Ninth and penultimate night of season 10 of the Dana White's Contender Series tonight at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas: five fights, and as many UFC contracts to be won. A Frenchman is on the card, Nell Ariano, a judo black belt unbeaten in six professional fights.

Who is Nell Ariano?

Nell Ariano (6-0) faces Preston LaGrange (6-1) at light heavyweight.

The 31-year-old Frenchman comes from judo, which he took up at five and practised at international level with the Olympics in his sights. When that goal slipped away, he switched to MMA and in 2022 won gold at the IMMAF European amateur championships, at heavyweight, representing France.

He is coached by Christian M'Pumbu, the first light heavyweight champion in Bellator history. As a pro he has built his career with Cage Warriors: six wins in six fights, including a second-round TKO of Riku Urholin in November 2025, then a unanimous decision (29-28 on all three cards) in July in Newcastle against Poland's Norbert Pietrzak, whom he had already met as an amateur.

Across the cage, the 27-year-old American from Iowa has finished all six of his wins, including two straight submissions this year. His only loss came in January, against Brandon Holmes, a two-time Contender Series competitor who never earned a contract. It is his first fight at light heavyweight: he weighed in at 199.5 pounds, Ariano at 205.

Who fights in the DWCS 95 main event?

Summer Onley (6-0) against Alivia Bierley (5-1), at women's bantamweight.

The Englishwoman trains at Ronin MMA in Birmingham and holds the Full Contact Contender bantamweight belt; five of her six wins are finishes. The American, coached by former UFC fighter Pete Spratt, lost her pro debut, then put together five straight wins, notably with Fury FC.

What about the rest of the card?

Salhahuddin Everett (8-0) - Ozzy Martin (4-0), at welterweight, carries the night's most unusual story: the American worked full-time at UFC headquarters while building his career. He has never lost, neither as an amateur (4-0) nor as a pro, and this is only his second fight at 170 pounds. Born in Peru, the 24-year-old Martin trains in New Hampshire under former UFC fighter Devin Powell; all four of his wins are stoppages.

Roque Conceicao (11-3) - Alexander Chavez (9-0), at flyweight, gives the 26-year-old Brazilian a second chance after Imanol Rodriguez knocked him out in the first round on the 2025 season. He got back on track in March with a first-round stoppage. Peru's Chavez has never fought anywhere but Inka FC: nine wins, six finishes, and a gym, the Pitbull Martial Arts Center, that he shares with Enrique Barzola.

Ryuho Miyaguchi (7-1) - Mateus Soares (11-2), at bantamweight, pits a 28-year-old Japanese fighter, who beat UFC veteran Teruto Ishihara before losing to Chungreng Koren on Road to UFC in May, against a 22-year-old Brazilian trained by Pedro Rizzo, on four straight wins with ten finishes.

Thirty-eight contracts have been handed out over eight nights this season. All ten fighters made weight.

The full DWCS 95 card, October 6, 2026

SUMMER ONLEY vs ALIVIA BIERLEY

Women's bantamweight

SALHAHUDDIN EVERETT vs OZZY MARTIN

Welterweight

ROQUE CONCEICAO vs ALEXANDER CHAVEZ

Flyweight

RYUHO MIYAGUCHI vs MATEUS SOARES

Bantamweight

PRESTON LAGRANGE vs NELL ARIANO

Light heavyweight

Sources

UFC — Week 9 Preview | Dana White's Contender Series, Season 10

Cageside Press — Dana White's Contender Series Season 10, Week 9 Weigh-In Results

IMMAF — Nell Ariano swaps judo Olympic dream in pursuit of an MMA career