TLDR
- Six fighters earned UFC contracts after DWCS Week 7, including four winners and two losers
- Britain’s Callum Connor received a contract despite losing to Peru’s Piero Guaylupo
- The lightweight fight between Connor and Guaylupo featured more strikes than any UFC three-round lightweight bout
- Both Connor and Guaylupo were hospitalized after their battle and both received contracts
- Norbert Novenyi Jr. was the only winner who did not receive a UFC deal
Sources: sports.yahoo.com | sports.yahoo.com | bbc.com
UFC president Dana White awarded six contracts following Week 7 of Dana White’s Contender Series on Tuesday, including a deal for a British fighter who lost his bout.
Callum Connor from Manchester became one of two losing fighters to earn a UFC contract despite suffering the first defeat of his professional career. The 26-year-old lost a unanimous decision to Peru’s Piero Guaylupo in the lightweight division.
White praised the fight as a potential fight of the year contender. The UFC president said the bout contained more strikes than any three-round lightweight fight in UFC history.
🚨🦵Dana White backs CSAC chief Andy Foster’s efforts to get oblique kicks banned from MMA.
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— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) September 23, 2026
Historic Lightweight Battle Earns Double Contract
“Both of these guys are in the hospital right now, as they should be,” White said after the fights. “One of the greatest fights you’ll ever see on Tuesdays or Saturdays or any other day.”
White was particularly impressed with Guaylupo’s performance at just 21 years old. He decided both fighters deserved UFC deals based on their performance.
Connor now holds a professional record of 8-1. He had won four straight fights in the UK promotion Full Contact Contender before joining the Contender Series.
At welterweight, Alvi Dasuyev defeated Jaden Ortega via unanimous decision in another three-round war. Dasuyev controlled the first two rounds but ran out of energy, allowing Ortega to make a late comeback.
Despite Ortega’s loss, White gave both fighters UFC contracts. The comeback effort was enough to earn Ortega his spot on the roster.
Flyweight Marcos Degli earned his contract by defeating Paris Moran with a rear-naked choke in the second round. Degli had been controlling the fight with his grappling but appeared unlikely to receive a deal until he secured the submission.
Light heavyweight Damian Piwowarczyk opened the card with a brutal knockout of Emilio Quissua. Quissua looked strong early in the fight, but Piwowarczyk landed a knockdown late in the first round and finished with punches to earn his contract.
London Fighter Denied Despite Victory
The night’s main event saw Norbert Novenyi Jr. defeat Theo Haig via unanimous decision. However, Novenyi became the only winning fighter on the card who did not receive a UFC contract.
Novenyi, a 26-year-old middleweight who was born in Hungary but fights out of London, improved his record to 11-1 with the victory. White told him directly that he did not see enough in the performance.
“Norbert, both of you guys have great records,” White said. “You came in, fought a good fight. Unfortunately, I didn’t see anything tonight that makes me say, ‘I got to have this guy in the UFC.'”
White left the door open for Novenyi’s return. He told the fighter that the UFC would like to take another look at him in the future.
The six contracts bring the season total to 34 UFC deals handed out through DWCS. White has been more generous this season than in previous years, giving contracts to several decision winners and even three fighters who lost their bouts.
Every fighter who earned a finish this season has received a UFC contract. The Contender Series continues to serve as a main pipeline for new talent entering the promotion.
