Four earn UFC contracts at DWCS 2026 Week 1

Four fighters earned UFC contracts at Dana's Contender Series 2026 Week 1, highlighted by explosive finishes and one controversial decision that UFC CEO Dana White disagreed with.

Middleweight Joseph Kropschot (9-3) opened the card against Jonathan Kunneman (10-1) in a battle of contrasting records. Kropschot dominated with higher output and secured a deep armbar in the final seconds—so deep that Kunneman's arm dislocated—yet the tough-minded opponent refused to tap. The judges awarded Kropschot a unanimous decision, and White rewarded his aggressive finishing intent with a contract.

Featherweight Tom Pagliarulo (11-2) claimed the second contract with a vicious ground-and-pound finish over Ananias Mulumba (10-4) in the final moments of their bout. Former Cage Fury Flying Championships flyweight champion Bilal Hasan (9-0) entered as a historic -5000 favorite against Mridul Saikia (9-2) and delivered in spectacular fashion, knocking out his opponent in just 45 seconds. White was effusive in praise, calling Hasan the biggest favorite in Contender Series history and expressing genuine excitement about his UFC debut.

Lightweight Abe Alsaghir (9-0) earned a split decision over Fabrizio Escarrega (9-2) but failed to impress White, who publicly disagreed with the judges' scorecards and saw no standout performance worthy of a contract.

Heavyweight Anthony Wint (7-0) closed the night with a devastating first-round finish of Matthew Adams (6-3), reversing a takedown and unleashing brutal ground-and-pound in just over 30 seconds. White was equally impressed, calling Wint "a fucking tank" and noting his coach's stellar reputation before extending the final contract of the evening.