DWCS Season 10: Week 1 Preview & Predictions
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Week 1 of Dana White’s Contender Series Season 10 is here, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Ten hungry prospects will step into the cage, all fighting for that life-changing UFC contract.
Headlining the night is a can’t-miss heavyweight scrap between Matt Adams and Anthony Wint. Check out the full lineup and our predictions for an explosive Week 1 of DWCS:
How to Watch
- 📅 Date: Tuesday, August 11th
- 🕑 Start Time: 5:00 PM PT / 8:00 PM ET
- 📍 Location: UFC Apex — Las Vegas, Nevada
- 📺 How to Watch: Paramount+
Full Match Card for Week 1
- Featured Heavyweight Bout: Matt Adams (6-2) vs. Anthony Wint (6-0)
- Lightweight Bout: Abe Alsaghir (8-0) vs. Fabrizio Escarrega (9-1)
- Flyweight Bout: Bilal Hasan (8-0) vs. Mridul Saikia (9-1)
- Featherweight Bout: Ananias Mulumba (10-3) vs. Tom Pagliarulo (10-2)
- Middleweight Bout: Jon Kunneman (10-0) vs. Joseph Kropschot (8-3)
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Card Predictions for Contender Series Week 1:
Jon Kunneman vs. Joseph Kropschot
Undefeated at 27, Jon Kunneman captured the Anthony Pettis FC middleweight title in March 2025 and was scheduled to compete on Dana White’s Contender Series later that year before withdrawing due to a rib injury.
The Colorado-based wrestler has previously trained at JacksonWink alongside Jon Jones and has finished every opponent in his professional career, with all but his debut ending in the first round.
Standing across from him will be 31-year-old LFA middleweight champion Joseph Kropschot, who has never seen the judges’ scorecards in his career. He captured the LFA title by submission in February and enters this matchup riding three consecutive rear-naked choke victories.
A jiu-jitsu specialist with a height advantage, Kropschot presents a completely different challenge for Kunneman on the ground.
Prediction: Jon Kunneman via Decision
Ananias Mulumba vs. Tom Pagliarulo
Ananias Mulumba, 27, represents the Democratic Republic of the Congo and returns to Dana White’s Contender Series after falling to Marwan Rahiki last season. Rahiki has since won his first two UFC appearances, giving Mulumba a strong reference point heading into his second opportunity.
He bounced back from the loss with a first-round TKO on the regional circuit to earn his way back to the Contender Series.
Tom Pagliarulo, 29, enters off a victory in the PFL and brings proven finishing power, with seven of his stoppage wins coming in the first round. He most recently secured a victory with a knee to the body, a particularly dangerous weapon given his size.
At 6 feet tall, Pagliarulo will also have a notable height advantage over Mulumba.
Prediction: Tom Pagliarulo via TKO
Flyweight Bout: Bilal Hasan vs. Mridul Saikia
At 25, Bilal Hasan enters as an undefeated prospect from Indonesia and the reigning CFFC flyweight champion. He captured the title in September 2024 and successfully defended it three times in 2025.
After going the distance in his professional debut and fighting to a no contest in his second bout, Hasan has finished every opponent since, establishing himself as one of the more dangerous finishers in the division.
Mridul Saikia, 29, represents India and enters looking to rebound from the lone loss of his career, which came during the 2025 Road to UFC tournament. He now faces another significant test against an undefeated champion and dangerous striker in Hasan.
With both fighters capable of ending the fight quickly, this matchup could come down to who lands first.
Prediction: Bilal Hasan via TKO
Abe Alsaghir vs. Fabrizio Escarrega
Abe Alsaghir, 25, is an undefeated prospect born in Lebanon who now trains and fights out of Las Vegas. A well-rounded finisher capable of ending fights on the feet or the ground, he has gone the distance just once in his career.
He captured the Legends of Combat lightweight championship in his most recent outing, having previously won the title when the promotion operated under the Lights Out Championship banner.
Fabrizio Escarrega, 28, brings a more striking-heavy approach to the matchup. The hard-hitting Mexican has recorded six first-round knockout victories and will have a significant height advantage at 6-foot-1.
Despite the physical advantages and proven power, Escarrega enters as a slight underdog against the undefeated Alsaghir.
Prediction: Abe Alsaghir via Submission
Matt Adams vs. Anthony Wint
Matt Adams, 28, has experience in both boxing and bare-knuckle boxing, though his strength of schedule has been relatively modest. He enters as a sizable underdog but has previously been booked against Contender Series veterans Josh Hokit and Alvin Hines.
Both matchups ultimately fell through, but the bookings show Adams has already been considered for this level of competition.
Anthony Wint, 30, is undefeated and trains at Kill Cliff FC. Before transitioning to MMA, he spent time in the NFL, signing with the New York Jets in 2018. He captured the Fury FC heavyweight title in his most recent outing and enters on the strength of back-to-back first-round knockout wins that lasted just 31 and 37 seconds.
Despite competing at heavyweight, Wint weighed 237 pounds for his most recent fight, making a future move to light heavyweight an intriguing possibility with the UFC Performance Institute available to help facilitate the transition.
Prediction: Anthony Wint via TKO
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