Overview
- Multiple MMA outlets report that former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman will join Laura Sanko and Dan Hellie in the three-person booth for Dana White’s Contender Series 91 at the Meta APEX.
- The assignment is scheduled for the five-bout DWCS Season 10 Week 5 card streaming on Paramount+ on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, and marks Weidman’s first time calling live fights from cageside.
- Weidman has prior broadcast experience as a studio analyst and as co-host of Paramount’s Deep Waters podcast, and his 2026 UFC Hall of Fame induction provides context for the trial.
- Calling live fights requires different skills than studio analysis, including real-time play-by-play coordination and quick tactical explanation, which is why the Contender Series is being used as a testing ground.
- The UFC has used 2026 to audition former fighters for broadcast roles, and if Weidman performs well this week the promotion could assign him to larger Fight Night commentary duties in the future.