Nick Newell, a professional mixed martial artist missing the lower portion of his left arm, will get a shot at a UFC contract this summer.
The UFC intends to book Newell (14-1) to Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender series in June, White told ESPN on Wednesday. Newell's exact fight date and opponent are yet to be determined.
The weekly DWTNCS series consists of a handful of live fights in Las Vegas. At the conclusion of each episode, White and UFC matchmakers offer at least one contract to a fighter on the card.
Newell, 32, who was born with a congenital amputation, has pursued a UFC contract for years. He and his agent, Ali Abdelaziz, met with White at the UFC headquarters on Monday in Las Vegas, and after some additional consideration, White opted to offer him a fight.
Currently fighting out of West Haven, Connecticut, Newell fought for the WSOF lightweight championship in 2014. He lost that bout to defending champ Justin Gaethje, via TKO in the second round. Gaethje, who is now with the UFC, has advocated for Newell to get a shot in the Octagon.
A former collegiate wrestler in Massachusetts, Newell has finished nine of his 14 career wins via submission. His most recent win was a first-round submission over Sonny Luque at LFA 35 in March.
In 2012, White publicly said the UFC had no interest in signing Newell, saying it would be too dangerous for him to face UFC-caliber competition.
