The finish line for Season 10 is quickly approaching, and the intensity inside Meta APEX has never been higher. Dana White’s Contender Series enters Week 9 with a stacked card featuring newcomers and determined returning prospects, all ready to leave it all on the line.
Five fights take over the UFC Meta APEX in Las Vegas on October 6th, with action starting at 7:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. PT on Paramount+. The card offers contenders their ultimate shot at a UFC contract. From international standouts to a UFC employee trying to make history, here is the full breakdown of the fight card.
DWCS S10, Episode 9 Fight Card
Preston LaGrange vs. Nell Ariano
Ryuho Miyaguchi vs. Mateus Soares
Roque Conceição vs. Alexander Chávez
Salhahuddin Everett vs. Ozzy Martin
Summer Onley vs. Alivia Bierley
Meet the Fighters
Preston LaGrange
Preston LaGrange is a 27-year-old middleweight fighter out of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, carrying a 6-1 professional record with a 100% finish rate. Trained by Keoni Koch at the Hard Drive Performance Center, LaGrange defines his identity by “grit” – a toughness forged growing up as the oldest of five siblings and navigating Iowa’s wrestling and football scenes before transitioning to MMA.
For his DWCS debut against Nell Ariano, he is taking a significant risk by stepping up to the light heavyweight division on just two weeks’ notice. Unfazed by the change in weight class, the high-paced, aggressive grappler plans to leverage his speed, cardio, and wrestling base to secure another trademark finish and prove he is ready for a UFC contract.
Nell Ariano
A judo black belt who represented the French National team for nearly a decade, Paris native Nell Ariano transitioned to MMA during COVID. Beyond his 6-0 undefeated record with four knockouts, Ariano’s path to Dana White’s Contender Series is a testament to his perseverance. Having survived a stroke at 27, and with his father now battling cancer, Ariano draws his greatest motivation from making his dad proud.
Now 31-years-old, the well-rounded fighter brings that relentless drive into his DWCS debut against Preston LaGrange. Ready to prove himself to the world, he states, “I’m not gonna give up on my dream,” promising to give his DWCS appearance everything he’s got.
Ryuho Miyaguchi
Ryuho Miyaguchi is a 28-year-old karate-based striker carrying a 7-1 professional record with six knockouts. Miyaguchi’s appearance at the Road to UFC in May marked the biggest venue of his career. Overwhelmed by the occasion, the unsettling atmosphere hindered his performance and resulted in a costly submission loss. He believed his Octagon hopes were over, but a surprise call has given him a second chance on DWCS.
Training out of MMA Dojo Cobra, the explosive striker plans to lean on his dangerous kicking arsenal in a projected striking battle against Mateus Soares. Having learned how to handle big-stage nerves, Miyaguchi is determined to put on an electrifying performance and finally claim the UFC contract he has chased his entire life.
Mateus Soares
Mateus Soares is a 22-year-old Brazilian bantamweight carrying an 11-2 professional record. Growing up in Rio de Janeiro’s Jacarezinho community, Soares has spent his life overcoming adversity before finding his path in MMA. Now training out of Rizzo RVT, he has developed into a relentless striker built from a Muay Thai and karate foundation. He is eager to follow in the footsteps of his idol, Jose Aldo. Confident he will secure a knockout over Ryuho Miyaguchi; Soares is aiming to seize the opportunity and earn a UFC contract.
Roque Conceição
Roque Conceição is a 26-year-old Brazilian striker carrying an 11-3 professional record. Training out of Revira Black Team and Cruel Top Team in São Paulo, Conceição returns for his second Dana White’s Contender Series appearance following a defeat.
He enters this bout with renewed maturity and confidence, expecting a very different outcome. Knowing that he must make the most of his second chance, Conceição is fully focused not letting his opponent, Alexander Chávez, take this opportunity away from him.
Alexander Chávez
Alexander Chávez nicknamed “Panchita,” is a 25-year-old Peruvian striker from Chorrillos, Lima, training out of PMAAC. Introduced to martial arts at age 13 by his older brother, Chávez developed into a versatile, high-output Muay Thai specialist. Returning for his second Dana White’s Contender Series appearance, he is set to clash with Brazil’s Roque Conceição in a high-stakes matchup. Chávez is focused on delivering an explosive striking performance to secure the UFC contract once and for all.
Salhahuddin Everett
Salhahuddin “Bundy” Everett is a 29-year-old undefeated Las Vegas native carrying a 4-0 professional record, with none of his professional bouts lasting longer than three minutes. A freestyle MMA fighter who transitioned from boxing to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, he brings an explosive, finishing-heavy style into the Octagon.
Outside the Octagon, Everett’s path has been uniquely intertwined with the promotion. Starting out in the UFC mailroom and corporate security, he eventually became Dana White’s runner – leading to the surreal moment when he was stocking the fridge and White causally told Everett that he was getting his shot on the Contender Series. Everett’s goal is to become the first person to go from working for the UFC to being in it. Now facing Ozzy Martin on DWCS, Everett stands ready to enter the next chapter of an extraordinary journey.
Ozzy Martin
Ozzy “Toro” Martin is a 24-year-old undefeated striker carrying a 4-0 professional MMA record with four knockouts, alongside unblemished records in professional boxing and kickboxing. Raised by professional kickboxers, Martin inherited both his combat pedigree and the “Toro” (bull) nickname from his father.
He is a lightning-fast finisher with devastating power and brings a fierce intensity into the Octagon. Set to face Salhahuddin Everett on Dana White’s Contender Series, Martin is ready to surprise his opponent with a grappling game he feels is often overlooked, aiming to deliver a well-rounded performance that earns him a UFC contract.
Summer Onley
Summer Onley is a 32-year-old undefeated bantamweight fighting out of Ronin MMA in Birmingham, UK, carrying a 6-0 professional record with five knockouts. A late starter to the sport who only discovered MMA through her fiancé Carl in 2016, Onley has enjoyed a meteoric rise, combining an elite European BJJ championship pedigree with a devastating one-punch knockout.
Onley is driven by years of sacrifice and ready to face Alivia Bierley on Dana White’s Contender Series. She is ready to walk through the fire, seek the highlight-reel finish, and finally claim the UFC contract she has devoted the past few years of her life to earning.
Alivia Bierley
A former VP of LA fitness, Bierley boldly walked away from her career to pursue fighting full-time, a risk that was instantly validated when she won a championship just two weeks later. Alivia “Yum Yum” Bierley is a 30-year-old bantamweight fighting out of Pete Spratt Hybrid Systems in Texas, carrying a 5-1 professional record with three knockouts.
A lifelong athlete with a background in college basketball and gymnastics, she turned to martial arts to build unshakable strength with a mission to empower and inspire others. Bierley is physically one of the strongest competitors in the division. Thriving under chaos, she brings a gritty mindset into the Octagon. Facing Summer Onley on DWCS, Bierley is ready to showcase her brand of calculated chaos, secure a decisive finish, and prove she belongs on the sport’s biggest stage.
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