DWCS Season 9: Week 8 Preview & Predictions
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Week 8 of Dana White’s Contender Series Season 9 is here, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Ten hungry prospects will step into the cage, all fighting for that life-changing UFC contract.
Headlining the night is a can’t-miss middleweight scrap between Vitor Costa and Damian Pinas. Check out the full lineup and our predictions for an explosive Week 8 of DWCS:
How to Watch
- 📅 Date: Tuesday, September 30
- 🕑 Start Time: 5:00 PM PT / 8:00 PM ET
- 📍 Location: UFC Apex — Las Vegas, Nevada
- 📺 How to Watch: ESPN+
Full Match Card for Week 8
- Featured Middleweight Bout: Vitor Costa (8-1) vs. Damian Pinas (7-1)
- Bantamweight Bout: Louis Jourdain (8-3) vs. Magno Dias (6-1)
- Welterweight Bout: Christopher Alvidrez (6-1) vs. Eliezer Kubanza (7-0)
- Featherweight Bout: Kurtis Campbell (7-0) vs. Demba Seck (10-2)
- Flyweight Bout: Rashid Vagabov (13-2) vs. Paulo da Silva (11-1)
Card Predictions for Contender Series Week 8:
Vitor Costa vs. Damian Pinas
The feature bout of the night takes place at middleweight and is shaping up to be an explosive fight. Both fighters are finishers, and with UFC contracts on the line, the winner is likely to see the octagon again in the UFC. With a combined 13 finishes between them, this fight may not even reach the judges’ scorecards.
Costa was originally scheduled to fight in Week 3 but withdrew due to visa issues. At 25 years old, he is already a two-division Jungle Fight champion at middleweight and light heavyweight. He’s moving back down to middleweight for this fight.
After losing his debut, Costa has rattled off several wins, including three by guillotine submission. Overall, six of his victories came by finish, five of them in the first round. Good thing fighters do not get paid by the hour.
Pinas, 23, was set to fight in Week 1. Born in Suriname, he now trains at Nova União and is a proven knockout artist, with six KO victories, four of them in the first round. His only loss came via disqualification. “The Babayaga” has never gone to the third round, making this matchup against Costa a significant step up in competition.
Predictions:
- Jake: Damian Pinas
- Rags: Victor Costa
Louis Jourdain vs. Magno Dias
The bantamweight division has delivered some of the most entertaining fights this season, and this striker vs. grappler matchup promises more fireworks. Both fighters are highly skilled and well-prepared for this opportunity.
Jourdain, 28, trains out of Brazilian Top Team Canada and is the younger brother of UFC veteran Charles “Air” Jourdain. He comes in on a three-fight win streak, all via KO/TKO. Standing taller than Dias, Jourdain will aim to keep the fight on the feet and showcase his boxing skills. However, two of his three losses have come via submission, which could be a vulnerability.
Dias, also 28, has finished every opponent he has faced. A submission threat with four career submissions, three in the first round. But lately he’s been on a new trend, winning his last two fights via KO/TKO. Dias is training out of Fighting Nerds gym, and has experience across multiple weight classes, including flyweight and featherweight. But it looks like he is looking to settle at 135 pounds.
Predictions:
- Jake: Louis Jourdain
- Rags: Magno Dias
Christopher Alvidrez vs. Eliezer Kubanza
At welterweight, two top prospects collide with UFC contracts on the line. Both fighters are finishers with extensive amateur backgrounds, and each will look to make a statement in Las Vegas.
Alvidrez is 28 years old and just turned pro in 2022. He has finished all but one of his victories, mostly in the first round. Alvidrez trains at The Goat Shed and has fought mostly at and around welterweight, but has also fought at lightweight. He will look to take the hometown advantage into his control and enforce his game plan.
The undefeated Kubanza is 27, hailing from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He has defeated all of his opponents by KO/TKO except for one. Five of those knockouts came inside the first round. Primarily fighting at 175 pounds, he hasn’t cut to 170 since 2022. Training at Soma Fight Club in Bali, Kubanza will look to use his size and strength to dictate the fight.
Predictions:
- Jake: Eliezer Kubanza
- Rags: Eliezer Kubanza
Kurtis Campbell vs. Demba Seck
Campbell, 23, is an undefeated prospect from England coming off a second successful featherweight title defense in regional promotion FCC. Known for powerful strikes, he recently earned his first submission victory while continuing to be a formidable KO artist. Training at Next Gen Liverpool, Campbell always brings high-level preparation.
Seck is 31 and from Senegal. Other than his first fight (because there are some inconsistent reports on the results), 7 of his wins have come by first round finish. He does have 2 wins by split decision, but his only 2 losses have come via decision. It seems the best way to try and beat Seck is to try and survive the first round, and grind out a decision.
The time is now for Seck, but it seems nothing can stop the youthful Campbell. Both men will come forward and look to be the offensive fighter. This matchup will probably hit the mats at some point, and whoever has the advantage may be the deciding factor. The winner here is likely to sign a UFC contract.
Predictions:
- Jake: Kurtis Campbell
- Rags: Kurtis Campbell
Rashid Vagabov vs. Paulo da Silva
The opening fight of the night may be one of the most anticipated matchups of the entire card. Two young flyweights will bring an intense pace to the octagon. With both fighters making their North American debut, it will be interesting to see how they fair.
Vagabov has trained under the legendary Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov. The 27-year-old is on a 5-fight win streak and hasn’t lost since 2021. He has shown the ability to finish the fight in multiple ways, and win on the score cards. He has finished his last four opponents via submission, using various chokes. This is definitely a prospect to keep an eye on.
Da Silva, 23, has gained significant experience, winning 11 straight fights after an initial loss. Nine of those came via submission, seven in the first round. He has won multiple regional flyweight championships, successfully defending one of them. His last fight was a big step up in competition, and he came away with a split decision in the LFA. His clearest path to victory is on the mat, and look for one of his patented chokes.
Predictions:
- Jake: Rashid Vagabov
- Rags: Rashid Vagabov
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