Two events remain for a promotion in 2022 as our MMASucka staff picks nears the end of the month.
Dana White’s Contender Series 55 is set for action tonight, September 20 from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event comes as the ninth straight Tuesday fight card of ten total cards in what is the sixth yearly season of competition. Five fights will take place at the event beginning at 8:00pm ET (5:00pm PT) for subscribers on ESPN+.
Live results from Dana White’s Contender Series 55 will be available here at MMASucka.
Also, be sure to recap our staff picks from Saturday the 17th’s UFC Vegas 60 event from Las Vegas.
The Fights
Ten fighters from around the world will look to impress Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White and company as they target the ultimate goal of securing a promotional contract.
Middleweight (185 pounds) hopefuls Leon Aliu and Brunno Ferreira are set for three rounds in the featured main event of the night. Italy’s Aliu showed his finishing ability in his May fight against Cage Warriors veteran James Webb securing a sub-two minute knockout. Ferreira, training alongside the likes of Daniel Acacio and coach Andre Dida at Evolucao Thai MMA, looks to remain undefeated currently at a 100% finishing rate through eight fights.
A historical bout it could be in the co-main event as Raul Rosas Jr. takes on Mando Gutierrez in the bantamweight division (135 pounds). Rosas Jr. will be the youngest fighter in Contender Series history at 17 years old and, with a contract, would become the youngest fighter signed in UFC history. Gutierrez, another youthful rising contender at 25, looks to stop the hype in search of his fourth straight victory and third within the past non-calendar year.
2018 Contender Series alum Austen Lane returns on a five-fight win streak to face undefeated Brazilian Richard Jacobi at heavyweight (265 pounds).
Also looking to impress sees Combat Sambo specialist Nurullo Aliev and former Shooto Brazil flyweight champion Jafel Filho set for battle against their respected opponents. See our staff picks for Dana White’s Contender Series 55 further below.
Staff Picks
Staff picks in 2022 will follow the same set of rules from the 2021 season. 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 included for PFL MMA. Dana White’s Contender Series will be composed of the entire fight card.
The WINNER of staff picks in 2022 will have a choice between receiving a custom-made championship belt from ProAmBelts or a chain from Championship Chains. A winner is determined simply by the individual correctly picking the most victorious fighters at the year’s end. Nate Freeman secured his first victory with MMASucka in 2021 with a compiled record 243-136.
Who are the MMASucka staff picking to win at Dana White’s Contender Series 55?
Staff Records after Dana White’s Contender Series 54:
1. Nate Freeman: 197-103
2. Wesley Riddle: 196-104
3. Frazer Krohn: 195-105
4. Michael DeSantis: 192-108
5. Jeremy Brand: 179-115
6. William Dong: 173-106
7. Chris Presnell: 167-117
8. Julio Monteros Jr.: 163-92
9. Andrew Benjamin: 162-126
10. Tim Wheaton: 154-91
11. Mike Lynch: 123-74
12. Brian Knight: 121-86
13. Brandon Joint: 115-74
14. Jack Goodwillie: 114-56
15. Ash Camyab: 105-77
16. Coby Weinsier: 87-47
17. Chinyere Okafor: 72-38
18. Jacek Okninski: 70-58
19. Roemello Reyes: 54-29
20. Ben Jamieson: 25-19
21. Matt Bricker: 24-22
22. Joe Porter: 11-5
*Note – not all staff pick for every event*
*Note – UFC Vegas 60 picks will be added to the above records NEXT weekend*
Roybert Echeverria (7-0), +130
vs.
Jafel Filho (13-2), -150
Flyweight Division
– 125 lbs. –
Jeremy Brand: Filho via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Filho via Round 2 SUB
Michael DeSantis: Filho via Round 2 SUB
Frazer Krohn: Filho via Round 1 SUB
Nate Freeman: Echeverria via Unanimous Decision
Roemello Reyes: Echeverria via Round 2 TKO
Ben Jamieson: Filho via Round 2 SUB
Staff picking Echeverria: 2
Staff picking Filho: 5
Nurullo Aliev (6-0), -610
vs.
Josh Wick (12-5), +460
Lightweight Division
– 155 lbs. –
Jeremy Brand: Aliev via Round 1 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Aliev via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Aliev via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Aliev via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Aliev via Round 2 TKO
Roemello Reyes: Aliev via Unanimous Decision
Ben Jamieson: Aliev via Round 2 TKO
Staff picking Aliev: 7
Staff picking Wick: 0
Austen Lane (11-3), -135
vs.
Richard Jacobi (6-0-1), +115
Heavyweight Division
– 265 lbs. –
Jeremy Brand: Lane via Round 1 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Lane via Round 2 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Lane via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Jacobi via Round 2 TKO
Nate Freeman: Lane via Round 1 TKO
Roemello Reyes: Lane via Round 1 TKO
Ben Jamieson: Lane via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Lane: 6
Staff picking Jacobi: 1
Raul Rosas Jr. (5-0), -175
vs.
Mando Gutierrez (7-1), +150
Bantamweight Co-Main Event
– 135 lbs. –
Jeremy Brand: Rosas Jr. via Round 1 SUB
Wesley Riddle: Rosas Jr. via Round 1 SUB
Michael DeSantis: Gutierrez via UD
Frazer Krohn: Rosas Jr. via Round 3 SUB
Nate Freeman: Rosas Jr. via Round 2 SUB
Roemello Reyes: Rosas Jr. via Round 2 SUB
Ben Jamieson: Rosas Jr. via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Rosas Jr.: 6
Staff picking Gutierrez: 1
Leon Aliu (10-1), +205
vs.
Brunno Ferreira (8-0), -245
Middleweight Main Event
– 185 lbs. –
Jeremy Brand: Ferreira via Round 2 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Ferreira via Round 1 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Ferreira via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Ferreira via Round 3 TKO
Nate Freeman: Ferreira via Round 1 TKO
Roemello Reyes: Ferreira via Round 1 TKO
Ben Jamieson: Ferreira via Round 1 TKO
Staff picking Aliu: 0
Staff picking Ferreira: 7
*Fight odds from DraftKings*
DANA WHITE’S CONTENDER SERIES 55 FEATURED IMAGE:
Embed from Getty Images
