Dana White’s Contender Series Week 2: Five Fighters Earn UFC Contracts

Week 2 of Dana White’s Contender Series delivered fast finishes, breakout performances, and five new UFC contracts Tuesday night at the UFC APEX.

Unbeaten featherweight Ramiro Jimenez set the tone early, scoring a first-round TKO over Tommy Cuozzi at 2:53. The Mexican prospect, now 11-0, dropped Cuozzi with a sharp left hand and never let him recover, showcasing poise and precision in his DWCS debut.

Heavyweight Josh Hokit followed with a dominant display of wrestling against Guilherme Uriel. The former All-American wrestler secured five takedowns in the opening round before finishing Uriel with ground-and-pound early in the second, extending his unbeaten streak to six.

In bantamweight action, Louis Lee Scott overcame grappler Kaushik Saikumar, weathering multiple submission attempts before rallying for a third-round TKO at 2:20. The Manchester Top Team striker’s relentless pressure proved too much, though his weight miss remained a blemish on an otherwise strong showing.

Middleweight Cameron Rowston capitalized on his second chance at the Contender Series, stopping Brandon Holmes with strikes at 2:58 of Round 1. The City Kickboxing product improved to 12-3, extending his winning streak to four and solidifying his place in the UFC roster.

Closing the night, Brazilian featherweight Jose Delano earned a unanimous decision win (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) over Manuel Exposito. Using crisp combinations and precise striking, the Brazilian Top Team fighter controlled the fight from start to finish, earning high praise from UFC officials.

UFC President Dana White awarded contracts to all five winners, adding Jimenez, Hokit, Lee Scott, Rowston, and Delano to the promotion. The results mark a strong start to the season, with multiple undefeated prospects joining the UFC ranks.