Dana White’s Contender Series: Season 3, Week 1 Full Fight Card, Date & Details
Dana White’s Contender Series: Season 3, Week 1
United States
Main Card • Final
R3, 5:00
UFC Contract Awarded
R3, 5:00
England
R3, 5:00
Cape Verde
R1, 4:45
UFC Contract Awarded
Official Event Results
UFC Contract
Official Contract Awards & Bonuses
UFC Promotional Contract Recipients
UFC Promotional Contracts: Following the event, UFC President Dana White awarded official UFC contracts to middleweight Punahele Soriano and heavyweight Yorgan De Castro.
Contender Series Policy: Contender Series events do not award standard discretionary post-fight performance cash bonuses; UFC contracts represent the official promotional awards.
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 | |
| WIN | $5,000 | $5,000 | — | $10,000 | |
| WIN | $5,000 | $5,000 | — | $10,000 | |
| WIN | $5,000 | $5,000 | — | $10,000 | |
| LOSS | $5,000 | — | — | $5,000 | |
| LOSS | $5,000 | — | — | $5,000 | |
| LOSS | $5,000 | — | — | $5,000 | |
| LOSS | $5,000 | — | — | $5,000 |
*Purses reflect standard Dana White’s Contender Series tier structures sanctioned by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC), typically established at $5,000 to show and a $5,000 win bonus. Contract winners also earn multi-fight contracts with the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Historic Promotional Records Set
Promotional Records Established at DWCS Season 3, Week 1
DWCS Season 3, Week 1 was the historic first event ever hosted at the newly constructed, state-of-the-art UFC APEX facility in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Yorgan De Castro knocked out Alton Meeks (-800) as a +550 underdog, establishing what stood as the largest betting upset in Contender Series history.
Punahele Soriano overcame a 7.5-inch reach disadvantage against Jamie Pickett, setting a Contender Series record for the largest reach discrepancy overcome to secure a decision victory.
With his first-round knockout over Alton Meeks, heavyweight Yorgan De Castro became the first fighter from Cape Verde to be awarded an official UFC promotional contract.
This event marked the official debut of the UFC’s 25-foot diameter cage at the APEX, engineered to promote higher striking volume, tighter exchanges, and more finishes.
When Leon Shahbazyan fell ill on weigh-in day ahead of his scheduled clash with Brok Weaver, it became the very first scratched fight in Contender Series history.
Three of the four bouts on the card were won by betting underdogs (De Castro +550, Loughnane +240, and Goldy +178), establishing a rare 75% underdog success rate.
Hannah Goldy connected on 141 significant strikes against Kali Robbins across 15 minutes, setting a then-promotional high for a female bout on the Contender Series.
Brendan Loughnane decisively swept all three scorecards (30-27 x3) against Bill Algeo but was famously denied a contract by Dana White for shooting a takedown with 10 seconds remaining.
Following his DWCS snub, Brendan Loughnane signed with the Professional Fighters League (PFL), eventually capturing the 2022 PFL Featherweight Championship and the $1,000,000 tournament purse.
Five of the eight competitors featured on the card (Soriano, De Castro, Goldy, Pickett, and Algeo) went on to make official appearances inside the UFC Octagon.
When and where did Dana White’s Contender Series: Season 3, Week 1 take place?
Dana White’s Contender Series: Season 3, Week 1 took place on Tuesday, June 18, 2019, at the newly opened UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Who won the main event between Punahele Soriano and Jamie Pickett?
Punahele Soriano defeated Jamie Pickett via unanimous decision (30–26, 30–27, 30–27) after controlling the middleweight clash over three rounds.
Which fighters earned UFC contracts at DWCS Season 3, Week 1?
Two fighters were officially awarded UFC contracts by Dana White: Punahele Soriano and Yorgan De Castro.
Why was this event historically significant for the UFC APEX?
This event was the inaugural live production hosted at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, officially inaugurating the multi-million-dollar production facility and its 25-foot Octagon.
What major betting upset occurred at DWCS Season 3, Week 1?
Yorgan De Castro pulled off the largest upset in Contender Series history at the time, entering as a +550 underdog and stopping heavy favorite Alton Meeks (-800) with a vicious leg kick and punches in Round 1.
Why was Brendan Loughnane not given a UFC contract despite dominating his fight?
Despite dominating Bill Algeo 30-27 on all judges’ scorecards, Dana White refused to offer Loughnane a contract because Loughnane shot for a double-leg takedown with 10 seconds remaining instead of finishing the fight with strikes.
What happened to Brendan Loughnane after not getting signed by the UFC?
Loughnane signed with the Professional Fighters League (PFL), where he went on to win the 2022 PFL Featherweight Championship and the accompanying $1,000,000 championship purse.
Why did this event feature only four fights instead of the usual five?
A scheduled welterweight bout between Leon Shahbazyan and Brok Weaver was cancelled the day before the event due to an illness suffered by Shahbazyan, marking the first cancelled fight in Contender Series history.
Who won the women’s strawweight fight between Hannah Goldy and Kali Robbins?
Hannah Goldy defeated Kali Robbins via unanimous decision (30–26, 30–27, 30–27), outlanding Robbins 141 to 56 in significant strikes.
Did Jamie Pickett, Bill Algeo, or Hannah Goldy ever fight in the UFC?
Yes. Hannah Goldy made her UFC debut later in 2019, Bill Algeo debuted in 2020 against Ricardo Lamas, and Jamie Pickett returned on Season 4 of DWCS to earn a UFC contract.
Who called the fights for DWCS Season 3, Week 1?
The broadcast team featured play-by-play commentator Brendan Fitzgerald alongside color analyst Paul Felder, with Joe Martinez announcing and Laura Sanko conducting post-fight interviews.
What size cage was used for this event?
The event was held inside the UFC APEX’s smaller 25-foot Octagon, which has 518 square feet of floor space compared to the standard 30-foot Octagon (706 square feet).
What physical disadvantage did Punahele Soriano overcome against Jamie Pickett?
Soriano overcame a massive 7.5-inch reach deficit against Pickett, landing multiple takedowns and heavy strikes to sweep all three rounds.
What was the live gate and attendance for the event?
As a closed studio production at the UFC APEX facility, the event was attended by an invitation-only audience of UFC staff, coaches, and VIPs, generating no public ticket sales or live gate revenue.
What are the purses paid to fighters on Dana White’s Contender Series?
Under standard Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) contracts for DWCS, competitors earn a $5,000 base purse to show and an additional $5,000 win bonus, alongside the opportunity to secure a UFC contract.
UFC news
