All five fighters earn UFC contracts on a chaotic DWCS Season 10 Week 4

Dana White handed out five UFC contracts after a chaotic fourth week of the 2026 Dana White’s Contender Series at Meta Apex in Las Vegas on September 1, a night that included one of the most disputed stoppages in the show’s history and a heavyweight finish that lasted barely a minute.

Adam Livingston (8-1) opened the card against Hunter Smith (8-2) in a lightweight bout that went the distance in a back-and-forth slugfest. Livingston took the split decision in his second DWCS appearance, having failed to earn a contract on his first attempt. White admitted he was as uncertain about the outcome as anyone in the building.

“Great fight. I had it 1-1 going into the last round,” White said. “Me and the matchmakers had no idea who won. Split decision announced. Congratulations, we’re bringing you into the UFC.”

Gabriel Lourenco (8-1) made the most emphatic statement of the night in the heavyweight bout against Charlie Cleveland (6-2), dropping him with a right hand and finishing with hammer-fists in the first round. White described Lourenco as a new threat in the heavyweight division and awarded him a contract without hesitation.

Silvestre Sanchez (10-1) delivered the night’s most dramatic turnaround, struggling through the early rounds against Liam McCracken (8-2) before knocking him out cold in the final round of their lightweight contest. White revealed he had been on the verge of deciding Sanchez, 24, needed more seasoning before the finish changed his mind.

“I was sitting there thinking, ‘Maybe he needs some more experience.’ And then boom!” White said. “When you come on this show, don’t let me say maybe he is too young. Get your a** over here, you’re in the UFC.”

The most contentious moment of the evening came in the middleweight bout, where Modestino Rodrigues (8-1) dropped Brandon Holmes (6-2) with a right hand just 15 seconds into the fight before referee Chris Tognoni waved it off. White called it one of the worst stoppages in DWCS history but made clear the fault lay entirely with the official, not the fighter.

“One of the worst stoppages I’ve ever seen on the Contender Series,” White said. “Horrible stoppage by the ref. Not your fault. You were doing your job and doing what you were supposed to do. Come on over here.”

Adam Darby (8-1) closed the show in the welterweight main event against Patrick Rivera (13-5), systematically breaking Rivera down until the cageside doctor stopped the contest midway through the final round. White awarded Darby a contract for what he described as a destructive masterclass, while also acknowledging Rivera’s toughness in absorbing the punishment.