Africa aims to proudly fly its continental flag tonight on the Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS) in Las Vegas.
Now in its tenth episode of Season 9, the DWCS continues its mission of discovering future UFC stars. The series, created by UFC president Dana White, provides rising fighters the opportunity to compete for a coveted UFC contract — often awarded to those who deliver not only victory but a performance that captures White’s attention.
Tonight marks a historic moment, as for the first time two African fighters will go head-to-head on the Contender Series, both vying to impress Dana White and earn their ticket to the UFC.
It comes as a welcome opportunity for redemption for the Mother Continent after a tough outing in Week 8, when the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Eliezer Kubanza and Senegal’s Demba Seck both suffered first-round stoppage defeats in their respective welterweight and featherweight contests.
Exciting UFC Featherweight Showdown: Marwan Rahiki vs. Ananias Mulumba
At the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, Moroccan-born Marwan Rahiki (6-0) will face Ananias Mulumba (9-2) of the Democratic Republic of Congo in a featherweight showdown that headlines an explosive six-fight card. The event also features matchups across the Light Heavyweight, Bantamweight, Welterweight, Middleweight, and Heavyweight divisions.
The action kicks off at 2:00 a.m. South Africa time (Wednesday) and can be watched live on UFC Fight Pass or ESPN / ESPN+ (Africa version). Fans can also stream episodes via the ESPN website or app.
DWCS Week 10 Official Weigh-In Results
- Light Heavyweight Featured Bout: Freddy Vidal (204.5) vs. Levi Rodrigues (205.5)
- Bantamweight Bout: Kwon Wonil (135) vs. Juan Diaz (136)
- Featherweight Bout: Marwan Rahiki (146) vs. Ananias Mulumba (146)
- Welterweight Bout: Michael Oliveira (170.5) vs. Victor Valenzuela (170)
- Heavyweight Bout: Azamat Nuftillaev (234) vs. Jovan Leka (259)
- Middleweight Bout: Mario Mingaj (186) vs. Wes Schultz (186)
Over the years, several African-born or Africa-based athletes have used the Contender Series as a launching pad into the UFC. The rise of fighters from across Africa — from Morocco to South Africa and the DRC — reflects the continent’s fast-growing influence in global MMA. Following in the footsteps of champions like Israel Adesanya, Kamaru Usman, Francis Ngannou, and Dricus du Plessis.
Now, new stars continue to emerging from the grassroots, hoping to shine under the lights of the UFC Apex and beyond.
IOL Sport
