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season 7 of Dana White’s Contender Series came to an end with 46 total contracts handed out, a new record for the amount handed out in a single season. Following the fights, UFC CEO Dana White addressed the media to discuss topics surrounding UFC 294 and the success of Dana White’s Contender Series.
Right off the bat, White confirmed some big news that Charles Oliveira is out of his title fight against Islam Makhachev next week at UFC 294.
“During round five of sparring last night, before he is supposed to jump on a plane today, he splits his eyebrow wide open,” White told the media. “He had it stitched up last night and obviously he can’t fly out there with that.”
He announced that featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski would be stepping in on short notice to face Makhachev, setting up the second match between these two after they first met earlier this year at UFC 284 in Perth.
White said after Oliveira called and let him know about the injury, he phoned Volkanovski, who agreed with no hesitation.
“This is how we do it,” White said. “One fight falls out and we end up making one of the most anticipated rematches ever in that weight class.”
After everything got cleared up about the main event for UFC 294, White reflected on another season of Contender Series coming to end.
“I would love to do this every Tuesday,” White said. “Me and the guys were talking today, we are so bummed out that it ends. We have a fight on Tuesday, then another fight on Saturday, then another fight on Tuesday, I love it. I could do this every Tuesday forever.”
A media member asked White if there was one fighter that he was looking forward to watching in the UFC, but with the amount of talent that was produced this season, the boss couldn’t narrow it down to just one.
“There are so many from this season,” White said. “That is what makes this show so great.
White talked about how each year brings new faces and talent from new places in the world, continuing to show how global the UFC has become.
“When you think about how focused I am right now on South America, from Mexico all the way down to Brazil and the countries we’ve hit this season on the Contender Series, then you think about the global footprint and the brand that we are building all around the world…This show is incredible, and it is one of the greatest avenues for talent and to showcase them with the best against the best. The matchmaking is off the charts on this show.”
Speaking of matchmaking, the winner of the Matchmaker Sweepstakes, Joe, sat Octagonside with White, Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby on Tuesday night after an exciting day inside the UFC headquarters.
White even hinted a potential fight that could be announced for December.
“Joe knew everybody on the roster,” White said. “He did make a fight today…he met a bunch of fighters in the PI and one of them was Cody Garbrandt. They were talking and Garbrandt said, ‘If you are a matchmaker for the day, I want a fight in December’. So, he came in and started pitching us fights for Garbrandt in December and he made a fight.”
