Chase Waldon Record: 11-3-0

The run to the Contender Series

Waldon's most productive stretch came in the mid-2010s as he stepped up in class. In July 2015 he submitted the 7-4-1 Nick Wagner with a third-round rear-naked choke at Legacy FC 43, then opened 2016 with a first-round knockout of Justin Winkles-Camparetto and a first-round knockout of the 9-2 Austen Heidlage at RFA 40. That surge earned him a main-event slot at RFA 45 against future UFC middleweight Gerald Meerschaert in October 2016, where the veteran caught him in a first-round arm-triangle choke. Waldon bounced back with a 2017 decision over the seasoned 14-7 Cully Butterfield at LFA 12, which set up the biggest opportunity of his career. At Dana White's Contender Series later that summer, he faced Geoff Neal – who stepped in on short notice and stopped Waldon with punches in the first round, using the win to launch his own UFC run.

Fighting style

Waldon was a genuine dual threat with a 73 percent finish rate, splitting his 11 wins between five submissions and three knockouts. His grappling was his most reliable path to victory – the rear-naked choke and arm-triangle were live threats whenever a fight hit the mat – but he also carried real power, as his first-round knockouts of Winkles-Camparetto and Heidlage showed. The flip side was a vulnerability against elite finishers: all three of his losses came inside the distance, including arm-triangle and knockout defeats to Meerschaert and Neal, two of the more dangerous men he ever shared a cage with. Against everyone short of that top tier, however, Waldon consistently found the finish.

Career highlights

• Two Contender Series-level main events — headlined RFA 45 against Gerald Meerschaert and later fought Geoff Neal on Dana White's Contender Series, twice testing himself one win from the UFC.
• Versatile finisher — posted a 73 percent finish rate with five submission wins and three knockouts among his 11 victories.
• Quality regional resume — beat experienced opponents like Austen Heidlage and Cully Butterfield while building an 11-3 record across the RFA and LFA circuits.