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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Farah Hannoun and Ken Hathaway

Dana White raves about success of this season’s Contender Series, says plan is to air on ESPN

LAS VEGAS – UFC president Dana White is looking to take the Contender Series to the next level.

This season introduced the likes of Joe Pyfer, standout wrestler Bo Nickal and 17-year-old sensation Raul Rosas Jr., who was just signed to the UFC on Tuesday after dominating Mando Gutierrez at Dana White’s Contender Series 55 at the UFC Apex.

The level of talent and incredible storylines have translated to numbers, as White dubbed this season the most successful of the show’s six-season run.

“This is the first season that, when we put on fights now, these fights start trending worldwide,” White told reporters at the DWCS 55 post-fight press conference. “Like our pay-per-views do or our big fights. So it’s never happened until this season where like, tonight during that fight, we were trending No. 4. We got up to No. 4 tonight worldwide. This just started this season.”

With the interest surrounding the show increasing, White plans on expanding the platform and have the Contender Series air on ESPN.

“It should be, and it’ll eventually be on ESPN, and it will be,” White said. “On ESPN the network.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Dana White’s Contender Series 55.

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