Contender Series week 7 handed out 6 UFC contracts on September 22 at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas. Dana White signed both men from 2 of the 5 fights, winners and losers alike, and left the main event without a contract. The season now stands at 34 signings after 7 weeks.
Key takeaways
- 6 fighters earned UFC contracts on Contender Series week 7, season 10, on September 22: Damian Piwowarczyk, Marcos Degli, Piero Guaylupo, Callum Connor, Alvi Dasuyev and Jaden Ortega.
- Connor and Ortega were signed despite losing unanimous decisions, while Norbert Novenyi Jr. beat Theo Haig in the main event and got nothing.
- Only 2 of the 5 fights ended early, and the season total reaches 34 contracts after 7 weeks.
The 6 contracts of Contender Series week 7
2 finishes, 2 contracts
Damian Piwowarczyk stopped Emilio Quissua with punches at 4:55 of round 1 at light heavyweight. Marcos Degli submitted Fury FC flyweight champion Paris Moran with a rear-naked choke at 4:46 of round 2. Those were the only 2 finishes of the night, and both winners were signed.
2 fights, 4 contracts
At lightweight, Piero Guaylupo beat Callum Connor 30-27 on all 3 cards in a fight that never slowed down. At welterweight, Alvi Dasuyev beat Jaden Ortega 30-27, 30-27, 29-28. Dana White signed all 4 of them, which means 2 of the 6 new UFC fighters lost on Tuesday night.
A rare call
Signing a loser on this show happens, but not often, and signing 2 on the same card is rarer still. The message is the one White repeats every season: he is looking for fighters who can hold up in the UFC, and a decision loss in a hard fight can show that better than a quiet win.
No contract in the main event
A clean win that was not enough
The headliner put 2 Bellator veterans against each other at middleweight. Norbert Novenyi Jr. beat Theo Haig 29-28 on all 3 cards and moved to 10-1, but neither man was signed. It was Haig’s 2nd appearance on the show.
What the show rewards
The contrast with the co-features is the whole lesson of week 7. 2 fighters lost and were signed, one fighter won the main event and was not. On this show the scorecard decides the result, not the contract.
Our styles are the same. We come to finish the fight.
Degli, Prates and what week 7 leaves behind
The teammate Carlos Prates had pitched
Degli arrived at 14-3 on a 12-fight win streak, with 11 finishes in that run. His Vale Top Team teammate Carlos Prates had used his own Octagon interview after beating Geoff Neal to ask Dana White for a look at him. Degli got the finish he promised and the contract that came with it.
34 contracts in 7 weeks
After 4 contracts in week 5 and 4 more in week 6, this 6-contract night takes season 10 to 34 signings. That is 10 new UFC fighters in the last 2 Tuesdays alone.
Follow the new UFC signings with real numbers
The records, finish rates and debuts of every Contender Series week 7 signing are tracked in the FightHub app as they enter the UFC. Download it to follow these 6 prospects from their first booking.
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