LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 14: (L-R) UFC broadcaster Laura Sanko interacts with UFC CEO Dana White as he announces the contract winners during Dana White's Contender Series season nine, week ten at UFC APEX on October 14, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC) Dana White’s “Contender Series” will mark its tenth season when the talent-discovery show returns on Aug. 11 at 8 p.m. ET on Paramount+ from inside Meta Apex in Las Vegas. For those of you unfamiliar with the format, it’s sort of like The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) without the alcohol or protracted drama. Handpicked prospects are given one night to compete, though performances can sometimes trump results. Be Joe Pyfer! Contender Series has produced multiple UFC champions including Sean O’Malley, Jack Della Maddalena, and Carlos Ulberg, among others. It’s also given rise to some exciting prospects like Quillan Salkilld, Payton Talbott, Jean Silva, Carlos Prates, Josh Hokit, Mauricio Ruffy, and Kevin Holland. Over 300 contracts have been issued since the inaugural season back in summer 2017. “When we put on fights now, these fights start trending worldwide like our pay-per-views do or our big fights,” White said back in 2022. “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. This will eventually, it should be, and eventually will be on ESPN the network.” ESPN+ walked so that Paramount+ could run.