Leon Shahbazyan to compete in new season of Contender Series

Armenian MMA fighter Leon Shahbazyan (12-4) may get another chance to earn a UFC contract through Dana White’s Contender Series.

In a recent interview with Scrap Lounge, the brother of UFC fighter Edmen Shahbazyan said that he will take part in season 10 of Dana White’s Contender Series. According to the 30-year-old athlete, his participation was confirmed by UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby. The date of the fight and the opponent have not yet been announced.

Leon Shahbazyan holds a professional record of 12 wins and 4 losses. All of his victories have come by finish — 11 by submission and 1 by knockout. Like his brother Edmen, he has spent most of his career competing at middleweight, but it is reported that he is expected to fight at welterweight on Contender Series.

This will not be Shahbazyan’s first attempt to enter the UFC through this project. In 2019, he already competed on Dana White’s Contender Series, but lost to Phil Rowe. Rowe later earned a UFC contract and went on to have nine fights in the promotion, winning four of them.

Recently, Leon has been competing at Tuff-N-Uff events and has gained strong momentum. He is currently on a four-fight winning streak, with all four victories coming by first-round finish.

A successful performance in the new season of Contender Series could become the biggest opportunity of Shahbazyan’s career and open the door to the UFC.