UFC CEO Dana White didn’t mince words when assessing Torrez Finney’s latest performance on the Contender Series.
Finney, an undefeated middleweight based in Tennessee, appeared on the Aug. 20 episode of the UFC’s talent search series, facing off against the much taller Cam Rowston. Finney won their fight via unanimous decision, but he didn’t impress White enough to earn him a coveted UFC contract. In fact, he seemed to do just the opposite.
May Torres Finney’s chances in UFC rest in peace ? image.twitter.com/uQT3sqppOk
-Ben Davis (@BenTheBaneDavis) August 21, 2024
“You would have been completely decimated in the UFC with the performance you had tonight,” White told Finney at the conclusion of the Contender Series. “You’re 25 years old, kid. You’re obviously a talented athlete. Go out and do three or three fights this year, then come back and talk to us about the UFC. You ran out of steam tonight. You struggled to get through three rounds. You’re not ready for the UFC.”
It was Finney’s second appearance on Contender Series. He defeated Yuri Panferov by submission on the show last year, but also failed to secure a UFC contract in that attempt.
According to White, Finney’s 2023 win was actually better than his Tuesday win over Rowston.
Either way, the win over Rowston gave Finney an impressive 9-0 record as a professional. He has scored kills in seven of his nine wins. The majority of his professional career has been spent under the iKON FC banner. He also had a 5-0 record as an amateur.
While White did not give Finney a UFC contract, he did give four other contenders a contract Tuesday night: Cody Haddon, Cortavious Romious, Rizvan Kuniev and Andreas Gustafsson.
The next episode of Dana White’s Contender Series is scheduled for Tuesday, August 27. The main event will see Russia’s Andrey Pulayev take on American Liam Anderson at middleweight.
