Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS), Season 8 ended on Tuesday. But not before one last emphatic performance and callback. Consequently, it was hard to decline Nick Klein, given he was all praises for G.O.A.T. Jon Jones! Though that’s not just what he did, Klein’s call seconds after his win has gone quite viral. That — and him getting an ‘undeniable’ contract right after. Coincidence? Jones’ retractors think not.
Klein (6-1) stormed through Brazilian Heraldo Souza (9-2-1) in a fight fought on eight days’ notice. With short-notice performances being the rage it is, it’s a true mark of a brawler willing. That and Klein’s viral energy is just something, like a demon lovechild of Jim Miller and tiptop top-acumen talker Renato Moicano.
He finished the Standout Fighting Tournament welterweight champ with a 31-second rear-naked choke at Dana White’s Contender Series 76 and went straight for the UFC CEO’s corner in celebration.
Hey…Hey, Hey. Jon Jones is the greatest fu*king fighter to ever walk this earth…
Nick Klein during octagon celebrations at Contender Series 76 (DWCS Season 8); 🎥: @HappyPunch on X
The celebration was so over-the-top that White just hit back with his “yes he is” affirmation. When the 55-year-old UFC bossman presented energy and viral snippets as a show seller for his favorite Contender Series, none had thought this would be the code. But given how Dana White goes out on a limb even against media scrum to defend ‘absolute best’ Jones and his No. 1 pound-for-pound 1, it’s hardly a surprise.
Contender Series fighter cracked the code on how to get a UFC contract from Dana White 💀 pic.twitter.com/BL0exhf3f6
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) October 17, 2024
For a while, Dana White himself played into the memes of glazing fighter Jon Jones on social media. With “Bones” returning to stretch his incumbent reign at the UFC 309 pay-per-view top bill, November, anticipation is high. Hence, this just struck the right chord. What’d be really whimsical is White going a 180 soon with Klein. However, the fighter has a good mettle to carry on, sans Jones.
Grading Contender Series 76’s Nick Klein: What else gets a UFC contract
Dana White’s Contender Series burst onto the scene seven years ago dangling a tantalizing promise. It was right in the name of the show. This on-ramp for developing UFC talent didn’t have that legend Jon Jones charms or crowd-bursting nostalgia. But it promised contenders, and it delivered.
The blustery and neo-swagger ex-bantamweight kingpin Sean O’Malley came from these lanes. Names like NCAA Division I national champion wrestler Bo Nickal fought in the milestone April UFC 300 pay-per-view. DWCS Alex Perez has made a bid for the UFC men’s flyweight gold. Taila Santos has made her bid for the women’s flyweight. Nick Klein could be just the same.
DWCS-discovered title scrapper or not, every fighter has shown some mettle and prerequisites. Good quality of judgment, the urge to finish fights, and so on. With how MMA scoring goes, hunting that crackling finish in whatever manner also gets a contract.
In the past to past season, White has taken his criteria for signing fighters in an interesting new direction. After Carlos Candelario suffered his first career defeat to Victor Altamirano, he billed a new respect for dogfights. Hence, chasing that (sometimes elusive) finish isn’t all. It is the size of the fight in the dog, not the dog in the fight.
Underdog Nick Klein defeated Souza via submission (rear-naked choke) – well into R1, 0:37 mark. The sharp eye brawler went headhunting when Souza carelessly gave his back after giving away a takedown. While the ceiling of his competition isn’t high yet, he is good on will and effort. The short-notice Brazilian jiu-jitsu purple belt submitted a BJJ black belt and advanced to brown. Klein will only make strides if he gets his debut fight early.
