Dana White’s Contender Series: Season 7, Week 10 Full Fight Card, Date & Details
Dana White’s Contender Series: Season 7, Week 10
United States
Main Card • Final
R1, 0:29
UFC Contract Awarded
Brazil
R3, 5:00
UFC Contract Awarded
R3, 5:00
UFC Contract Awarded
R2, 2:43
Russia
R1, 4:09
UFC Contract Awarded
Luxembourg
R2, 0:18
UFC Contract Awarded
Official Event Results
UFC Contract
UFC Contract
Official UFC Contract Awards
UFC Contract Winners (Season 7, Week 10)
UFC Contracts Awarded: UFC President Dana White signed 5 out of 6 winning athletes on the season finale: Ramon Taveras, André Lima, Connor Matthews, MarQuel Mederos, and Lucas Rocha.
Contract Decision: Middleweight submission winner Torrez Finney was praised by Dana White for his relentless grappling and second-round rear-naked choke over Yuri Panferov, but was advised to gain additional developmental fight experience before being offered a promotional contract.
Reported Payouts & Disclosed Purses
Fighter Purses & Total Payout Estimates
| Fighter | Result | Base Purse | Win / Finish Bonus | Performance Bonus | Estimated Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WIN | $5,000 | $5,000 | — | $10,000 | |
| LOSS | $5,000 | — | — | $5,000 | |
| WIN | $5,000 | $5,000 | — | $10,000 | |
| LOSS | $5,000 | — | — | $5,000 | |
| WIN | $5,000 | $5,000 | — | $10,000 | |
| LOSS | $5,000 | — | — | $5,000 | |
| WIN | $5,000 | $5,000 | — | $10,000 | |
| LOSS | $5,000 | — | — | $5,000 | |
| WIN | $5,000 | $5,000 | — | $10,000 | |
| LOSS | $5,000 | — | — | $5,000 | |
| WIN | $5,000 | $5,000 | — | $10,000 | |
| LOSS | $5,000 | — | — | $5,000 |
*Purses are compiled from standard Dana White’s Contender Series contract structures ($5,000 to show, $5,000 to win) and verified industry reporting. Contract awardees signed official promotional multi-fight agreements with the UFC.
Historic DWCS Records Set
Promotional Records Established at DWCS Season 7, Week 10
Week 10 concluded the 2023 season with 5 contracts signed, establishing a promotional benchmark of 46 total UFC contracts awarded across a single 10-week Contender Series season.
Dana White awarded UFC contracts to five of the six victorious fighters (Taveras, Lima, Matthews, Mederos, and Rocha), matching one of the highest contract conversion rates of the season.
After a controversial referee stoppage defeat in Week 5, Ramon Taveras returned on short notice to knock out Cortavious Romious in just 29 seconds, earning his long-awaited UFC contract.
After conceding four minutes of ground control in Round 1, Lucas Rocha landed a picture-perfect flying knee just 18 seconds into Round 2 to secure an immediate UFC contract.
MarQuel Mederos stuffed all eight takedown attempts from seasoned grappler Issa Isakov before delivering a first-round knee finish at 4:09 of Round 1.
Torrez Finney landed seven takedowns and racked up 6:33 of mat control before submitting Yuri Panferov via rear-naked choke at 2:43 of Round 2.
Connor Matthews executed seven takedowns and registered 4:41 of control time against Jair Farias, sweeping the judges’ scorecards to claim his UFC promotional contract.
Brazilian flyweight prospect André Lima improved his spotless professional record to 8-0, landing 61 significant strikes and out-grappling Rickson Zenidim across 15 minutes.
The card featured an unusual concentration of knee stoppage finishes, with both MarQuel Mederos and Lucas Rocha halting their opponents via knee-based strikes.
All three stoppage victories across the card occurred inside the opening two rounds, highlighted by two finishes occurring within the first 30 seconds of a round.
The 135-pound division received two premier additions in a single evening as both Ramon Taveras and Lucas Rocha earned entry into the UFC bantamweight division.
Dana White’s Contender Series: Season 7, Week 10 concluded a ten-week summer Tuesday night residency from the Meta APEX facility in Las Vegas.
When and where did Dana White’s Contender Series: Season 7, Week 10 take place?
Dana White’s Contender Series: Season 7, Week 10 took place on Tuesday, October 10, 2023, at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Who earned UFC contracts on Season 7, Week 10?
Five fighters earned UFC contracts: Ramon Taveras, André Lima, Connor Matthews, MarQuel Mederos, and Lucas Rocha.
Who won the main event between Ramon Taveras and Cortavious Romious?
Ramon Taveras defeated Cortavious Romious via KO (punch) at just 29 seconds of Round 1 in their bantamweight clash.
Why was Ramon Taveras fighting on the Contender Series for a second time in Season 7?
Taveras originally suffered a controversial first-round stoppage defeat against Serhiy Sidey in Week 5. Dana White felt the stoppage was premature and immediately rebooked Taveras for the season finale, where he secured a 29-second knockout.
Did Torrez Finney get a UFC contract after winning by submission?
No. Despite submitting Yuri Panferov via rear-naked choke in Round 2, Dana White withheld a contract, explaining that Finney needed to gain more developmental fight experience outside the UFC first.
How did Lucas Rocha win his fight against Davi Bittencourt?
Lucas Rocha landed a stunning flying knee knockout just 18 seconds into Round 2 after surviving heavy ground pressure in the opening round, securing an immediate UFC contract.
How did MarQuel Mederos defeat Issa Isakov?
MarQuel Mederos stuffed all eight takedown attempts from Issa Isakov before dropping and stopping him with a knee and follow-up strikes at 4:09 of Round 1.
How did Connor Matthews earn his UFC contract?
Connor Matthews dominated Jair Farias on the ground, completing 7 takedowns and landing 80 significant strikes to earn a unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 29–28) and a UFC contract.
How many total contracts were awarded across Season 7 of the Contender Series?
Season 7 set an all-time record with 46 UFC contracts awarded across the ten-week series in 2023.
Who called the fights for DWCS Season 7, Week 10?
The commentary team featured Dan Hellie, Paul Felder, and Michael Bisping, with Joe Martinez introducing the fighters and Laura Sanko conducting post-fight interviews.
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