Dana White's Contender Series is back for its 10th season.
Last night marked the first episode, featuring a new slate of fighters looking to make their breakthrough and earn a UFC contract from Dana White himself.
There were five bouts across the heavyweight, flyweight, featherweight, and middleweight weight classes. Four fighters walked away with a UFC contract. Here is a breakdown of how each bout went and who to keep an eye on for the future of the UFC.
Anthony Wint vs. Matt Adams
Anthony Wint wasted no time making his case for a UFC heavyweight contract. The former New York Jets Linebacker came out strong against Matt Adams.
He quickly turned an early grappling exchange into a heavy ground attack that forced the referee to step in just 34 seconds into the opening round.
The stoppage extended Wint's unbeaten record to 7-0 and capped off a dominant DWCS debut. His combination of athleticism, power and relentless pressure was enough to earn him a UFC contract.
Abe Alsaghir vs. Fabrizio Escarrega
A split decision (27-30, 29-28, 29-28) determined Abe Alsaghir as the winner after three hard-fought rounds of lightweight action.
Over three hard-fought rounds, Alsaghir consistently pressed forward, looking to take the fight to the canvas. However, Escarrega's strong defense held up well, keeping the action on feet for the majority of the contest.
It wasn't until the final round that the fight hit the ground, with Escarrega looking to take charge, but Alsaghir managed to stay out of trouble.
After both fighters returned to their feet in the final seconds, the bout went the distance. Neither fighter earned a UFC contract.
Bilal Hasan vs. Mridul Saikia
Bilal Hasan delivered a statement performance in his DWCS debut, needing just 45 seconds to stop Mridul Saikia. Hasan immediately brought the pressure, landing clean punches before swarming Saikia with steady punches to force the finish.
The quick finish showcased Hasan's speed and power at flyweight, giving him an impressive start to the night and earning a UFC contract.
Thomas Pagliarulo vs. Anaias Mulumba
Thomas Pagliarulo battled through a competitive opening before taking control late against Anaias Mulumba in a featherweight showdown. Both fighters exchanged damaging strikes, Pagiarulo found success in his wrestling technique and began wearing Anaias Mulumba down.
After securing another takedown, Pagliarulo continued attacking from the top, mixing in short elbows and ground strikes until tge fight was stopped 4:24 of round 3.
The TKO finish was enough for Pagilarulo to earn a UFC contract.
Joe Kropschot vs. Jon Kunneman
LFA middleweight champion Joe Kropschot controlled the fight from the opening, using his reach and steady striking to keep Jon Kunneman from finding a rhythm.
Kropschot repeatedly attacked the body and landed the cleaner combinations as Kunneman searched for openings. Kunneman pushed forward with aggression throughout the three rounds but Kropschot continued to answer with well-timed punches and kicks.
A takedown gave Kunneman an opportunity to change the fight but Kropschot quickly turned the position into a submission threat.
Kropschot nearly finished the bout by submission the closing seconds, but Kunneman refused to give up before the final bell. The fight went to the judges scorecards who awarded Kropschot the unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28).
The victory moved Kropschot to a 9-3 record and earned him a UFC contract.
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