Breaking: Undefeated Contender Series fighter set for second UFC appearance at UFC 289

It appears as though an undefeated Contender Series fighter is set to return to the octagon for his second appearance at UFC 289.

Blake Bilder, who earned a contract with the promotion following an impressive first-round submission win over Alex Morgan on Dana White's Contender Series, will fight Kyle Nelson on June 10. MMA reporter Marcel Dorff tweeted out to confirm the news after Iridium Sports Agency reported that the bout is set for the event.

Bilder is coming off his unanimous decision win over Shane Young in his promotional debut this past February. Nelson, on the other hand, is looking to bounce back from a rough stretch in his career. He most recently competed this past February as well, which saw him fight Doo Ho Choi to a majority draw.

Prior to the majority draw, Nelson was on a two-fight losing skid that included losses to Billy Quarantillo and Jai Herbert. His last win came in 2019, when he defeated Marco Polo Reyes via first-round TKO at UFC Fight Night 159. He could have home crowd advantage as the event will reportedly take place in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

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How many fights did Blake Bilder win prior to joining the UFC?

Blake Bilder is a lot more experienced than his professional MMA record shows as he has competed in a total of 13 fights prior to earning his UFC contract through the Contender Series.

'El Animal' had an unbeaten 6-0-1 MMA record prior to his Contender Series fight with Alex Morgan in 2022. But he also gained experience competing in amateur, where he was unbeaten with an amateur record of 5-0, with three of the them coming via first-round submission.