The current season of Dana White’s Contender Series reached its halfway point, with a massive knockout stealing the show as all five winners earned UFC deals at the UFC APEX.
The highlight moment came via Venezuelan flyweight Yuneisy Duben, who needed just 73 seconds to knock out Canada’s undefeated LFA champion Shannon Clark with a huge right hand to earn the biggest slam-dunk contract offer of the night.
WHAT A KNOCKOUT! 🤯
Yuneisy Duben just delivered one of the best KOs we’ve ever seen on #DWCS! pic.twitter.com/LxJlbPLtjf
— UFC (@ufc) September 4, 2024
Both women headed into the bout with unblemished records, but it was Duben who claimed her UFC chance as she registered her third successive first-round finish and kept her 100 percent finishing rate intact with one of the best one-shot knockouts of the year, and one of the best we’ve ever seen on the Contender Series.
“You’re in!” 🗣
Dana White told Yuneisy Duben she’s already got a UFC contract! #DWCS pic.twitter.com/q5IZPHtajh
— UFC (@ufc) September 4, 2024
Also picking up a finish was American featherweight Austin Bashi, who submitted compatriot Dorian Ramos via second-round rear-naked choke to punch his ticket to the UFC.
In the night’s featured bout, South Korean welterweight Seok Hyun Ko outpointed previously undefeated Brazilian Igor Cavalcanti, while Brazilian middleweight Djorden Santos produced a strong performance of his own to defeat England’s Will Currie over the full three-round duration.
The night’s other matchup saw Australian lightweight Quillan Salkilld improve his win streak to seven with a unanimous decision victory over Gauge Young.
After the fights, UFC CEO Dana White confirmed that he was awarding contracts to all five winners.
But the night belonged to Duben, whose stunning one-shot KO upset the odds and catapulted her into the UFC in the most spectacular way imaginable.
Dana White’s Contender Series: Week 4 results
- Seok Hyun Ko def. Igor Cavalcanti via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
- Djorden Santos def. Will Currie via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Austin Bashi def. Dorian Ramos via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 3:15
- Yuneisy Duben def. Shannon Clark via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 1:13
- Quillan Salkilld def. Gauge Young via. unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
