Dreams are on the line, and the intensity is heating up as Dana White’s Contender Series enters week five of season 10.
Five matchups are set for September 8th at the UFC Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, providing life-changing opportunities for these fighters to earn their spot on the UFC roster.
This week’s five-fight card features established veterans, young stars, and competitors eager to prove they belong on the biggest stage in Mixed Martial Arts.
About DWCS
Season 10 will consist of 10 weekly episodes airing every Tuesday night on Paramount+, beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT from the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Each episode features a new group of fighters, typically competing across five bouts. Dana White and a panel of UFC matchmakers evaluate the performances as the action unfolds. Once all the fights are complete, White reveals which fighters, if any, have earned an official UFC contract.
Matchups for Episode 5 have been announced. Let’s look at the fight card.
DWCS S10, Episode 5 Fight Card
Quentin Pasley vs. Arlind Berisha
Isaac Moreno vs. Reginaldo Junior
Martin Kozák vs. Christian Echols
Kwon Won Il vs. Apollo Gomes
Colton Loud vs. Christian Natividad
Meet the Fighters
Quentin Pasley
At 24-years-old, Quentin Pasley is searching for his UFC opportunity from New Haven, Connecticut, representing the Fighting Arts Academy. The undefeated prospect is 3-0 professionally, with every victory coming by first-round knockout. His amateur career was just as dominant, as he went 7-0 with all seven wins coming by finish, including three submissions.
Pasley wanted to box from a young age, but his mother initially did not want to put him in the sport. Today, she is one of his biggest supporters. He made his professional debut in 2023 and earned a victory in under a minute, but his momentum was quickly interrupted when he tore his ACL just a month later.
Pasley always believed he would return, and in 2025 he proved it to be true. He came back with a first-round flying-knee knockout before adding another first-round finish in August 2025. Shortly after he got a call to be on last season of DWCS and was ready to go but in one of his last sessions he tore his same ACL again.
The second ACL injury required reconstructive surgery, six months of therapy, and a year away from the sport. Now, with his knee fully recovered, Pasley is looking to turn his undefeated record into a UFC contract.
Arlind Berisha
At 25-years-old, Arlind Berisha enters DWCS undefeated with a 5-0 professional record, representing 038 Fight Club. Living in Kosovo, the Albanian fighter has finished every professional opponent in the first round. His amateur resume is equally impressive, highlighted by an IMMAF World Cup gold medal.
Fighting has been part of Berisha’s life for as long as he can remember. He says fighting is a part of his people’s history and in his blood, and his first experience inside an MMA gym immediately felt natural. He made his amateur debut at 17 after only three months of training and has continued developing into a well-rounded striker.
His most recent fight lasted just 31 seconds, ending with a first-round submission. Berisha now has his sights set on proving he is ready for the UFC.
Isaac Moreno
Isaac Moreno enters the Octagon without a loss on his professional record. The 28-year-old is 8-0 and fights out of Primetime Headquarters, with five wins by knockout. His amateur career was also undefeated, with every victory ending in a finish.
Moreno has been around martial arts practically his entire life. He started in karate as a kid, eventually earning a black belt and becoming a world champion in point fighting and kickboxing. That striking background has shaped the style he calls “The Assassin,” with his goal being to methodically pick his opponents apart. After years spent building his skills, he believes this is the opportunity to finally show what he can do at the highest level.
Reginaldo Junior
Reginaldo Junior brings an 11-1 record and a strong grappling foundation into the welterweight division. The 27-year-old trains with Fighting Nerds in São Paulo, where working alongside top-level athletes has helped him develop a more complete skillset.
Grappling remains one of Junior’s biggest strengths, but he plans to surprise his opponent with his striking. He is 95% confident he can finish the fight before the third round; a belief built through years of hard work and personal sacrifice that have led him to this opportunity.
Martin Kozák "CEO"
At just 24-years-old, Martin Kozák “CEO” has already become an RFA Champion and enters undefeated at 6-0. Representing Mattix MMA in eastern Slovakia, Kozák has finished four opponents by knockout and two by submission, showcasing his ability to defeat opponents in a variety of ways.
His ambitions go beyond simply earning a UFC contract. Kozák wants to become a champion, and his nickname reflects the mindset he brings into the Octagon, viewing his opponents as his employees. After spending most of his life preparing for this moment, he wants to leave Dana White believing he just watched a future UFC champion.
Christian Echols
Christian Echols enters with an 8-4 professional record, a CFC Middleweight title and a BJJ brown belt. The 28-year-old from 10th Planet in Birmingham, Alabama, is a submission specialist who believes he can finish fights in any form.
After starting his professional career 0-2 and not taking it seriously, Echols battled addition and was arrested before turning his life around with the help of his faith, family, and coach. Now, he is chasing a UFC contract to show his daughter that he never gave up on his dream, no matter how difficult the journey.
Kwon Won Il
Kwon Won Il enters with a 14-6 professional record and 12 knockout victories. The 31-year-old PBoy MMA coach has built his career around his explosive strikes and a genuine love for fighting, but he knows this year’s opportunity carries added importance.
Won Il previously appeared on the Contender Series, where he suffered a second-round knockout to Juan Dias, and has not fought since. After giving up everything to pursue his UFC dream, he views this as another chance to prove he belongs among the highest level of competition in the bantamweight division.
Apollo Gomes
Apollo Gomes enters the bantamweight matchup with a 12-2 professional record and trains with Chute Boxe Diego Lima. The 26-year-old began working at a young age to help his mother before eventually moving to São Paulo to pursue his dream of becoming a fighter.
That journey helped build the resilience Gomes brings into the Octagon, where he considers himself a complete athlete. Against Won Il, he faces an opponent with plenty to prove, setting the stage for an exciting matchup between two fighters chasing the same goal.
Colton Loud
Colton Loud has built his career around giving fans a reason to watch. The 25-year-old fights out of Skywalker 101 in Omaha and owns a 7-1 record with a 100% finishing rate, including six first round finishes. Loud stands out because of his ability to knockout opponents with both his hands and his knees.
A karate black belt and BJJ purple belt, Loud is dangerous on his feet, in the clinch or on the ground. He has been training since he was 7 years old, and the Fort Worth, Texas, native wants to show the world what he calls a “new breed” of fighter – one capable of finding a finish from anywhere.
Christian Natividad "The Hawaiian Punch"
Christian Natividad brings an undefeated 9-0 record and a dominant style into his UFC opportunity. The 29-year-old, who trains at MMA Lab in Arizona, has three first-round knockout victories on his professional record. Having faced tough LFA contenders, Natividad believes he has already been competing against UFC-level talent and believes it is finally time to bring his skills to the biggest stage in the sport.
Natividad grew up in Ewa Beach, Hawaii, where fighting was part of his upbringing. His nickname, “The Hawaiian Punch,” was earned after knocking out opponents in the LFA. He says, “everyone could throw a punch, but not everyone could throw a ‘Hawaiian Punch,’” a distinction he believes sets him apart from his competition.
His brother Kevin earned a UFC contract after Christian turned pro in 2020, and now “The Hawaiian Punch” is looking to follow in the footsteps and earn his own place in the UFC.
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