Week eight of season six comes at fight fans tonight live from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, as ten more fighters will vie for a shot at a contract with the world’s premier MMA promotion.
In the main event, recent LFA title challenger Allan Begosso steps into the cage against Afghani finisher Farid Basharat. “Mini” Begosso started his career 6-0-1 to earn a title shot in December at LFA 119, coming up short against Richie Palencia by decision. He returned from his first career loss in July at LFA 135 to pick up a flying-knee knockout win over Paris Stanford. “Ferocious” Basharat, the brother of current UFC fighter Javid Basharat, has fought all over the world and has compiled an 8-0 professional record with only two fights going to the judges’ scorecards.
At middleweight, Russian powerhouse Ikram Aliskerov will go toe-to-toe with Mario Sousa, who will look to finally break into the UFC in his third Contender Series appearance. Aliskerov has spent the majority of his career competing in the Bahrain-based Brave CF, where his only blemish was against now-UFC superstar Khamzat Chimaev. He holds a win over current UFC fighter Denis Tiuliulin and most recently picked up a unanimous decision victory over longtime MMA veteran Nah-Shon Burrell at Eagle FC 46.
“Coracao Valente” Sousa brought a 11-1 record into his first Contender Series fight against Mariusz Ksiazkiewicz, and walked out with a unanimous decision win. His next fight came a year later, when he lost to Chidi Njokuani by third-round stoppage. After picking up two wins earlier this year, he is back and ready to prove once and for all that he deserves to be a UFC fighter.
Lightweights Malik Lewis and Trevor Peek have yet to see the judges’ scorecards in each of their respective careers, and are pitted against each other tonight. Texas’s “Hard Knock” Lewis has only been to the second round twice, and picked up his first submission win in his last fight: a triangle choke win over Marcos Vinicius, who had an impressive 15-3 record at the time. Similarly, Peek has only been to the second round once and has won all of his fights by KO/TKO. Exactly a month ago, the Alabama native picked up an impressive first-round knockout over UFC veteran Khama Worthy.
The only women’s fight of the night comes at strawweight, as Montana’s “Sawed-Off Savage” Marnic Mann looks to keep her undefeated record intact against Bruna Brasil. Both fighters most recently picked up decision victories in the LFA, and this fight could have just as easily been a title fight for the promotion. Mann has finished four of her five professional fights and eight of ten overall, while Brasil’s only professional losses have come against UFC veteran Ariane Carnelossi and current Invicta FC atomweight champion Jessica Delboni.
Undefeated Peruvian Daniel Marcos will kick off the card alongside returning Contender Series fighter Brandon Lewis to kick off the card at bantamweight. “Soncora” Marcos has spent the majority of his career in Peru’s 300 Spartan promotion, picking up a 12-0 record in the process but not having competed since December 2019. “Let’s Go” Lewis lost an exciting fight to Mo Miller on the Contender Series last season for his first professional loss, but rebounded in July with a second-round stoppage win to earn another shot on the show.
MMA Sucka has fight fans covered with Dana White’s Contender Series 54 results, with the card kicking off at 8pm ET/5pm PT on ESPN+.
Dana White’s Contender Series 54 Results
Full Card
Farid Basharat def. Allan Begosso via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)
Ikram Aliskerov def. Mario Sousa via Submission (Kimura) at 2:09 of Round 1
Trevor Peek def. Malik Lewis via TKO (Ground and Pound) at 2:37 of Round 2
Bruna Brasil def. Marnic Mann via KO (Head Kick) at 4:33 of Round 2
Daniel Marcos def. Brandon Lewis via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
