22-year-od Mateus Soares lands UFC deal with 63-second DWCS TKO

Twenty-two-year-old Mateus Soares earned a UFC contract at Dana White's Contender Series Week 9, stopping Ryuho Miyaguchi with a devastating first-round TKO in just 1:03 of their bantamweight clash at Meta Apex in Las Vegas on October 6.

Soares (12-2) dropped Miyaguchi (7-2) with a clean right hand before unleashing a barrage of strikes that forced the referee to wave off the fight. The explosive finish showcased the kind of striking precision and aggression that Dana White and his matchmakers seek when awarding UFC contracts.

Visibly emotional after the bout, Soares told interpreter Laura Sanko that he had dreamed of this moment since age seven. "I can't believe I'm here," he said. When asked about White's praise, Soares reflected on the surreal nature of his achievement. "It felt like a dream coming true," he explained. "I came here to fight the best because I believe I am the best."

The Brazilian's rapid finish capped an impressive performance that demonstrated both technical skill and the finishing instinct the UFC values in rising prospects. At just 22 with a 12-2 record and now a contract in hand, Soares enters the promotion as a prospect to monitor in the competitive bantamweight division.