Dana White Awards 6 UFC Deals After DWCS Week 2

Dana White awarded six UFC contracts during Week 2 of Dana White's Contender Series Season 10, including one to a fighter who lost his bout. The Tuesday night card at the UFC Apex produced five stoppage wins and one of the promotion's most brutal decision losses, and White called it one of the most memorable nights in the show's 10-year history.

Two Contracts For One Fight

The night opened with featherweights Roman Puga and Taner Trembley trading heavy shots in a fight White said left both men needing medical attention. Puga improved to 6-1 with a unanimous decision, but it was matchmaker Sean Shelby who pushed for Trembley to get signed too despite the loss. "It takes two to make a great fight," White said, before adding he told his team to "send both these guys to the hospital right now" once the fight ended. Trembley, now 7-1, becomes one of the rare fighters in Contender Series history to earn a contract in defeat.

The rest of the card delivered finishes across three divisions. Light heavyweight Alik Lorenz, an underdog on the books at the opening bell, dropped Mahamed Aly with an overhand right and closed the show with hammer fists, a result White admitted came via a stoppage he thought was a touch early even as he praised the finishing sequence. Lightweight Cristian Perez picked apart Logan Paxton for a clean second-round stoppage, a performance sharp enough that White also floated him for a spot on the UFC Noche 4 card in September. Middleweight Trent Miller, working from underdog odds, put away a favored opponent with a second-round Von Flue choke, a finish rarely seen at any level of the sport. In the main event, welterweight Kaik Brito, back for a second Contender Series try three years after coming up short in 2023, knocked out Namo Fazil with a third-round right hand after Fazil arrived with real buzz from a recent Most Valuable Promotions bout.

What Six Signings In One Night Means

Six contracts in a single Contender Series episode is a heavy haul even by Dana White's Contender Series standards, and it reinforces the show's track record as the UFC's most productive pipeline. White noted that fighters who came through the Contender Series have combined to earn $225.3 million in UFC pay, with 420 graduates currently on the roster. That kind of volume matters for bettors tracking prospects early. Fighters who debut off strong Contender Series finishes, particularly violent knockouts like the ones from Lorenz, Miller and Brito, often open as live underdogs in their first UFC appearances before the market catches up to their style. Trembley's contract despite a loss is the outlier worth watching here. Fighters signed off a loss tend to be brought along carefully matchmaking-wise, so oddsmakers and bettors will want to see who he's paired with before reading too much into his UFC price.

The Numbers Behind The Deals

Dana White's Contender Series has become one of MMA's most reliable talent pipelines by White's own accounting. The $225.3 million in combined earnings and 420 active graduates on the UFC roster underscore why a six-signing night, even with an upset-heavy card, gets treated as a significant night for the promotion rather than just another prelim card.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who got UFC contracts after DWCS Week 2 in Season 10?

Dana White signed Roman Puga, Taner Trembley, Alik Lorenz, Cristian Perez, Trent Miller and Kaik Brito after Week 2 of Dana White's Contender Series Season 10.

Did a fighter get a UFC contract despite losing on DWCS?

Yes, Taner Trembley received a UFC contract from Dana White even though he lost his featherweight bout to Roman Puga by unanimous decision.

How much money have DWCS fighters made in the UFC?

Dana White said fighters who signed through Dana White's Contender Series have combined to earn $225.3 million in the UFC, with 420 graduates currently on the roster.