand: Lopes via UD
Wesley Riddle: Lopes via Round 2 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Lopes via UD
Ash Camyab: Lopes via UD
Andrew Benjamin: Lopes via UD
Frazer Krohn: Lopes via UD
Mike Lynch: Lopes via UD
Nate Freeman: Lopes via UD
Tim Wheaton: Lopes via UD
Chris Presnell: Lopes via SD
Staff picking Lopes: 10
Staff picking Brito: 0
Azamat Murzakanov (9-0) vs. Matheus Scheffel (14-6)
Jeremy Brand: Murzakanov via UD
Wesley Riddle: Murzakanov via Round 1 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Murzakanov via Round 2 TKO
Ash Camyab: Murzakanov via Round 2 SUB
Andrew Benjamin: Murzakanov via UD
Frazer Krohn: Murzakanov via Round 2 TKO
Mike Lynch: Murzakanov via Round 3 TKO
Nate Freeman: Murzakanov via Round 1 TKO
Tim Wheaton: Murzakanov via Round 3 SUB
Chris Presnell: Murzakanov via Round 1 TKO
Staff picking Murzakanov: 10
Staff picking Scheffel: 0
DANA WHITE’S CONTENDER SERIES 37 FEATURED IMAGE:
Embed from Getty Images
