The Contender Series is designed to open a world of possibilities for MMA fighters, particularly providing a fast track to the UFC. But for one heavyweight hopeful, the spotlight didn’t fade with his last loss. Instead, the real story began in the drug testing pool, shedding light on issues such as oversight and how quickly momentum can disappear in this sport.

Competing out of Deerfield Beach, Florida, Darion Abbey, who commands a pro record of 7-5, missed the UFC contract in his latest DWCS appearance by a long shot after his opponent, Donte Johnson, KO’ed him a minute into the first round. This would not have been the end of it for his UFC dreams, but for the latest drug testing incident.

DWCS fighter sidelined from MMA after drug abuse

On Tuesday, Darion Abbey received a nine-month suspension from the NSAC after his drug test came back positive for clomiphene. It is a substance banned for all athletes by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). It acts as a hormone and metabolic modulator, sometimes used to boost testosterone after a steroid cycle.

Alongside the suspension, which ends on May 25, 2026, Abbey has to cover a fine of $750 plus prosecution fees of $157.04. Moreover, he must adhere to standard drug testing protocol if he decides to compete in Nevada again. And Abbey is not the only DWCS alum who fell victim to the fallout.

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Top MMA prospect Levi Rodrigues also absorbed a blow after his KO win in October, getting suspended on November 26, due to the use of 19-Norandrosterone, a metabolite of the anabolic steroid nandrolone.

Rodrigues’ team has issued a statement to MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz, addressing the allegations. In the statement, his team detailed that Rodrigues took the drug between May to July of 2024, which was 15 months prior to his DWCS bout, to battle several debilitating injuries he faced.

Those setbacks unfolded against the backdrop of a Contender Series season that still delivered a wave of new UFC contracts and breakout performances.

DWCS Season 9 delivered multiple weeks of nonstop action

One of the most action-packed seasons in the Contender Series ever, season 9 of the DWCS ran from August to October of 2025 at UFC Apex in Las Vegas. It kicked off the UFC careers of numerous top prospects, handing out contracts to the rising underdogs.

Across 10 weeks of action, week 2 was one of the stretches to stick out. In the main event of the evening, Jose Delano strung together a masterclass of elite striking and high-pressure pacing. Cam Rowston dominated in the undercard, putting forth a blitz first-round stoppage. Dana White handed out five contracts in total that week.

Week 7 was another standout week, with six UFC contracts awarded. Mantas Kondratavicius came in hot with a 67-second finish in the main event. Murtazali Magomedov scored another first-round win, in under 90 seconds via stoppage.

Across other weeks, such as Week 10, standout performances like Juan Diaz’s spinning-back-elbow knockout helped individual fighters make memorable cases for their UFC future.

Season 9 reinforced why the Contender Series remains the UFC’s most direct audition stage, meeting raw hunger with opportunity. And that is why things get harder for Darion Abbey and Levi Rodrigues. Do you see them coming back from this setback and turning it around?