Dana White’s Contender Series Week 8 Preview, Odds, Watch Info & FAQ

This season of Dana White's contender series is shaping up to be one of the best yet! The previous 7 weeks have produced many contenders and some high level bouts.

Including last week with 2 fights in contention for fight of the year, producing contracts for both the winners and losers. A perfect example of not exactly needing to win the bout to get a contract, skills and violence will always rise above all.

This week will feature a couple of highly touted prospects from the opening fight to the main event. The headliner is most notable, with Cage Warriors prospect George Staines set to take on Loai Abushaar.

Staines comes into the match up with much hype and fans are excited to see if he is the real deal. The card goes down tomorrow night so lets not waste any more time and dive right into a preview of week 8 of Contenders series!

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Featured Bout: Loai Abushaar vs George Staines Preview – Lightweight

The featured bout of the card is easily the most highly anticipated of the card. Notable prospect George Staines will finally get his crack at a UFC contract when he takes on fellow prospect Loai Abushaar.

Abushaar is not just a lay up or easy night out for the prospect. The UFC has done a great job of match making and giving Staines a real test on his biggest stage yet.

An American prospect, Abushaar has had an extensive career on the regional scene. He appeared in 7 Amateur bouts, going 5-2 before turning professional in 2022.

Since he has fought his way up taking on a step up in competition each time out. Abushaar is currently on a 4 fight winning streak, being 7-1 total in his pro career.

The lone loss came by way of TKO, explaining Abushaar's skillset in a way. Although he is a decent striker, he prefers to bully his way into the clinch & grapple from there.

If Abushaar is not entirely comfortable striking, Staines might just be a terrible match up for him. Staines is a very talented grapple heavy prospect that has taken his time on the regional scene.

Will Staines Prove He Is UFC Level?

Even with early calls for him to join the UFC, the english prospect slowly learned and put together experience before taking the step up. Staines has amassed an impressive career thus far, spending time with Oktagon before moving over to cage warriors for the remainder of his regional experience.

He went 6-0 in Octagon before moving over to cage warriors and going 4-0. The only worrisome part of his game is the low finishing equity, as Staines has only 4 finish wins out of his 10.

Staines has developed good striking along the way, with decent pocket boxing and counters. The fore front of his game has always been getting the fight to the matt with his high level grappling credentials.

It will be interesting to see if Staines has rounded out his skillset to become a legit prospect. I believe this match up will be the perfect test for the prospect and allow Abushaar an opportunity to prove his own grappling.

Loai Abushaar vs George Staines Stats & Odds:

• Age: Loai Abushaar (N/A) vs George Staines (26)
• Record: Loai Abushaar (7-1) vs George Staines (10-0)
• Moneyline: Loai Abushaar (+245) vs George Staines (-300)

Zaurbek Sabanov vs Adama Diop Stats & Odds – Heavyweight

• Age: Zaurbek Sabanov (N/A) vs Adama Diop (N/A)
• Record: Zaurbek Sabanov 4-0 / Adama Diop 6-1
• Moneyline: Zaurbek Sabanov (-380) vs Adama Diop (+303)

Luca Borando vs Ian Escuza Stats & Odds – Featherweight

• Age: Luca Borando (26) vs Ian Escuza (30)
• Record: Luca Borando (9-1) vs Ian Escuza (7-0)
• Moneyline: Luca Borando (-120) vs Ian Escuza (+100)

Camila Reynoso vs Aieza Bertolso Stats & Odds – Women's Strawweight

• Age: Camila Reynoso (23) vs Aieza Bertolso (25)
• Record: Camila Reynoso (9-1) vs Aieza Bertolso (7-0)
• Moneyline: Camila Reynoso (+383) vs Aieza Bertolso (-500)

Ilias Bulaid vs Erick Visconde Stats & Odds – Featherweight

• Age: Ilias Bulaid (31) vs Erick Visconde (29)
• Record: Ilias Bulaid (9-0) vs Erick Visconde (17-3)
• Moneyline: Ilias Bulaid (-130) vs Erick Visconde (+110)

Dana White's Contender Series Schedule & FAQ

When is Dana White's Contender Series?

• Dana White's Contender Series will take place Tuesday, September 28th, 2026.

Where is Dana White's Contender Series?

• Dana White's Contender Series will go down live at the Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.

What time does Dana White's Contender Series start?

• Dana White's Contender Series start time: 7 p.m. ET

How to Watch Dana White's Contender Series?

• Dana White's Contender Series Coverage Will Be on ESPN+

How to Bet on Dana White's Contender Series?

• Most international and domestic sportsbooks will carry odds for a fight card of this caliber. But check out our best online sportsbooks here to see what Betting News recommends for a great UFC betting experience. If one thing is for sure, Saturday's card is sure to bring the action. I hope this betting guide helps bring more context to your UFC entertainment experience.

If you want my full card of bets, tune into the Violence Report on our network on Twitch every Saturday. Or for more gambling content like this, make sure to follow me on X or Betting News on all platforms!