Four more prospects earned UFC contracts as the latest night of Dana White’s Contender Series action produced another spectacular night of fights in Las Vegas.
WEEK 6: Results + Scorecards
Week 6 saw welterweight Mayton Perea, middleweights Igor Cavalcanti and Luis Hernandez, and lightweight Akbar Abdullaev each earn UFC deals with crowd-pleasing finishes in front of a raucous crowd at Meta APEX.
Here’s our breakdown of each of the night’s four contract winners, who all heard the three words every Contender Series fighter wants to hear: “Welcome to the UFC!”
Five years ago an Ecuadorian prospect named Michael Morales earned himself a UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series. Now another Ecuadorian welterweight has made his mark.
Mayton Perea needed just 45 seconds to finish fellow undefeated prospect Zevan Hunt as he showcased his piston-like striking to devastating effect en route to a UFC contract from UFC boss White, whose assessment of Perea’s performance was as quick as the fight itself.
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“Mayton. I mean, what more can I say?” said White. “You took out an undefeated guy in 45 seconds. Congratulations, and welcome to the UFC!”
From the fight to the contract announcement, everything happened remarkably quickly for Perea, who was still processing everything when he chatted with Laura Sanko after learning of his contract success.
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“It doesn't even seem true, but it is,” he said. “I'm ready to give a better life to my family, to my coaches, just to everyone that supported me, and I’m very ready for this opportunity.”
Brazilian welterweight Igor Cavalcanti battled a family tragedy, then a personal disappointment, as he suffered the death of his father, then lost on Contender Series just two days later, back in March 2024. But on Tuesday night, Cavalcanti returned, this time as a middleweight, and defeated Peru’s Oscar Ravello in the first round to earn a UFC contract at the second attempt.
Cavalcanti’s all-action approach had White excited for what he saw, as the UFC boss confirmed that “Jacaré” had earned himself a spot on the UFC roster.
“Igor! Total and absolute violence!” exclaimed White. “[You] could not perform better against a very, very tough Ravello. Congratulations, welcome to the UFC!”
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For Cavalcanti, it’s a chance to take his career to the next level, and he was over the moon to have the chance to do so, and to change his family’s lives as a result.
“As my first MMA coach once said, we're from the North East [of Brazil]. We're brawlers, and we like to brawl, so we like to go at it,” he said. “I finally got a place, got to rent a place, got my kid, got my wife, and I got my own place, and now I can focus on this, be in the UFC, and represent. And we're very, very happy.”
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Igor Cavalcanti makes a statement with a RD1 finish on #DWCS!
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And the Brazilian said he’s good to go if the UFC needs him to fight straight away – including this weekend at UFC 331 in Los Angeles.
“I got no plans. I'm ready for Saturday,” he grinned. “If they need me on Saturday, I'm game!”
As soon as Akbar Abdullaev’s name was added to the list of prospects set to compete on the Contender Series, talk started about the Kyrgyzstani fighter’s potential. The 14-0 lightweight had already made a name for himself in Asia with ONE Championship, so when he stepped into the Octagon on Tuesday night, expectations were high.
Incredibly, he surpassed them.
Abdullaev needed just 19 seconds, and one right hand, to knock Ednilson Santos out cold with one of the cleanest KOs you’ll see as he made himself one of the biggest no-brainer contract offers in Contender Series history.
“Akbar. I mean, I don't even know what to say to you. That punch sounded like a baseball bat!” said White. “I'm going to go out on a limb here, and I'm going to call you possibly the greatest talent that's ever been on this show in 10 years. I think that you are going to be a huge superstar, and a very big threat in this sport. I can't wait to see you fight again. Welcome to the UFC!”
It meant that Abdullaev, who’d had to wait for a full year from his original Contender Series booking to finally get his shot, had delivered the performance he needed to get himself to where he wanted to be – on the biggest stage in mixed martial arts. Now all he wants to do is perform.
“I’m happy to be a part of the UFC, and it was not important for me how I got here – through Contender Series, just a straight contract, or any other way. But I dreamed I’d be here, and I’m here,” he said. “Give me fights. I’m ready to fight in October or November.”
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If you could draw up the prototypical Contender Series prospect, you’d probably end up with someone just like Luis Hernandez. The Miami-Dade police officer’s crowd-pleasing fighting style and simple refusal to back down from a challenge made his battle with fancied French prospect Hugo Guillon the clear matchup of the night for pure action, and the pair battled back and forth through a wild contest that had the crowd on their feet throughout.
Eventually, after a battle that saw the momentum swing one way, then the other, the bout finished a minute into the second round after Hernandez escaped an anaconda choke attempt and finished the fight with a submission of his own as he locked up a rear-naked choke to seal the victory.
It was a brilliant fight, and a superb win for Hernandez, whose fighting style, interesting backstory, and larger-than-life personality ensure that his fights will be appointment viewing in the UFC.
“Luis. I mean, I love this fight. Love this fight!” White enthused. “Two dogs blasting each other with big shots. You guys basically have the same record. Both of you guys were in trouble. You overcame big punches, being tired, submission attempts, to get the finish… Incredible fight! Absolutely loved it. Welcome to the UFC!”
Despite fighting with such personality and confidence, Hernandez admitted that he was floored by the realization that he had earned his place on the UFC roster.
“[It] feels surreal. It still hasn't hit me. Now the boss has said it, and it's been a long time coming,” he told Sanko. “A lot of work that I've put in, a lot of sacrifice with my wife, my family, my teammates, and just some fruits of the labor are finally going to pay off… I'm ready at middleweight. If they need me to go down [to welterweight], I'm ready. I just want to fight and put on a show, and I'm entertaining.”
