Dana White’s first UFC Contender Series card unveiled

UFC veteran Kurt Holobaugh will fight longtime Bellator competitor Matt Bessette on July 11 on the first episode of Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series.

The show, produced by the UFC president and airing exclusively on the organization’s online platform Fight Pass, will launch next month with plans to run eight episodes during the first season.

Sources close to the UFC confirmed the five fights on the first card to the Review-Journal early Thursday.

Holobaugh lost to Steven Siler at UFC 159 in 2013, which turned out to be his only shot in the organization.

Bessette has gone 7-2 in Bellator and is on a seven-fight winning streak overall.

Also on the card, another UFC veteran, Joby Sanchez, will fight flyweight Manny Vasquez.

Sanchez went 1-2 in the UFC in 2014 and 2015, with the win by split decision over Tateki Matsuda at UFC Fight Night 59. Vasquez has won four of his past five fights and made his Bellator debut in March with a unanimous decision over Nate Williams.

Las Vegan Boston Salmon will fight bantamweight Ricky Turcios.

Salmon is coming off his first career loss, by split decision against Zac Riley in September. Turcios, a 24-year-old Texan, is 8-0 as a pro.

Also on the card, Charles Byrd will fight middleweight Justin Jones, and “The Ultimate Fighter” veteran Greg Rebello will meet heavyweight Azunna Anwanwu, a winner of four straight fights.

The events, which will take place every week at “The Ultimate Fighter” gym in Las Vegas, will not be open to the public.

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Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-277-8028. Follow @adamhilllvrj on Twitter.