Dana White’s Contender Series Picks & Predictions (Week 9)
Week 8 of Dana White's Contender Series (DWCS) lived up to the hype. Four fighters received contracts last week, including two who lost their bouts, bringing the total to 38 in season 10. There are only two weeks remaining, and some alumni from this season are already making their UFC debuts. The Meta Apex in Las Vegas once again is the stage for five fights on Tuesday evening. The Week 9 card starts at 7:00 p.m. ET on Paramount+. Below are our top Dana White’s Contender Series picks for Week 9.
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Dana White's Contender Series Picks: Week 9
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Flyweight: Roque Conceicao vs. Alexander Chavez
The third fight of the night is in the flyweight division between Roque Conceicao and Alexander Chavez. Chavez is a 9-0 Peruvian fighter with a 6-0 amateur record. All of his fights have been for Inka MMA, where he has six knockouts and three wins by decision. His most recent win was a second-round knockout in April over Francisco Neves.
Conceicao is a Brazilian fighter with an 11-3 professional record. This is his second fight on DWCS after losing via knockout to Imanol Rodriguez in October 2025. That loss has aged quite well, as Rodriguez is making a name for himself. He most recently beat Yamato Fujita via first-round knockout in March on Lemino Shooto.4.
Chavez is a pressure boxer, with good body work. He can hurt opponents with body shots, so he is accurate. He does not have much power, however. In the flyweight division, that is not the end of the world.
Conceicao had a tough showing against Rodriguez last year. He lost via first-round knockout, and Rodriguez swarmed him. Conceicao has quick hands and will own a speed advantage in this matchup. This is a 50/50 fight, and I am leaning toward the faster striker.
Bet: Roque Conceicao Moneyline (-105)
Welterweight: Sal Everett vs. Ozzy Martin
The co-main event of the card is a welterweight bout between Sal Everett and Ozzy Martin. Both men are 4-0, but there is a unique tie to the UFC on Everett’s side. He started in the UFC mailroom and corporate security, and eventually became Dana White's runner. White told him that he was getting his shot on DWCS while he was working one day. He could become the first person to work for the UFC and then fight for it.
Everett is 4-0 as a professional, and his last three fights have been at middleweight. He is also 4-0 as an amateur. All of his professional bouts were in Tuff-N-Uff, where he has finished every fight by submission or knockout, with two submissions and two knockouts.
Martin is also 4-0, with four knockout victories. He also has one boxing and one kickboxing match on his resume. He owns a 4-1 amateur record, with the lone loss being a doctor stoppage on Cage Titans 60 in the fourth round.
Everett has a three-inch height advantage and has a clear advantage on the mat. Everett can threaten submissions from the bottom, though he does not have great takedown defense. Martin is a good boxer, but there are many unknowns about his wrestling and grappling.
Everett will likely use his ground game to get Martin to the mat and figure out how good he is. I think Everett has shown a more well-rounded skill set and can find a submission on the mat. These two fighters have little experience, which usually makes for a fun fight. Everett has more paths to victory.
Bet: Sal Everett Moneyline (-148)