Another opportunity awaits as Dana White’s Contender Series heads into Week 8 of Season 10, with a new group of fighters ready to put everything on the line for a chance to earn a UFC contract.
Five fights are scheduled for September 29th at the UFC Meta APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada, giving each competitor a valuable opportunity to showcase their skills in front of Dana White and the matchmakers.
This week’s card features both men’s and women’s matchups, bringing together experienced fighters and rising prospects from around the world. Each competitor will be looking to deliver a performance strong enough to secure a place on the UFC roster.
About DWCS
Season 10 will consist of 10 weekly episodes airing every Tuesday night on Paramount+, beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 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 8 have been announced. Here’s a look at the fight card.
DWCS S10, Episode 8 Fight Card
Ilias Bulaid vs. Erick Visconde
Aieza Bertolso vs. Camila Reynoso
Ian Ezcuza vs. Luca Borando
Adama Diop vs. Zaurbek Sabanov
Laoi Abushaar vs. George Stains
Meet the Fighters
Ilias Bulaid
Ilias “The Blade” Bulaid brings an undefeated 9-0 record and a devastatingly fast, explosive style to his UFC opportunity. The 31-year-old Moroccan striker, who trains out of Fighting Talents, has six professional finishes, including five knockouts and one submission. Bulaid is a six-time NFusion champion who has previously competed in Japan and China. He has spent his entire life working toward this moment and is ready to show that his elite kickboxing pedigree can translate to MMA’s biggest stage.
Erick Visconde
Erick “The Viscount” Visconde is a 29-year-old Brazilian mixed martial artist with a 17-3 record, which includes six knockouts, six submissions, and an LFA Featherweight Championship. A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, Visconde showcased his toughness during his LFA title win, fighting through a broken hand suffered in the second round to earn a five-round victory.
After dreaming of reaching the UFC for 17 years, Visconde moved to Los Angeles, leaving behind his business and wife in Brazil. He hopes to prove that aspiring fighters from his hometown can succeed on the global stage. Against Ilias Bulaid, Visconde plans to push the pace, take the fight into deep water and earn a UFC contract on his way toward conquering the featherweight division.
Aieza Bertolso
Aieza Bertolso is an undefeated 25-year-old strawweight from Alto Taquari, Mato Grosso, Brazil, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro’s KO Squad with a pristine 7-0 professional record. Growing up in a simple environment where she spent much of her childhood playing sports, Bertolso began training Jiu-Jitsu at 15 before transitioning to Muay Thai and ultimately finding her passion in MMA.
Bertolso’s career reached a major milestone in September 2025 when she captured the LFA Strawweight Championship in Cuiaba, Mato Grosso, validating her hard work and fulfilling the promise made to her parents to reach the elite level of the sport. Described as an aggressive yet technical fighter, she consistently hunts for finishes rather than relying on control. As she prepares to face the tough, well-rounded Camila Reynoso on DWCS, Bertolso is ready to push the pace. Eager to catch Dana White’s eye, she is focused on delivering a showstopping performance.
Camila Reynoso
Camila Reynoso is a 21-year-old rising star from Buenos Aires, Argentina. With no prior combat sports background four years ago, she began training in kickboxing and Muay Thai before transitioning to MMA and appearing on The Ultimate Fighter.
Fighting out of Team Martinez, she holds an impressive 9-1 professional record. Following the first defeat of her career after opening with a seven-fight winning streak, Reynoso used the setback as motivation to elevate her game. She responded in dominant fashion with two impressive victories. Proud to represent her mother, team, and the resilient Argentine MMA scene, she is fully confident that her relentless pressure and mindset will lead to a first-round finish and a coveted UFC contract.
Ian Escuza
Ian "El Especimen" Escuza is a 30-year-old undefeated featherweight striker (7-0) from Lima, Peru, fighting out of PMAC Peru. Escuza initially explored soccer and surfing before discovering Muay Thai as a teenager, a passion that quickly evolved into his life's path. Demonstrating early business acumen, he opened his own gym at age 21 to help fund his training and travel. Heavily supported by his athletic family and guided by key mentors—such as Gastón Bolaños, who helped him transition to MMA—Escuza has dedicated over 12 years to the sport, sacrificing his social life and overcoming significant injuries and setbacks to reach this stage.
Now stepping up to face Luca Borando, Escuza views Dana White’s Contender Series as the ultimate opportunity of his career. Beyond his immediate goal of delivering a standout performance, impressing Dana White, and earning a UFC contract, Escuza ultimately hopes to elevate his career as a professional athlete and create new pathways and opportunities for future fighters in Peru.
Luca Borando
Luca Borando is a 26-year-old mixed martial artist from Rome, Italy, fighting out of Aurora MMA. Inspired by Anderson Silva, Borando began his combat sports journey at age 12 through grappling before evolving into a dangerous, well-rounded striker. Holding a 9-1 professional record with eight finishes, including an impressive five-fight knockout streak, Borando has built a reputation for his composed, calculated approach inside the Octagon. His signature “ice in my veins” celebration has become a symbol of the confidence and precision he brings to every performance.
After dedicating 13 years to the sport, Borando sees this opportunity as the culmination of sacrifice, discipline, and the relentless pursuit of his lifelong dream. Now stepping up to face Ian Escuza, Borando respects his opponent's striking credentials but fully intends to beat him at his own game and move one step closer to becoming Italy’s UFC next star.
Adama Diop
Adama Diop is a 31-year-old heavyweight mixed martial artist from Dakar, Senegal, fighting out of Mantis Martial Arts Center. After losing his father as an infant and his mother at 14, Diop endured homelessness, hunger, and poverty while working in construction, carpentry and farming. He eventually turned to Senegalese wrestling, a sand-based discipline combing grappling and combat.
Transitioning to MMA later in life, Diop rapidly established himself as a dominant force, compiling a 6-1 record with five knockouts and four first-round finishes, alongside heavyweight championships in both the Extreme Fighting Championship and Hexagone MMA.
Diop brings an aggressive, versatile style and a desire to showcase the culture of Senegalese wrestling to a global audience.
Zaurbek Sabanov
Zaurbek Sabanov is a 28-year-old heavyweight mixed martial artist from Vladikavkaz, North Ossetia-Alania, Russia, fighting out of the Valhalla Club. Growing up in a region with a deep-rooted combat sports culture, Sabanov developed his passion for fighting throughout his youth before dedicating himself to serious training at age 19.
Throughout his journey, he has faced and overcome numerous hurdles, including major surgeries, health issues, and unexpected team dismissals, building a resilient mindset that keeps him focused on his athletic career. As a competitor, Sabanov is a well-rounded pressure specialist who thrives in chaos and feels equally comfortable standing or on the ground. Having trained alongside heavyweights already competing in the UFC, he has the confidence and self-belief to know he belongs on the sport’s biggest stage. Now preparing to face Adama Diop on DWCS in what promises to be an explosive heavyweight clash, Sabanov is deeply motivated by the opportunity to secure a life-changing UFC contract.
Loai “Savage Bull” Abushaar
Loai Abushaar is a 30-year-old mixed martial artist from MMA Lab with a 7-1 professional record and seven straight finishes, including six first-round stoppages, four knockouts and three submissions. Nicknamed after the Arabic translation of his first name, Abushaar has dreamed of reaching the UFC since watching Daniel Cormier defeat Anthony “Rumble” Johnson in 2017.
At 30, Abushaar is determined to not let anyone get in between him and what he is trying to accomplish, no matter how many times he has fallen he keeps getting up. Abushaar aims to become a world champion and inspire Palestinians around the world.
George Staines
George “Saint” Staines is an undefeated 26-year-old lightweight from Hull, England, with a 10-0 record. Training out of Next Generation Liverpool, Staines began kickboxing at seven after being introduced to the sport by his father. He went on to become one of Europe’s most decorated amateurs, winning a European championship and a world bronze medal.
After turning professional three years ago, Staines relocated to Liverpool in 2024 on the recommendation of UFC star Molly McCann. Now training alongside elite teammates, he is focused on earning a UFC contract and taking the first step toward his ultimate goal of becoming a UFC lightweight champion.
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