UFC 254 Update: Contender Series Winner Phil Hawes to Debut vs. Jacob Malkoun

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Recent Dana White’s Contender Series winner Phil Hawes will make his Octagon debut against Robert Whittaker training partner Jacob Malkoun at UFC 254.

AgFight was first to report the middleweight booking. UFC 254 takes place on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 24 and is headlined by a lightweight championship tilt pitting Khabib Nurmagomedov against Justin Gaethje.

Hawes earned a UFC contract with a 78-second TKO of Khadzhimurat Bestaev on the Contender Series on Sept. 8. The 30-year-old Sanford MMA representative, who came up short on Season 1 of the show, enters his first promotional foray on a four-bout winning streak. Hawes is 8-2 as a professional overall and has finished all his victories inside the distance.

Malkoun, who is based at PMA Super Martial Arts in Sydney, Australia, is unbeaten in three fights thus far in a burgeoning career. He last appeared in October, taking a three-round verdict over Sebastian Temesi at Eternal MMA 48 in Melbourne.