Dana White had to 'fight' UFC matchmakers over one DWCS contract

Dana White's Contender Series Week 5 took place on September 8, 2026, at Meta Apex in Las Vegas, marking the first week of the 10th season where fewer than five fighters earned UFC contracts. The night produced four signings, with White overriding matchmaker objections on at least one fighter.

Christian Natividad (10-0) opened the card in a flyweight bout against Colton Loud (7-0), stopping Loud with a body shot in 70 seconds to earn his contract. White praised Natividad for accepting the fight on just eight days' notice. Featherweight Apollo Gomes (13-2) earned a unanimous decision over Won Il Kwon (14-7) but did not impress White, who declined to offer a contract despite acknowledging both fighters performed well.

Middleweight Martin Kozak (7-0) dominated Christian Echols (8-5), dropping him with a head kick in the opening round before finishing the fight with a flurry in the second. The 24-year-old undefeated Slovakian earned his contract on the strength of his 100% finish rate and 6-0 amateur record. Welterweight Isaac Moreno (9-0) edged a hard-fought unanimous decision over Reginaldo Geraldo Jr. (11-2) to remain undefeated, though White had to advocate for his contract against skeptical matchmakers who questioned Moreno's performance.

Headliner Quentin Pasley (4-0) stole the show, submitting previously undefeated Arlind Berisha (5-1) with vicious elbows from top position late in the first round. White initially questioned why a 3-0 fighter was headlining but was won over by Pasley's dominant display, comparing the 24-year-old to Jon Jones and awarding him a UFC contract. The four signings—Natividad, Kozak, Moreno, and Pasley—represented a below-average week for DWCS 2026 in terms of contract distribution.