DWCS Season 10, Week 6: Results, Contract Winners (And What's Next?)

Week 6 of Dana White's Contender Series was over almost as soon as it started. After a grinding opener, the last four fights all ended inside the distance: three first-round knockouts, the fastest in 19 seconds, and a back-and-forth war finished by a rear-naked choke. Four fighters walked out with UFC contracts, and Dana White called one of them the greatest talent the show has ever had. Pip was back in the co-pilot seat for this one while Nano was out, and our underdog experiment took a beating: only one of our five dogs cashed.

The Fights

Tyshawn Williams def. Antonio Monteiro (UD, 29-28, 29-27, 29-27)

The only fight of the night to go the distance was also the one nobody will rewatch. Williams came out and got in on Monteiro like a dog, landing a beautiful blast double and controlling most of the first round, but he faded badly and spent long stretches holding position from half guard without doing much with it. Monteiro, our underdog, kept getting back to his feet, but he never did enough to turn it around. It was the right result, and we said it just as clearly on the show: that is no way to win a contract. Neither man looked ready for the UFC's featherweight division.

What's next? Dana passed on signing Williams but told him he'll get another shot on the show this season. He'll need to come back with a lot more urgency.

Luis Hernandez def. Hugo Guillon (RNC, R2 1:01)

This was the fight of the night, and it was a lot better than the 15 minutes before it. Hernandez, a Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office deputy, checked Guillon's body kicks with his elbows so well that the Frenchman switched to whip kicks for the rest of the round, while Hernandez slipped his own kicks under the elbow and chopped with inside leg kicks. When Hernandez's punches got loopy, Guillon's straights and elbows started finding a home, and the round was a genuine back-and-forth that had Dana on his feet clapping. Hernandez came out swinging in round two and got hurt badly. Guillon had him, but he chased a submission, gave up top position, and Hernandez scrambled to the back and choked him out. We think Guillon could have finished it if he'd kept punching. Hernandez came for a contract and took it. "Give that man a contract" was our immediate reaction, and Dana did exactly that, making Hernandez the first active American law enforcement officer signed to the UFC. Add in that he's the same fighter Sean Strickland went after in a regional cage last year, and this story sells itself.

What's next? The UFC wasted no time: Hernandez made his debut 11 days later at UFC Vegas 121 and finished Sedriques Dumas with a standing guillotine in 57 seconds.

Akbar Abdullaev def. Ednilson Santos (KO, R1 0:19)

We had a unit on Santos, a massive underdog, and it lasted 19 seconds. Abdullaev showed Santos the left hand, read the reaction and launched a right hand down the middle that we're calling the "fastball special." It isn't a traditional overhand. It was a wind-up and a pitch straight down the center line, and Santos was out before he hit the canvas. Pip pointed out that Abdullaev was a little square and his back foot came off the ground, but that's the easy stuff to fix in the gym. The instant read off the feint is the part you can't teach. He's 28, still unbeaten, and has never needed the judges. Dana went further than we've ever heard him go and called Abdullaev the greatest talent that's ever been on the show.

What's next? His UFC debut at lightweight. No opponent has been announced yet, but after that endorsement from Dana, every eye will be on it.

Igor Cavalcanti def. Oscar Ravello (TKO, R1 1:38)

Our underdog Ravello started with some pressure, but Cavalcanti stunned him with a nasty straight, kicked his legs out from under him when he couldn't land the follow-up, and went to work on the ground with knees, elbows and punches until the referee stepped in. We loved everything about his shot selection and his refusal to let off the gas, even though a finish that fast looked like it might cost him his cardio if it didn't come. It came, and the stoppage came at the right time.

What's next? His UFC debut at middleweight, where that finishing instinct will be tested against much deeper competition.

Mayton Perea def. Zevan Hunt (KO, R1 0:45)

Our guts both said Hunt. "Cheese" was smiling at the staredown like he knew something nobody else did. But Perea had opened as the underdog, so the experiment had a full unit on "The Lion," and it was the only bet we cashed all night. He had his range figured out instantly, landed straight right hands early, dropped Hunt with a check left hook and finished it with hammer fists in 45 seconds. Hunt suffered the first loss of his career. The smiliest smile versus the meanest mug, and the mean mug won. The cheese has molded. This is exactly what the Contender Series is about: a guy who comes in looking to hurt someone, not to hold position for 15 minutes.

What's next? His UFC debut at welterweight. With every one of his pro wins coming inside the distance, he's exactly the kind of fighter the UFC should turn around quickly.

Contract Winners

• Luis Hernandez (middleweight)

• Akbar Abdullaev (lightweight)

• Igor Cavalcanti (middleweight)

• Mayton Perea (welterweight)

We called four contracts during the stream, possibly five, and wanted everyone signed except Williams. Four it was, and Williams earned a return trip instead.

Looking Ahead

Four finishes, four contracts. On the betting side it was our worst week of the season at the time, down about four units, but we stayed comfortably up on the year, and this experiment is a marathon, not a sprint. Hernandez has already turned his contract into a UFC win, and Abdullaev arrives with the biggest endorsement Dana has ever given a Contender Series fighter. Our Week 7 recap is already up, too. Stay tuned…