All articles tagged with #contender series
Four fighters earned UFC contracts on DWCS Season 10, Week 6—Mayton Perea, Igor Cavalcanti, Akbar Abdullaev and Luis Hernandez—while Tyshawn Williams earned another shot later this season; Abdullaev delivered a 19-second one-punch KO, bringing the season total to 28 UFC signees.
Quentin Pasley, a 4-0 light heavyweight, earned a UFC contract after a brutal KO on DWCS and drew a Jon Jones comparison from Dana White; he is joined by Isaac Moreno, Martin Kozak, and Christian Natividad in signing with UFC from DWCS Week 5, while Apollo Gomes was not offered a deal.
Bella Mir, 23, daughter of former UFC champ Frank Mir, lost to Alex Apodaca on Dana White’s Contender Series and says she wants a long, less brain-damaging career to chase UFC glory (and Olympic dreams), learning from her father’s surgeries and battles while pursuing her own wrestling and MMA goals.
Five Contender Series Season 10 Week 4 winners earned UFC contracts after a night of finishes at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas: Adam Darby defeated Patrick Rivera by doctor’s stoppage in Round 3, Modestino Rodrigues stopped Brandon Holmes in 15 seconds, Silvestre Sanchez TKOs Liam McCracken in Round 3, Gabriel Lorenco KO’d Charlie Cleveland in Round 1 amid controversy, and Adam Livingston took a split decision over Hunter Smith.
Jennifer Mir, Bella Mir’s mother, apologized for an emotional post criticizing Alex Apodaca after Bella’s Contender Series loss, saying alcohol and adrenaline fueled the rant, condemning death threats and toxicity, and that she’s stepping back from social media to let Bella recover while asking fans to direct their frustration at her instead.
Bella Mir, the 23-year-old bantamweight prospect, acknowledged her first MMA loss on Dana White’s Contender Series to Alex Apodaca, who out-struck her and earned a UFC contract. Mir posted an Instagram statement saying she’s learned from the setback, credited Apodaca, and vowed that one loss won’t define her as she moves forward and continues chasing her dream.
Bella Mir, a rising Contender Series prospect and daughter of former UFC champ Frank Mir, suffered a historic unanimous-decision upset to Alex Apodaca in Week 3 of DWCS Season 10; her mother Jennifer Mir publicly claimed the judges robbed her daughter, triggering widespread backlash online and fueling debate about helicopter parenting in combat sports, while Dana White noted Bella’s still-developing deep-water experience given her 23-year-old age and NCAA wrestling pedigree.
Alex Apodaca stunned Bella Mir as a massive underdog in Contender Series Week 3, outworking her for 15 minutes to earn a UFC contract and disbelief from peers, signaling a potential rise toward the bantamweight top 10 despite being 32 with limited pro experience.
Dana White claimed a Contender Series fighter had earned over $11 million, prompting speculation it was Kevin Holland; Holland denied the claim, saying the fighter isn’t him and leaving the true identity unclear, while noting his history of fight-night bonuses and a recent $250,000 show payday that illustrate how earnings can accumulate beyond base contracts.
Alex Apodaca, a 32-year-old bantamweight who balances MMA with a full-time accounting job, pulled off a stunning upset over 60-1 favorite Bella Mir on Dana White’s Contender Series to earn a UFC contract. She plans to keep her day job while continuing to fight, mentioning a 7:30 a.m. call as she celebrated. Dana White admitted he was biased toward Mir before the fight but praised Apodaca’s readiness and resilience in deep-water competition.
Dana White said he was extremely biased toward Bella Mir entering Contender Series 89 after the favored daughter of Frank Mir was upset by Alex Apodaca, who won by unanimous decision. White noted that DWCS often produces surprises and that undefeated runs are rare, emphasizing that performance ultimately matters more than hype.
Bella Mir, a heavy Contender Series favorite and daughter of former UFC champion Frank Mir, suffered a unanimous-decision upset to Alex Apodaca in Week 3, prompting Dana White to say the loss exposed her lack of deep-water experience and that the setback is a valuable lesson on the path back to top competition.
Bella Mir, the heavily favored Contender Series entrant and daughter of former UFC champ Frank Mir, suffered a unanimous-decision upset to Alex Apodaca in Week 3, a result that sparked widespread reaction from fighters and observers as Mir's run toward being the sport’s best athlete faces a setback.
In Contender Series Season 10 Week 3, underdog Alex Apodaca stunned Bella Mir to take a unanimous decision (29-28 on all cards) and earn a UFC contract, joining Guilherme Uriel, Sean Clancy Jr., Ronald Humphrey, and Nick Galanti as winners who secured UFC deals on the night; Mir, a massive favorite, suffered one of MMA’s biggest upsets, while other fights produced decisive finishes and contract wins.
Bella Mir, the NCAA wrestling champion and daughter of former UFC champ Frank Mir, is set to face Alex Apodaca in Season 10, Week 3 of Contender Series at Meta Apex in Las Vegas. Oddsmakers list Mir as a record-setting -1600 betting favorite to earn a UFC contract; the 4-0 pro with three first-round submissions has been groomed as a top UFC prospect and could follow in her father’s footsteps if she wins.