Dana White’s Contender Series continues on Tuesday night at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas, as 10 more fighters get their opportunity to compete for a spot on the UFC roster.
Season 10 got off to a fast start last Tuesday, with three of the five fights ending by TKO and four fighters ultimately walking away with UFC contracts. Anthony Wint needed just 34 seconds to stop Matt Adams in the heavyweight main event, while Bilal Hasan made similarly quick work of Mridul Saikia with a 45-second first-round TKO.
Tom Pagliarulo added a third-round stoppage of Ananias Mulumba, while Joe Kropschot handed previously unbeaten Jon Kunneman his first professional loss by unanimous decision.
Abe Alsaghir also left the Meta APEX with a win after earning a split decision over Fabrizio Escarrega, but he was the only Week 1 winner who wasn’t awarded a contract.
That sets the stage for another five-fight lineup in Week 2. Tuesday’s card includes an experienced former European champion, several prospects carrying lengthy winning streaks and two fighters returning to the Contender Series after coming up short in their first appearances.
The action begins at 7:00 p.m. ET and streams exclusively on Paramount+.
Dana White’s Contender Series Week 2 Odds
Week 2 brings considerably tighter betting odds than the season opener, which featured favorites as high as -5000 and -1300.
Douglas Rodrigues enters Tuesday as the biggest favorite on the card at -425 against Trent Miller (+325).
Mahamed Aly (-325) and Cristian Perez (-240) are the only other two fighters currently priced higher than 2-1.
Below is the full fight card for Week 2 along with the latest odds via Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook.
Favorite | Underdog |
|---|---|
| Roman Puga (-150) | Taner Trembley (+125) |
| Mahamed Aly (-325) | Alik Lorenz (+260) |
| Cristian Perez (-240) | Logan Paxton (+190) |
| Douglas Rodrigues (-425) | Trent Miller (+325) |
| Namo Fazil (-185) | Kaik Brito (+150) |
Dana White’s Contender Series Week 2 Fight Card Preview
Week 2 features a mix of unbeaten prospects, established regional fighters and athletes getting another chance to impress UFC decision-makers.
The five matchups span featherweight through light heavyweight, with plenty of finishing experience on both sides of the Octagon.
Here’s a closer look at tonight’s DWCS lineup:
Roman Puga (-150) vs. Taner Trembley (+125)
The night begins at featherweight with Roman Puga taking on unbeaten Taner Trembley in a matchup between two fighters who have made a habit of ending fights early.
Trembley enters his Contender Series opportunity with a perfect 7-0 professional record and has yet to require the judges to secure a victory. Five of those wins have come by submission, while the other two ended by knockout or TKO.
His most recent appearance came in April at LFA 231, where Trembley stopped Korey Taylor by second-round TKO to preserve his undefeated record.
Puga brings a 5-1 professional record and plenty of finishing ability of his own. All five of his victories have come inside the distance, including four by knockout or TKO.
Mahamed Aly (-325) vs. Alik Lorenz (+260)
The light heavyweight matchup between Mahamed Aly and Alik Lorenz comes with a storyline unique to the Week 2 card: both fighters have already experienced the Contender Series once before.
Aly competed on DWCS in 2025 but saw his first opportunity end in just 20 seconds when Iwo Baraniewski stopped him in the opening round. The decorated Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitor has since returned to the win column, stopping Diego Peclat by TKO in 20 seconds in March.
Aly’s grappling résumé stretches well beyond MMA. He is a multiple-time IBJJF world champion and has spent years competing at the highest levels of Brazilian jiu-jitsu before turning his attention toward mixed martial arts.
Lorenz’s first Contender Series appearance followed a similar path. He was stopped by Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev in 30 seconds last season before returning with a quick finish of his own. Lorenz defeated Gabriel Thimoteo by first-round TKO at LFA 228 in February, needing just 24 seconds to get the job done.
One year after their first DWCS opportunities ended in defeat, Aly and Lorenz now meet each other with another chance to earn a UFC contract.
Cristian Perez (-240) vs. Logan Paxton (+190)
This lightweight bout brings together two fighters with a combined 24 professional victories.
Cristian Perez enters with a 14-2 record and considerably more experience than the typical prospect making a first appearance on the Contender Series. He’s also demonstrated multiple ways to finish opponents, with five knockout or TKO victories and six wins by submission. Perez most recently competed in April, when he stopped Gilberto Santos by TKO.
Logan Paxton arrives with a 10-1 professional record and one of the longest active winning streaks on the Week 2 card. After suffering the only loss of his career in his second professional fight, Paxton has responded with nine consecutive victories.
Nine of his 10 career wins have come inside the distance, including seven by knockout or TKO. His most recent appearance was one of his quickest yet, as Paxton stopped R.J. Hoyt just 33 seconds into their November matchup.
Douglas Rodrigues (-425) vs. Trent Miller (+325)
Douglas Rodrigues carries the heaviest odds of Week 2 into his middleweight matchup with Trent Miller.
Rodrigues enters his Contender Series debut with a 7-1 professional record and has won five consecutive fights since suffering the only defeat of his career.
Miller brings more professional bouts into the matchup with a 9-3 record and has also established himself as a dangerous finisher. Seven of his nine victories have come by knockout or TKO, while another ended by submission.
The Xtreme Couture middleweight most recently competed in January, when he stopped Tyler Smith in the opening round.
With both fighters arriving in Las Vegas carrying considerable finishing ability, only one will get the chance to add a DWCS victory to his résumé.
Namo Fazil (-185) vs. Kaik Brito (+150)
The main event pits Namo Fazil against Kaik Brito at welterweight.
Fazil enters at 10-1 and has shown a balanced finishing game throughout his professional career. Four of his victories have come by knockout or TKO and another four by submission, leaving just two wins that required a decision. He arrives at the Contender Series following a submission victory over Jake Babian in May, finishing the fight with an anaconda choke.
Brito, meanwhile, brings a 19-6 record and experience across several notable MMA promotions. The Brazilian has competed for organizations including Bellator and OKTAGON MMA, where he went on to capture the OKTAGON welterweight championship.
Brito’s finishing numbers also stand out. All 19 of his professional victories have come inside the distance, with 16 ending by knockout or TKO and three by submission. He most recently competed in February, stopping Ronald Paradeiser by third-round TKO.
Dana White’s Contender Series Season 10 Schedule
With the season opener in the books, nine episodes remain on the Season 10 schedule.
Dana White’s Contender Series will continue every Tuesday through October 13, with a new group of fighters getting their opportunity to compete in front of Dana White and UFC matchmakers each week.
The remaining Season 10 schedule is as follows:
- Week 2: Tuesday, August 18
- Week 3: Tuesday, August 25
- Week 4: Tuesday, September 1
- Week 5: Tuesday, September 8
- Week 6: Tuesday, September 15
- Week 7: Tuesday, September 22
- Week 8: Tuesday, September 29
- Week 9: Tuesday, October 6
- Week 10: Tuesday, October 13
Betting on Dana White’s Contender Series at Hard Rock Bet
Hard Rock Bet offers Fight Winner odds for all five matchups on Week 2 of Dana White’s Contender Series Season 10.
Select the MMA tab on your mobile app or website as you would for any other UFC event and select Dana White’s Contender Series. Once there, you’ll find the full card and Winner odds for each fight.
Check out Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook every Tuesday for the latest DWCS odds before each new episode airs.
Dana White’s Contender Series Week 2 Event Info
- 📅 Date: Tuesday, August 18
- ⏰ Start Time: 7:00 PM ET
- 🏟️ Location: Meta APEX – Las Vegas, Nevada
- 💻 Streaming: Paramount+
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