Tom Pagliarulo overcomes fear, earns UFC contract at DWCS 2026 Week 1

Tom Pagliarulo overcame significant nervousness to secure a UFC contract at Dana White's Contender Series 2026 Week 1, finishing Ananias Mulumba with ground-and-pound in the final seconds of their featherweight bout. The 29-year-old entered the fight as one of the most mentally prepared competitors of the night, leaning on his coaches and UFC bantamweight teammate Cory Sandhagen to stay locked in through an anxiety-filled week.

Pagliarulo admitted his fear was at an all-time high heading into competition. He credited his team—particularly Sandhagen—with reminding him to trust his work ethic and natural instincts. "This is the most afraid I've ever been in my life, all week," Pagliarulo said after the victory. "My coaches and Cory Sandhagen back home kept me locked in."

Describing himself as someone who was never the most naturally talented athlete, Pagliarulo emphasized his lifelong pattern of outworking competitors. "I was never the most talented or naturally gifted kid," he said. "I was always the hardest worker in the room; I kept showing up." His scrap with Mulumba played out as a competitive affair until Pagliarulo turned up the intensity in the third round to secure the finish. Dana White recognized the gutsy performance. "You were in a dog fight, turned it on in the third round, and finished a really tough kid," White said. "Congratulations, you're in."