Contender Series 2021: Week 3

The official Tapology discussion thread for the event!

It helps mid range negotiations for the ufc to low ball fringe top 10 vets. When a guy like Trevin Giles or Julian Marquez (just random examples) want to negotiate for more money the UFC can slide in Duraev on a locked in contender series contract making like 20/20 (if he's lucky) for his first 5 fights. 

They will give him the fight that that the fringe guy was negotiating for and if he wins slide him right into that fringe spot and bounce that other person out of the rankings and now have even less negotiation power. 

* Edited at 09.15.2021, 9:31 AM ET *

While giving so many contracts might water down the UFC product and hurt negotiations with current fighters, DWCS has put on great fights through the first three weeks! Except for maybe 2 or 3 fighters, all the guys who have gotten contracts deserved it

If these guys aren't good enough and are just getting the fights because they are cheaper, it will show inside the octagon. There is also truth to the fact that in these times all sports need more bodies and DWCS is providing that. That's why I think Miller will be in the UFC sooner rather than later.

There are levels to MMA, but with so many opportunities you can find very skillful fighters everywhere now.

the problem if you will call it one is the levels of skill between weight classes. If you're a HW no matter how sloppy you are, if you can move your feet and head a little bit and throw some punches you get a contract. 135 is a stacked division of highly skilled fighters in every organization. So when Miller doesn't get a contract but Brzeski does you have to keep in mind they are in dire need for HW's who can move a little bit and throw a straight punch lol they are not in dire need for another 135 dominant wrestler. Out of the fighters control of course and it does suck but Miller will get the call soon enough. He would have ran through the guys on TUF and it would have been undeniable so him not getting it here has to double suck. 

Very good point. I would just say that as a heavyweight trying to get into the UFC, his competition is other heavyweights, and its not his fault that its a thin division. I don't think it's one guy getting the contract over the other if they are in different divisions.

I like Miller and would personally would have given him a contract. That being said what Bisping said is true, and White might have felt the same about it not being as exciting.

yea i guess my argument isnt very valid either when Dana gave Saimon Oliveira a contract from a decision win last week at 135 lbs 

Brzeski is seriously not prepared for the UFC, at all. If he stays at heavyweight and fights in the next few months he's going to the hospital. If he uses this to springboard himself to a better gym, get a nutritionist and cut down to LHW or middleweight, he might get lucky enough to lose a decision instead.

I wonder if Brzeski is hesitant to drop to LHW because of his relationship with Blachowicz. It shouldn't affect his decision since he is years away from challenging for a title shot.