Canadian Cody Chovancek earns UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series

LAS VEGAS – Canadian bantamweight Cody (The Best Fisherman in MMA) Chovancek won his way into the UFC Tuesday after knocking out England’s Raphael Uchegbu on Dana White’s Contender Series.

The 27-year-old from Petrolia, Ont., sent Uchegbu stumbling backwards with an overhand right to the chin, then finished him off with a left hook. The fight was stopped 10 seconds into the third round at the UFC’s Apex production facility.

That emphatic finish earned him a UFC contract from White.

“Unbelievable KO. (You’re) 27-years-old, 9-0, and you’re a Canadian. Get over here,” said the UFC president.

Chovancek (9-0-0) trains at Niagara Top Team in St. Catharines, Ont., alongside UFC veterans (Proper) Mike Malott and Jasmine Jasudavicius.

He is the second Canadian to earn a UFC contract on the show this season, joining 36-year-old Mandel Nallo who stopped Brazil’s Samuel (Caveira) Silva in the first round on Sept. 2. The Vancouver-born Nallo trains at Montreal’s Tristar Gym.

Last month, Vancouver featherweight Radley (Snake Eyes) Da Silva won a unanimous 29-28 decision over previously unbeaten Australian George Mangos. But he didn’t do enough in his eighth straight victory to earn a UFC contract.

Malott, Jasudavicius and fellow Canadians Chad (The Monster) Anheliger, Yohan (White Lion) Lainesse and T.J. (The Truth) Laramie also won UFC contracts on the show which gives up-and-coming fighters a chance to impress the UFC boss. Serhiy Sidey, who was born in Ukraine but moved to Canada when he was six, also won his contract there.

Uchegbu (10-2-0) had won his four previous fights since a loss to Spain’s Zebenzui (EL Nino Roca) Ruiz in August 2022 in PFL playoff action. 

Chovancek was coming off a decision win over American Jordan Howard in May at Unified MMA 62 in Toronto, defending his bantamweight title in the Canadian promotion.

Uchegbu came out aggressively Tuesday but paid for it after catching Chovancek’s leg during a kick and trying to take him down at the fence. The Canadian — regaining his balance with an illegal fence grab that went unnoticed by referee Herb Dean — dropped Uchegbu with a nasty elbow.

Uchegbu regathered his wits and looked for a submission from the bottom. Chovancek defended and looked to connect from above.

Chovancek caught Uchegbu with an overhand right in the second round. But as Chovancek tried to close the gap, Uchegbu took him down. Chovancek looked for a submission from the bottom and then managed to reverse position, taking top position.

Between rounds, Uchegbu’s corner told him he was down two rounds and needed to do something in the third. Instead Chovancek ended it quickly.

Chovancek had applied unsuccessfully for a spot on the cast of Season 32 of “The Ultimate Fighter,” where he would have competed up a division at featherweight.

Chovancek, who is half-Thai, grew up in southwestern Ontario, some 25 kilometres southeast of Sarnia.

“There wasn’t a whole lot to do there (other) than fight and fish,” he said.

Chovancek started wrestling in high school then added kickboxing at 16. He had just turned 18 when he had his first amateur MMA fight in August 2016.

A year later, he went to Thailand to train. 

Chovancek teaches Muay Thai classes at Niagara Top Team, putting aside his job as a steel framer.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 16, 2025.