Dana White gets outvoted as Visconde wins Contender Series main event without a contract
The UFC boss thought Sweden’s Smilla Sundell was too young and lost the vote, while the Brazilian beat an unbeaten fighter and was left out.
The final episode of the 2026 season of Dana White’s Contender Series ended with two decisions that split fans. Brazil’s Erick Visconde won the main event against Dutch fighter Ilias Bulaid and did not get a UFC contract. Meanwhile, Sweden’s Smilla Sundell, who beat Aline Pereira, sister of Alex “Poatan” Pereira, was signed even though Dana White was against it. According to MMA Fighting and CBS Sports, the UFC boss thought the 21-year-old was too young and was outvoted by his team.
At the end of Tuesday night (Oct. 13) in Las Vegas, four fighters earned UFC deals: Sundell, Brazilians Luis Francischinelli and Douglas da Lapa, and American Greg Foster. That closed the season with 46 contracts, according to the official Contender Series account.
Visconde won, but didn’t win over the boss
The reigning LFA featherweight champion, Visconde came in at 17-3 against an opponent who was 9-0. He won clearly on the scorecards, 30-27 from all three judges, for the 18th win of his career.
The issue was how he won. The Brazilian took Bulaid down again and again, took his back, hunted for the rear-naked choke, tried a face crank and locked up an arm-triangle late in the second round, but couldn’t get the finish. In the third round, visibly tired, he held on to the result while part of the crowd booed. According to MMA Fighting, White felt Visconde showed promise but didn’t deliver what was expected. CBS Sports reported that White wants to see more from him before offering a contract.
After the fight, speaking with commentator Laura Sanko on the broadcast, Visconde said he broke his hand in the second round, which slowed his offense. The injury has not been officially confirmed.
The fighter Dana didn’t want
Sundell’s case went the other way. The former ONE Muay Thai champion put relentless pressure on Pereira, won 29-28 on all three cards and moved to 3-0 in MMA. White, according to the reports, felt she still needed time to develop before reaching the UFC. CBS Sports says it was matchmaker Mick Maynard who overruled the decision.
The combination of the two calls sparked debate. In the comments on the UFC’s post announcing the signings, some fans complained that the Swede got a contract and Visconde did not. Aline Pereira, who lost the fight, also left without a deal.
A knockout meant a contract
Both Brazilians who were signed won by TKO. Francischinelli, a 6-foot-6 welterweight, survived two Will Rentz takedowns and finished it with a counter left and ground strikes at 2:18 of the first round. Douglas “Robozinho” da Lapa stopped Davi Cabral 19 seconds into the third round in a clash of unbeaten Brazilian middleweights.
On the night, both fights that ended early produced contracts. Of the three that went to the judges, two produced contracts, and the only one left out was the main event.
Contender Series Week 10 results and contracts
- Featherweight: Erick Visconde def. Ilias Bulaid by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27). No contract
- Women’s bantamweight: Smilla Sundell def. Aline Pereira by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28). Signed
- Welterweight: Luis Francischinelli def. Will Rentz by TKO (punches), Round 1, 2:18. Signed
- Middleweight: Douglas da Lapa def. Davi Cabral by TKO (punches), Round 3, 0:19. Signed
- Lightweight: Greg Foster def. Jason Asher by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28). Signed
VF Comunica covered how Aline Pereira’s fight against Smilla Sundell played out. Read the full story here.
What do you think: did Erick Visconde deserve a contract after winning the main event? Let us know in the comments.
