6-Foot-7 Brazilian Edivan Santos to Fight on Dana White’s Contender Series Sept. 28

After the 6-foot-8 Renan Ferreira's impressive but controversial debut in Professional Fighters League, another Brazilian giant will get a chance to showcase his talents on a larger stage.

Edivan Santos, who stands 6-foot-7 and has compiled a record of 12-2-2 on the Brazilian regional scene, will face Russian Rizvan Kuniev on the upcoming season of Dana White’s Contender Series on Sept. 28.

Born in Maranhão, Brazill, Santos has lived in Curitiba since 2018. Santos trains muay Thai with Chute Boxe black belts Nadim Andraus and Roberto Piccinini and boxing with Vitoriano Martinez, who is the father of Vale Tudo legend Jose Landi-Johns. He is also a jiu-jitsu purple belt and according to master Picinini “has a uncommon speed and agility for a heavyweight.”

Andraus told Sherdog.com that Santos had a bout scheduled against Kirill Kornilov at Open Fighting Championship 5 in Russia on June 12, but after signing to compete in the Contender Series, his team elected to cancel that bout to focus on the camp for Kuniev.

“UFC is the World Cup of MMA, all fighters in the world dream to get there,” Andraus said. “Edivan is working hard to provide a great show against Kuniev and sign a dream contract with UFC.”

With eight wins via knockout and four by way of submission, Santos will fight outside of Brazil for the first time against an opponent with a comparable resume.  Kuniev is 9-2-1 as a professional and also owns a 13-2 mark as an amateur.