Dana White signs six at DWCS Week 7, including two fighters who lost their bouts

Dana White signed six fighters to UFC contracts at Contender Series 2026 Week 7, with two of those deals going to fighters who lost their bouts — a reflection of the night’s unusually high entertainment value despite a shortage of finishes.

The evening opened with Damian Piwowarczyk (12-4) stopping Emilio Quissua (8-1) with a vicious flurry in the final seconds of round one at light heavyweight. White immediately awarded Piwowarczyk a contract, noting the timing of the finish: “Emilio is a tough guy. He was putting it on you in that first round. And what did you do? Knock him out with less than 10 seconds left in the first round. Congratulations, you’re in the UFC.”

The lightweight contest between Piero Guaylupo (13-0) and Callum Connor (8-1) proved to be the night’s standout performance. The pair combined for a volume of significant strikes that White said would have broken the UFC lightweight record for a three-round fight had it taken place inside the Octagon. Guaylupo won via unanimous decision, but White signed both men, calling the fight a Fight of the Year contender.

Carlos Prates’ teammate Marcos Degli (15-3) delivered the night’s most eye-catching finish, submitting Paris Moran (14-4) with a standing one-arm rear-naked choke in a flyweight bout. White, who noted Degli had rattled off 13 consecutive wins, offered little hesitation: “What a nasty, incredible sub you pulled off tonight. How can I say no to you? I can’t.”

The welterweight clash between Alvi Dasuyev (10-0) and Jaden Ortega (6-1) produced another instant classic. Dasuyev dropped Ortega in the first round but could not finish him, and Ortega battled through to the final bell before losing a unanimous decision. White signed both fighters, crediting Ortega’s heart and revealing that matchmaker Mick Maynard had pushed hard for his inclusion. “Takes two guys to make a great fight; I want Jaden too,” White said.

The main event failed to match the card’s earlier energy. Norbert Novenyi Jr. (11-1) outpointed Theo Haig (7-2) over three rounds, but both men visibly faded from the second round onward, spending long stretches in clinch positions with little activity. White declined to offer Novenyi Jr. a contract, telling him directly: “I didn’t see anything tonight that makes me say, ‘I got to have this guy in the UFC.’” Haig, who had also fallen short at a previous Contender Series appearance, was not signed either.