Sundell, Francischinelli among four fighters to earn UFC deals as DWCS Season 10 closes

Dana White’s Contender Series Season 10 wrapped up at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas on Tuesday night, with four fighters earning UFC contracts across a mixed final card. The season-long haul of 46 contracts ties the show’s all-time record.

Co-main event: Smilla Sundell def. Aline Pereira

The headline contract winner of the evening was 21-year-old Smilla Sundell, a former ONE Championship Muay Thai champion who outworked Aline Pereira — sister of UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira — to claim her third MMA victory and a UFC deal. Sundell controlled the striking exchanges with forward pressure and volume, with Pereira offering little resistance on the feet and not testing Sundell’s relatively limited MMA grappling experience.

White admitted during the contract ceremony that he had initially felt Sundell was too young and needed further development, but was outvoted after consulting with his team.

Swing bout: Luis Francischinelli def. Will Rentz

Luis Francischinelli made the most emphatic statement of the night, stopping Will Rentz by first-round knockout to secure his contract. The 6-foot-6 Francischinelli used his length and scrambling ability to neutralise Rentz’s takedown attempts before dropping him with a short left hand and finishing on the ground.

Second bout: Douglas da Lapa def. Davi Cabral

Douglas da Lapa earned his contract with a third-round finish of Davi Cabral, putting on an entertaining performance that satisfied White’s requirements for a deal.

Main event: Erick Visconde def. Ilias Bulaid — no contract

The evening’s main event produced the night’s most contentious outcome. Erick Visconde dominated Ilias Bulaid on the ground throughout a wide unanimous decision victory, but the crowd grew restless with the pace of the action. Visconde disclosed afterward that he had broken his hand in the second round, which hampered his finishing attempts. White acknowledged Visconde’s promise but told him he had not delivered as expected, sending him away without a contract.

With Season 10 now complete, the Contender Series has matched its own record for contracts awarded in a single season, cementing its status as the UFC’s primary pipeline for emerging global talent.