DWCS Season 10 Finale Sends Four Fighters to the UFC. Smilla Sundell Earns UFC Contract After Mick Maynard Pushes Back on Dana White
Greg Foster turned the season finale into a three-round war, Luis Francischinelli announced himself as a 6-foot-6 welterweight problem, Douglas da Lapa remained unbeaten, Smilla Sundell earned a UFC contract despite Dana White initially wanting more development, and Erick Visconde learned that even a dominant victory is not always enough on Contender Series.
Meta APEX, Las Vegas, NV — Dana White’s Contender Series has always existed somewhere between a fight card and a job interview, but the final night of Season 10 offered perhaps the cleanest reminder of what makes the show different from anything else in combat sports. Five fighters won Tuesday night at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas. Only four of them became UFC fighters. By the time Dana White finished handing out contracts, Greg Foster, Douglas da Lapa, Luis Francischinelli and Smilla Sundell had joined the roster, while main-event winner Erick Visconde walked away with a 30-27 sweep on the scorecards and no contract. The four additions pushed Season 10 to 46 total contracts, tying the highest mark in the show’s history and closing another season in which winning remained only the beginning of the audition.
Featured Upcoming Bouts (Outside of UFC)
| Saturday, November 14th 2026: PFL Dubai: Nemkov vs. Bilostenniy | |||
 [#6 HW] Vadim Nemkov | [#16 HW] Sergey Bilostenniy | ||
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| Last Fight Date: 12/13/2025 [PFL] Last Opponent: [#20 HW] Renan Ferreira Last 5: W W W W W | Last Fight Date: 5/02/2026 [PFL] Last Opponent: [#20 HW] Renan Ferreira Last 5: W W L W W | ||
| Thursday, December 31st 2026: Rizin FF New Years Eve Event | |||
 [#5 FW] Rajabali Shaidullaev |  [#17 FW] Kyoma Akimoto | ||
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| Last Fight Date: 9/10/2026 [Rizin Fighting Federation] Last Opponent: [#7 FW] A.J. McKee Last 5: W W W W W | Last Fight Date: 8/11/2026 [Rizin Fighting Federation] Last Opponent: [#27 FW] Kleber Koike Erbst Last 5: W W W W W | ||
| Saturday, December 19th 2026: Professional Fighters League PFL Lyon 2026: Lapilus vs. McKee | |||
 [#14 BW] Mitchell McKee |  [#29 BW] Taylor Lapilus | ||
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| Last Fight Date: 4/11/2026 [PFL] Last Opponent: [#15 BW] Sergio Pettis Last 5: W W W W W | Last Fight Date: 5/23/2026 [PFL] Last Opponent: [#128 BW] Jake Hadley Last 5: W W W W W | ||
Featured Fighters
| [#12 WW] | Joaquin Buckley | [#1 WW] | Islam Makhachev | |
| [#11 WW] |  Mike Malott | [#2 LW] |  Ilia Topuria | |
| [#126 HW] | Joel Faglier | [#90 LW] |  Cristian Perez | |
| [#233 WW] | Oualy Tandia | [#253 BW] | Cody Chovancek | |
| [#100 W125] | Lucero Acosta | [#1 FW] |  Alexander Volkanovski |
Rankings vs Randomness: Why Upsets Happen in MMA, and What Real Chance Looks Like
Every rating system makes the same promise: give it enough results and it will tell you who should win. MMA keeps testing that promise. Favourites lose often enough to keep the sport unpredictable, but not so often that the models are worthless. Understanding where the uncertainty comes from is more useful than pretending it isn’t there.
Casino Online Games: Why the Details Matter
Two roulette games can look almost identical. Same wheel, same red and black numbers, even the same green felt in the background. Yet one might give you plenty of time to place a bet, while the other starts another round before you’ve properly looked at the screen. It’s a small difference until you’re the one trying to follow what’s happening.
Islam Makhachev’s Only Loss Revisited: What UFC 330 Revealed About His Weaknesses
Islam Makhachev left Philadelphia with his belt, a record 17th straight UFC win and a bruised face. Ian Machado Garry lost on the cards, but one judge had it 48-47, and for the first time in years the champion looked hittable. That reopened an old question: was his lone defeat in 2015 a fluke, or did it show a flaw that the right opponent can still find?
Explore the Rise of Bitcoin Casinos and Their Unique Features
For those intrigued by unconventional ways to place bets, focusing on cryptocurrency-fired wagering platforms can prove beneficial. These venues not only appeal to tech-savvy individuals but also offer unique features that traditional establishments might lack, such as enhanced privacy and faster transaction times. Understanding these aspects can empower players to make informed choices.
How Combat Sports Athletes Are Using Gaming Skills to Train Their Mental Edge
I’ve spent years around MMA gyms and training camps, and about 6 months ago I noticed something strange happening. Fighters started talking differently about their pre-fight routines. Yeah, they’re still drilling takedowns and working cardio, but there’s this whole new element—mental preparation through gaming.
Why Fight Fans Trust Data and Reviews More Than Hype
Every big fight comes with a sales pitch. The press conference trash talk, the walk-out music, the promotional videos that make a routine main event look like the fight of the century. Hype is part of what makes combat sports fun, and promoters are very good at it.
But more and more fans have learned to tune it out. They look at records in context, check the numbers behind a fighter’s reputation and listen to what other fans have actually experienced. Here’s why the fight community has become so sceptical of hype, and what it trusts instead.
This Week’s WHR Bets/Parlays (2026/#32)
Still trying to get out of this hole…
Fights considered must satisfy all of the criteria below:
- Both fighters must be active (fought in 360 days prior to event). Reduces uncertainty.
- Both fighters must have at least 7 fights in the prior 7 years, including 1+ loss. If the loss was in their debut, then 2+ losses are required.
- Both fighters must be rated in the same division as the fight. Further reduces uncertainty.
- Must have odds from at least three bookmakers.
How Fighter Rankings and Stats Shape MMA Betting Odds
Holly Holm walked into her fight with Ronda Rousey as a massive underdog. Almost nobody gave her a chance, and the betting line agreed with them. Then came the head kick in the second round, and a lot of tickets went straight in the trash.
Fights like that stick with us because they’re rare. Most nights the favorite wins, and the price turns out to be about right. Still, it’s worth asking where MMA betting odds come from in the first place. Who decides that one fighter is -250 and the other is +200? And how much of that number is rankings, how much is stats, and how much is just people betting on names they recognize?
How Elite Fighters Prepare for the Brutal Physical Demands of MMA
Periodization, Training Camp Structure, and Peak Performance
Elite camps follow a clear sequence: general preparation, specific preparation and taper. The 3:1 loading principle governs the process — three weeks of progressive volume and intensity followed by one deload week. Coaches carefully manage concurrent training to avoid the interference effect between heavy strength work and high-volume endurance sessions.