Dana White had to ‘fight’ UFC matchmakers over one DWCS contract

5th week is the first time that fewer than five fighters served

Ultimate Fighting Championship 10th season contracts

Dana White Candidate Series.

Dana White signed Christian Natividad, Martin Kozak, Isaac Moreno and Quentin Pasley to the UFC

Week 5 of DWCS 2026 concluded on September 8th at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas.
Christian birth (10-0) started the game with a flyweight match Colton Loud
(7-0). Natividad folded Loud with a body kick in just 70 seconds to earn a UFC contract. UFC CEO Dana White was also impressed by the fact that Natividad took the fight just eight days in advance. “Let’s start with Christian,” White said. “Now 10-0, coming in on a week’s notice against a much bigger guy, finishing with an incredible body shot. You couldn’t open the show better; you couldn’t perform better; welcome to the UFC.”

Apollo Gomes (13-2) took over Il Kwon won
(14-7) in the featherweight match. Gomes survived Kwon’s early onslaught and gained momentum in the final rounds to win by unanimous decision. But White was not impressed and decided against signing Gomes to the UFC.

“Apollo, I loved that fight,” White said. “I think you both put up a great fight. You didn’t do anything to make me say, ‘I’ve got to have this guy.’ But you are a young man; you get more experience. Tonight is not your night bro.

Martin Kozak (7-0) won Christian Echols (8-5) in a middleweight bout. Kozak dominated Echols from the start, dropping him with a head kick in the first round before finishing him with punches in the second round. White signed the undefeated 24-year-old Slovakian to a UFC contract.

“Martin, 24 years old, 7-0, 100% finish rate, you also have a 6-0 amateur background,” White said. “I think you have a very bright future in the UFC my friend.”

Isaac Moreno (9-0) earned a tough unanimous decision win in his welterweight division. Reginaldo Geraldo Jr. (11-2). White revealed that he had to fight UFC matchmakers to land Moreno a UFC contract.

“Isaac, I love that I got to see a lot of you tonight,” White said. “You were fighting a guy who has four knockouts, five submissions. So you were a threat everywhere in the fight. . . . I’ll be honest with you, I had to fight the matchmakers a little bit; they’re not religious; I am. Isaac, congratulations on getting into the UFC.”

Quentin Pasley (4-0) scored a card in a light heavyweight match Arlind Berisha (5-1). Pasley finished the previously undefeated Albanian with some vicious elbows late in the first round. White admits he was surprised to see Pasley leading the card with a 3-0 record. However, UFC matchmakers had rightly assured him that Pasley’s booking was justified. White compared the 24-year-old Jon Jones
giving him a UFC contract.

“Quentin … I said to the guys, ‘Why is a 3-0 guy the headliner tonight?’ And they looked at me and said, ‘You’re going to find out,'” White said. “4-0 and 24 years old is very young and inexperienced to be in the UFC, but holy! So after the fight, myself included, there was a lot of Jon Jones talk. You reminded many of Jon Jones. You are a very exciting boy; we are all waiting for you to fight again. Come here.”