Francischinelli earns UFC contract with first-round TKO at DWCS as Dana White hails 6-foot-6 welterweight

Luis Francischinelli secured a UFC welterweight contract by stopping William Rentz in the first round of Dana White’s Contender Series Season 10, Week 10 at Meta Apex in Las Vegas on October 13. The 30-year-old Brazilian, who stands 6-foot-6 and carries a 7-1 record, forced the stoppage at 2:18 with ground strikes after dropping Rentz with a counter left hook.

Rentz (8-3) came out aggressively, closing the distance and taking Francischinelli down with a body lock early in the round. Francischinelli responded from his back, threatening a heel hook and landing elbows before working back to his feet. Rentz secured a second takedown, but Francischinelli stood again quickly — and when Rentz pressed forward a third time, the Brazilian caught him clean with a left hook that sent him to the canvas. Francischinelli followed up with ground strikes until the referee waved it off.

UFC CEO Dana White was enthusiastic in his post-fight assessment, drawing laughs with a riff on Francischinelli’s imposing frame. “Luis, you’re 7-1 now, you’re 170 pounds, you’re 10 feet tall,” White said. “Another fun guy that I’m excited to watch fight in the UFC. Congratulations.”

The moment carried extra weight for Francischinelli, who was visibly emotional after the bout, revealing that his wife had been hospitalised. By the time he received his UFC contract, he was able to share better news — she had been discharged.