Dana White’s Contender Series: Season 9, Week 3 Full Fight Card, Date & Details
Dana White’s Contender Series: Season 9, Week 3
United States
Main Card • Final
Brazil
R1, 2:51
UFC Contract Winner
R1, 4:14
UFC Contract Winner
Türkiye
R1, 0:30
UFC Contract Winner
R3, 3:00
UFC Contract Winner
Mexico
R1, 1:04
UFC Contract Winner
Official Event Results
Contract
Official Contract Awards
UFC Promotional Contract Recipients
UFC Contract Awards: UFC CEO Dana White awarded official UFC promotional contracts to all five victorious fighters following an explosive night featuring a 100% finish rate.
No Traditional Performance Bonuses: In accordance with Dana White’s Contender Series format, traditional monetary performance bonuses (Fight of the Night or Performance of the Night) were not awarded.
Reported Payouts & Disclosed Purses
Fighter Purses & Total Payout Estimates
| Fighter | Result | Base Purse | Win / Finish Bonus | Performance Bonus | Estimated Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — |
*Purses and fighter compensation figures for Dana White’s Contender Series are not officially disclosed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC). In accordance with reporting rules, undisclosed amounts are represented by “—”. All five victorious fighters (Ryan Gandra, Marcio Barbosa, Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev, Manoel Sousa, and Donte Johnson) earned official UFC promotional contracts.
Historic DWCS Records Set
Promotional Records Established at DWCS Season 9, Week 3
Every single contest on the five-bout card concluded via knockout or technical knockout stoppage, delivering a rare 100% finish rate inside the Octagon.
For the second consecutive week of Season 9, UFC CEO Dana White awarded UFC promotional contracts to all five victorious fighters on the night.
Four of the five bouts on the card were completed inside the very first round, including three finishes in under three minutes of action.
Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev stopped Alik Lorenz with a brutal knee to the body and follow-up punches in just 0:30 of Round 1, marking one of the fastest finishes in DWCS light heavyweight history.
Heavyweight prospect Donte Johnson maintained his career 100% first-round knockout rate by finishing Darion Abbey with strikes at 1:04 of Round 1.
Manoel Sousa survived 7 minutes and 46 seconds of opponent ground control across the first two rounds before launching a third-round TKO comeback at 3:00 of Round 3.
All three Brazilian athletes on the card—Ryan Gandra, Marcio Barbosa, and Manoel Sousa—scored dominant KO/TKO finishes and earned UFC contracts.
Marcio Barbosa registered two official knockdowns and 35 significant strikes in the opening frame before finishing veteran Damon Wilson via TKO at 4:14 of Round 1.
Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev landed 16 of his 18 attempted significant strikes (88.9% accuracy) during his 30-second victory over Alik Lorenz.
Two prospects kept their unblemished professional records intact and joined the UFC roster: Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev (11-0-0) and Donte Johnson (9-0-0).
Ryan Gandra closed out the evening with his fourth consecutive first-round finish, knocking out Trent Miller with punches at 2:51 of the opening round.
The five contracts handed out on Week 3 elevated Season 9’s total to 12 UFC contracts through the first three episodes, matching the most prolific three-week opening stretch in series history.
When and where did Dana White’s Contender Series: Season 9, Week 3 take place?
Dana White’s Contender Series: Season 9, Week 3 took place on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Who won the main event between Ryan Gandra and Trent Miller?
Ryan Gandra defeated Trent Miller via TKO (punches) at 2:51 of Round 1 in their middleweight main event bout.
Who was awarded a UFC contract at DWCS Season 9, Week 3?
UFC CEO Dana White awarded contracts to all five winners on the card: Ryan Gandra, Marcio Barbosa, Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev, Manoel Sousa, and Donte Johnson.
What was the fastest finish of the event?
The fastest finish was scored by Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev, who stopped Alik Lorenz with a knee to the body and punches in just 30 seconds of Round 1.
Who won the co-main event between Marcio Barbosa and Damon Wilson?
Marcio Barbosa defeated Damon Wilson via TKO (punches) at 4:14 of Round 1 in their featherweight co-main event match.
How did Manoel Sousa defeat Cristian Pérez?
After being controlled on the mat for over seven minutes across the first two rounds, Manoel Sousa rallied in the final frame to defeat Cristian Pérez via TKO (punches) at 3:00 of Round 3.
How did the heavyweight fight between Donte Johnson and Darion Abbey end?
Undefeated prospect Donte Johnson stopped Darion Abbey via TKO (punches) at 1:04 of Round 1 to open the broadcast.
Did any fight go the distance at DWCS Season 9, Week 3?
No. All five bouts ended via KO/TKO stoppage, producing a perfect 100% finish rate on the evening.
Who were the commentators and broadcast team for DWCS Season 9, Week 3?
The broadcast was anchored by play-by-play announcer Dan Hellie and color commentator Daniel Cormier, with Joe Martinez serving as the cage announcer and Laura Sanko conducting post-fight interviews.
Where was Dana White’s Contender Series: Season 9, Week 3 broadcast?
The event streamed live exclusively on ESPN+ in the United States, starting at 8:00 PM EDT.
What weight divisions were featured on this card?
The card featured five weight classes: Middleweight (Main Event), Featherweight (Co-Main Event), Light Heavyweight, Lightweight, and Heavyweight.
Was there a bout removed from DWCS Season 9, Week 3 before fight night?
Yes. A heavyweight bout between Brando Peričić and Elisha Ellison was originally scheduled for this event, but was relocated during Week 2 to UFC Fight Night: Ulberg vs. Reyes.
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