Dana White’s Contender Series: Season 7, Week 6 Full Fight Card, Date & Details
Dana White’s Contender Series: Season 7, Week 6
United States
Contender Series Card • Final
Peru
R3, 5:00
UFC Contract Awarded
Brazil
R1, 3:15
UFC Contract Awarded
R2, 4:06
UFC Contract Awarded
R2, 4:05
UFC Contract Awarded
Paraguay
R3, 5:00
UFC Contract Awarded
Official Event Results
Contract Won
Contract Won
Contract Won
Official UFC Contract Awards
UFC Contract Recipients (Clean Sweep 5-for-5)
UFC Contract Clean Sweep: Following five sensational bouts featuring three dramatic finishes, UFC CEO Dana White awarded official UFC promotional contracts to all five winning fighters: James Llontop, Jhonata Diniz, Steven Nguyen, Julia Polastri, and Jean Matsumoto.
Performance Note: In Dana White’s Contender Series competition, traditional post-fight cash bonuses (FOTN/POTN) are not distributed; instead, victorious athletes compete directly for UFC multi-fight promotional contracts.
Reported Payouts & Disclosed Purses
Fighter Purses & Contract Compensation
| Fighter | Result | Base Purse | Win / Finish Bonus | Performance Bonus | Estimated Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — |
*Official fighter purse figures for Dana White’s Contender Series were not publicly disclosed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) or the UFC. Base show and win purses remain confidential (indicated by —). All five victorious fighters earned official multi-fight UFC contracts directly from Dana White.
Historic Contender Series Records Set
Promotional Benchmarks Established at Season 7, Week 6
Dana White awarded UFC contracts to all five winning fighters on the card (James Llontop, Jhonata Diniz, Steven Nguyen, Julia Polastri, and Jean Matsumoto), marking the second 5-for-5 clean sweep of Season 7.
Steven Nguyen connected with 103 significant strikes in under nine minutes of action, recording an astounding 11.36 significant strikes per minute against AJ Cunningham.
Former Glory kickboxing contender Jhonata Diniz scored two knockdowns in 3:15 against Eduardo Neves, preserving his flawless 100% first-round knockout rate.
Peru’s James Llontop logged two official knockdowns and 6:53 of control time to convince two of three judges to score rare 30-26 frames against Malik Lewis.
After falling short in 2021 against Jasmine Jasudavicius, former LFA strawweight champion Julia Polastri returned to secure a second-round rear-naked choke submission to punch her UFC ticket.
Brazil’s Jean Matsumoto maintained an unblemished professional record, defeating fellow undefeated prospect Kasey Tanner via unanimous decision.
Matsumoto (100) and Tanner (99) combined for 199 significant strikes over 15 breathless minutes, setting one of the highest combined striking totals in DWCS bantamweight history.
James Llontop became the latest representative of Peruvian mixed martial arts to earn a direct UFC contract through the Contender Series, following teammates Daniel Marcos and Gastón Bolaños.
The five-bout card delivered three decisive finishes (two knockouts by Diniz and Nguyen, and one submission by Polastri), prompting a 100% contract award rate from Dana White.
Julia Polastri outstruck Patricia Alujas 114 to 64 before finding the neck for a rear-naked choke, becoming one of only two women in Season 7 to win via submission.
Jhonata Diniz successfully converted his world-class kickboxing championship credentials to the UFC heavyweight roster with his explosive 3:15 finish of Eduardo Neves.
Season 7, Week 6 marked the 62nd overall event produced in the history of Dana White’s Contender Series inside the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
When and where did Dana White’s Contender Series: Season 7, Week 6 take place?
The event took place on Tuesday, September 12, 2023, inside the UFC Apex in Las Vegas (Enterprise), Nevada, United States.
Which fighters were awarded UFC contracts on this episode?
UFC CEO Dana White awarded official UFC contracts to all five winning fighters: James Llontop, Jhonata Diniz, Steven Nguyen, Julia Polastri, and Jean Matsumoto.
Who won the main event between James Llontop and Malik Lewis?
Peru’s James Llontop defeated Malik Lewis via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–26, 30–26) after scoring two knockdowns and logging 6:53 of control time.
How did Jhonata Diniz defeat Eduardo Neves?
Former kickboxing standout Jhonata Diniz stopped Eduardo Neves via TKO (punches) at 3:15 of Round 1 after dropping Neves twice in a furious heavyweight slugfest.
What happened in the featherweight fight between Steven Nguyen and AJ Cunningham?
Steven Nguyen put on a striking clinic, landing 103 significant strikes before finishing AJ Cunningham via TKO (punches) at 4:06 of Round 2 to secure his UFC contract.
How did Julia Polastri earn her contract against Patricia Alujas?
Former LFA champion Julia Polastri dominated Paraguay’s Patricia Alujas, securing a rear-naked choke submission at 4:05 of Round 2 in her second career DWCS appearance.
Who won the undefeated bantamweight bout between Jean Matsumoto and Kasey Tanner?
Brazil’s Jean Matsumoto preserved his unbeaten record by defeating Kasey Tanner via unanimous decision (30–27, 29–28, 29–28) in a high-paced striking battle.
Did all five winning fighters earn UFC contracts on Season 7, Week 6?
Yes. Impressed by the quality and aggression of the fights, Dana White completed a 5-for-5 clean sweep, handing contracts to every single winner on the night.
What other names is this event known by?
The event is also officially cataloged as Dana White’s Contender Series 62 (DWCS 62) and DWCS Season 7: Episode 6.
How was Dana White’s Contender Series: Season 7, Week 6 broadcast?
The event streamed live in the United States exclusively on ESPN+, and internationally across UFC Fight Pass and Paramount+.
Who called the fights on the broadcast?
Play-by-play announcer Dan Hellie was joined by former middleweight champion Michael Bisping and color analyst Laura Sanko, with Joe Martinez serving as the Octagon announcer.
How many finishes occurred during this event?
The event produced 3 stoppage finishes across 5 bouts: two knockouts (Jhonata Diniz and Steven Nguyen) and one submission (Julia Polastri).
Which fight featured the highest striking volume of the night?
Steven Nguyen vs. AJ Cunningham featured the highest pace, with the fighters combining for 172 significant strikes landed on 513 attempts in under two rounds.
Are fighter purse amounts disclosed for Dana White’s Contender Series?
No. Individual bout purses for DWCS are kept confidential by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) and the UFC, with fighters competing primarily for official UFC multi-fight promotional contracts.
How many total fights took place on this card?
The card featured 5 total bouts (lightweight, heavyweight, featherweight, women’s strawweight, and bantamweight), resulting in 2 knockouts, 1 submission, and 2 unanimous decisions.
UFC news
