Lineup Official for Week 1 of Dana White’s Contender Series on Aug. 13

The latest season of Dana White's Contender Series is just around the corner.

The five-bout lineup for Week 1 of the Contender Series was announced during the UFC 303 broadcast on Saturday night. The card will be headlined by a middleweight clash between Mansur Abdul-Malik and Wesley Schultz and takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Aug. 13. The Contender Series airs on ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.

The other four bouts confirmed the the event are as follows: Meng Ding vs. Islam Dulatov at welterweight; Mikheil Sazhiniani vs. Bruno Lopes at light heavyweight; Icaro Brito vs. Ernie Juarez at featherweight and Lone'er Kavanagh vs. An Tuan Ho at flyweight.

The Contender Series debuted in 2017 and rewards fighters who impress Dana White with UFC contracts. The format has been popular and has become a talent pipeline for the promotion, with more contracts being awarded with each passing season.

Abdul-Malik is undefeated in five professional outings and is coming off a first-round knockout of Allan St-Gelaisat LFA 176 on Feb. 9. He has finished all of his victories inside of a round.

Schultz is also an LFA veteran. He owns a 6-1 career mark and will take a three-bout finishing streak into the matchup with Abdul-Malik. Thus far in 2024 he has scored stoppages of Maurice Morris and Adland Benson under the LFA banner.