Galanti silences 'just a grappler' doubters with 35-second DWCS knockout to earn UFC deal

Nick Galanti silenced questions about his striking by knocking out Carlos Petruzzella (15-2) in 35 seconds at Dana White’s Contender Series Week 3 on 25 August 2026, earning himself a UFC contract in the process. The middleweight prospect, known primarily as a wrestler, dropped Petruzzella with a right hook before closing the show with ground-and-pound.

After the fight, Galanti credited former UFC and Glory Kickboxing veteran Karl Roberson for the striking development that made the finish possible.

“Everyone says I’m just a grappler, but I have been working with my guy Karl Roberson, UFC vet, Glory vet; he had one of the fastest knockouts,” Galanti said in his post-fight interview. “The whole time I was calling that right hook. I love that right hook in open stances. I was hoping for a head-kick knockout, but I think it got hooked up.”

Roberson’s connection to DWCS runs deep. He earned his own UFC contract with a 15-second knockout of Ryan Spann in the very first season of the show back in 2017. The influence of that training camp extends further still — Galanti’s teammate Luke Fernandez, who also works with Roberson, recorded the fastest knockout of last season’s DWCS at 15 seconds.

Galanti improves to 8-1 with the victory and heads to the UFC having demonstrated that his game extends well beyond the wrestling that built his reputation.