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DWCS 2026 Week 9 Results: Sal Everett Earns UFC Contract, Four Deals Awarded

DWCS 2026 Week 9 Results: Sal Everett Earns UFC Contract, Four Deals Awarded

Dana White's Contender Series 2026 Week 9 produced exactly the sort of night the format is built for: four first-round finishes, a massive underdog knockout, a second-chance submission and a UFC employee quite literally fighting his way onto the roster.

The October 6 card at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas ended with UFC contracts for Mateus Soares, Roque Conceição, Salhahuddin "Sal" Everett and Preston LaGrange. The only winner who did not receive a deal was Alivia Bierley, despite handing previously unbeaten Summer Onley her first professional loss by unanimous decision.

Four of the five fights ended inside the opening round, taking the Season 10 contract total to 42 with only the final episode remaining.

 

 

Sal Everett goes from Dana White's runner to UFC fighter

The story of Week 9 belonged to Sal Everett.

Everett wasn't simply another prospect appearing on Dana White's Contender Series. Before pursuing fighting full-time, he had worked inside the UFC organization, initially through security and eventually as Dana White's personal runner and assistant around UFC headquarters.

White had openly acknowledged before the event that it would be difficult for him to remain completely neutral when Everett fought. The actual performance removed most of the awkwardness from the decision.

Everett and Ozzy Martin entered their welterweight fight undefeated at 4-0, with both men owning perfect finishing records. They immediately fought like two prospects who understood what the opportunity demanded.

Martin attacked aggressively, but Everett stayed composed, backed him toward the fence and landed the decisive right hand during a heavy exchange. Martin went down unconscious, ending the fight at 1:57 of Round 1.

 

 

Everett is now 5-0 as a professional with five first-round finishes: three by KO/TKO and two by submission.

The reaction inside the Meta APEX made his connection to the company impossible to miss. White said afterward that he could barely remember hearing the building louder, noted how popular Everett is among UFC staff and joked that welcoming him to the UFC was unusual because he was already there every day.

The difference now is significant. Everett is no longer working toward a UFC opportunity from behind the scenes. He has a fighter contract and a place in the welterweight division.

Preston LaGrange knocks out Nell Ariano as a huge underdog

Following Everett's emotional win was never going to be easy. Preston LaGrange solved that problem by knocking out an undefeated opponent in the first round.

LaGrange had accepted the Nell Ariano fight on short notice and moved up from middleweight to light heavyweight. He entered as roughly a 4-to-1 underdog against Nell Ariano, an undefeated Cage Warriors prospect with a high-level judo background.

Ariano got to his clinch game and launched LaGrange with an early throw, but the replacement fighter worked back to his feet and refused to let the grappling exchanges dictate the fight.

Once the two separated, LaGrange hurt Ariano in the pocket and eventually caught him with a short right hand that dropped him face-first. The fight ended at 2:24 of Round 1.

 

 

LaGrange improved to 7-1 and handed Ariano his first professional defeat. Given the short notice, move up in weight and betting line, it was arguably the biggest upset of the night.

Dana White didn't need a long deliberation. LaGrange became the fourth and final contract winner of Week 9.

Roque Conceição turns a slam into a triangle choke

Roque Conceição had already experienced the other side of Contender Series. He appeared on the show in 2025 and was stopped in the opening round by Imanol Rodriguez.

His second opportunity ended very differently.

Conceição traded effectively with undefeated Alexander Chavez before attacking a triangle from his back. Chavez tried to solve the submission by lifting Conceição and slamming him to the canvas.

Instead of escaping, the slam left him trapped in an even tighter triangle.

Conceição maintained the position and forced the tap at 3:37 of Round 1 in Conceição vs. Chavez.

 

 

The result improved Conceição to 12-3 and handed Chavez his first professional defeat. More importantly, it completed the redemption arc that began with Conceição leaving his first DWCS appearance without a contract.

This time, White praised the range of skills he had shown — striking exchanges, durability and the submission finish — and gave him the UFC deal.

Mateus Soares needs just 63 seconds against Ryuho Miyaguchi

Mateus Soares was the one Week 9 winner MMAtown correctly backed in our pre-event predictions, and the 22-year-old made the pick look much easier than the matchup appeared beforehand.

We favored Soares over Ryuho Miyaguchi but considered his roughly -210 moneyline too expensive given Miyaguchi's size and six career knockouts. The winner prediction was right; there was simply no need to sweat it for long.

Soares pressured Miyaguchi, found his opening with his hands and dropped him with a right before finishing the sequence. Soares vs. Miyaguchi was over at 1:03 of the first round.

 

 

Soares is now 12-2 with 11 finishes in 12 professional victories. White called him exactly the type of fighter he wanted to see on Contender Series and awarded him the first contract of the evening.

Alivia Bierley beats Summer Onley but leaves without a UFC contract

The night's only fight to reach the judges was also the only one that didn't produce a new UFC signing.

Alivia Bierley entered as the underdog against undefeated Summer Onley. Onley had success at range during portions of the fight, but Bierley's wrestling and ground-and-pound changed the momentum in the second round.

Bierley continued to find important moments in the third and took Bierley vs. Onley by unanimous decision, with scores of 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28.

The victory improved Bierley to 6-1 and gave Onley her first professional defeat.

Winning, however, does not automatically mean receiving a contract on DWCS. White said he had the fight tied entering the third round and did not feel either fighter showed enough urgency to separate herself when the opportunity was there. Bierley therefore became the only Week 9 winner who was not signed.

DWCS 2026 Week 9 full results

Who earned UFC contracts at DWCS Week 9?

Alivia Bierley won her fight but did not receive a UFC contract.

DWCS 2026 Week 9 FAQ

Who received UFC contracts at Dana White's Contender Series Week 9?

Mateus Soares, Roque Conceição, Salhahuddin Everett and Preston LaGrange earned UFC contracts at DWCS 2026 Week 9. Alivia Bierley won her fight but was not offered a contract.

Who won Sal Everett vs. Ozzy Martin?

Sal Everett knocked out Ozzy Martin with a right hand at 1:57 of Round 1. The win moved Everett to 5-0 with five first-round finishes and earned him a UFC contract.

Did Dana White's assistant Sal Everett get a UFC contract?

Yes. Everett, who worked for the UFC and served as Dana White's personal runner and assistant, knocked out Ozzy Martin in the first round before receiving a UFC fighter contract. White acknowledged the unusual situation by pointing out that Everett was technically already part of the UFC before becoming a rostered fighter.

Who won Preston LaGrange vs. Nell Ariano?

Preston LaGrange knocked out undefeated Nell Ariano at 2:24 of the first round. LaGrange accepted the fight on short notice, moved up to light heavyweight and entered as approximately a +400 underdog before earning a UFC contract.

How did Roque Conceição beat Alexander Chavez?

Roque Conceição submitted Alexander Chavez with a triangle choke at 3:37 of Round 1. Chavez attempted to slam his way out of the submission, but Conceição maintained the triangle and forced the tap.

Who won Mateus Soares vs. Ryuho Miyaguchi?

Mateus Soares knocked out Ryuho Miyaguchi with punches just 1:03 into the first round. Soares improved to 12-2 and received a UFC contract after the performance.

Why didn't Alivia Bierley get a UFC contract?

Bierley defeated Summer Onley by unanimous decision, but Dana White said he did not see enough urgency in the deciding stages of the fight to award her a contract. She was the only winner on DWCS Week 9 who did not join the UFC roster.

How many UFC contracts have been awarded in DWCS Season 10?

After four more contracts at Week 9, the Season 10 total reached 42 with one episode remaining.

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