Dana White’s Contender Series Season 9, Episode 10 Highlights As 5 Awarded UFC Contracts

The most recent season of Dana White’s Contender Collection concluded with yet another highlight-filled evening in Las Vegas.

DWCS started in 2017 and has produced a notable variety of fighters at the moment on the UFC’s roster. Because the present’s inception in 2017, a pair have even gone on to say UFC championships. Often called “The last word job interview,” DWCS options 5 fights weekly, over the course of 10 weeks, as combatants compete to impress UFC CEO and President Dana White and earn a UFC contract.

Final yr’s version noticed 42 fighters earn a contract with the world’s main MMA group throughout 10 occasions, barely down from the 46 handed out in 2023. Episode ten of season 9 — the season finale — this week noticed 5 prospects earn the chance to style the Octagon’s shiny lights.

This brings this yr’s whole of UFC contracts handed out to 46, a rise of 4 from final season and tying the quantity handed out in 2023. This season additionally broke the report for finishes in a season with 36 of this season’s 51 fights ending in a end, breaking the earlier report of 32.

The motion opened up with DWCS veteran Wes Schultz lastly getting the win he wanted, defeating Mario Mingaj. Schultz appeared to get the higher of exchanges with Mingaj earlier than scoring a short knockdown with a left hand earlier than including in a takedown. Mingaj tried to get to Schultz’s again, however Schultz acquired the higher in grappling, too. Schultz executed a Suloev Stretch — the primary in DWCS historical past — to get the first-round submission and rating a UFC contract on his third alternative.

Michael Oliveira continued to carry the warmth with a second-round end of Victor Valenzuela. Oliveira regarded to carry strain early, making an attempt to chop off the cage from Valenzuela with low kicks and his left hand. Valenzuela tried to counter with degree modifications and leans in his strikes, together with a proper hand that linked flush. The kickboxing battle continued into the second spherical, with Oliveira busting up Valenzuela’s face earlier than dropping him with a tough proper hand.

Valenzuela tried to return to his signature hook, however that solely acquired him knocked down and rocked once more. Oliveira continued to land earlier than dropping Valenzuela a 3rd time, which completed the battle and earned Oliveira the contract.

Marwan Rahiki and Ananias Mulumba then placed on a wild affair that noticed Rahiki rating a KO win. Rahiki appeared to get a robust begin with a proper hand, on the lookout for spinning assaults. However Mulumba landed a proper hand that dropped him, placing him in hassle as Mulumba countered his scrambles and threatened a choke. Rahiki labored his means out of it and acquired again to his ft. Mulumba took benefit of Rahiki’s arms being down, touchdown once more, however Rahiki landed a mix that dropped Mulumba. Mulumba then reversed and acquired to the again earlier than Rahiki returned the battle to the ft, just for Mulumba to attain one other knockdown on this wild opening spherical.

Rahiki opened the second spherical by threatening a ninja choke, and whereas Mulumba survived that, Rahiki landed a head kick to wobble him earlier than a mix of vicious elbows and an uppercut dropped Mulumba out chilly for the thrilling, contract-earning win.

Juan Diaz then introduced one of the thrilling finishes of the season within the co-main occasion, scoring a spotlight knockout of Received Il Kwon. Kwon regarded to make use of his velocity to his benefit, however Diaz introduced ahead strain and linked on a number of highly effective punches in the course of the battle. Diaz additionally made use of his grappling, pressuring Kwon to the fence and scoring a key takedown in the course of the battle’s second spherical. Kwon regarded to show issues up in that second body, growing his boxing output and touchdown a robust elbow, however Diaz continued to make him eat pictures. Diaz took benefit of a leaning Kwan, touchdown a spinning again elbow that knocked Kwan out chilly — the primary such knockout in DWCS historical past — with mere seconds left within the second spherical to earn the win and a contract.

The primary occasion noticed Freddy Vidal fall quick in his second probability alternative this season, falling to the undefeated Levi Rodrigues Jr. Vidal pressured Rodrigues to the fence early on, trapping him towards the fence. Vidal landed a collection of quick pictures and knees to the physique as the 2 battled inside shut vary. Rodrigues clipped Vidal and appeared to rock him as Vidal continued to search for the takedown. Rodrigues would land a strong pair of knees to the pinnacle that dropped Vidal, shortly ending him off to earn the first-round end and a UFC contract.

The evening additionally featured Jovan Leka defeating Azamat Nuftillaev. Nuftillaev scored an early takedown and tried to smother Leka with high strain. Regardless of referee Marc Smith giving a pair of warnings for stalling and Leka getting again to his ft, Nuftillaev scored a short mat return and locked Leka up in a physique lock from the again, finishing controlling the opening body. Nuftillaev appeared to gasoline, nonetheless, as Leka simply took him down and took management in spherical two, touchdown a number of punches and elbows upstairs and threatening chokes.

Leka regarded to make use of his hanging, however Nuftillaev caught a kick and dumped Leka to the mat. Leka would endure for a few minutes earlier than working his means again to his ft, touchdown his strikes and getting again in high management after stuffing a Nuftillaev takedown try. Regardless of nearing finishes a few instances, Leka settled for a choice win, nevertheless it was removed from sufficient to earn a UFC deal.