DWCS 2025: Week 8-play-by-play & results

With UFC contracts on the line and dreams that hang on the balance, Dana White’s Competition series Tonight for week 8 in Las Vegas, where a new wave of prospects will look to hit their ticket to the UFC.

Rashid Vagabov vs. Paulo Henrique

Round 1: Henrique opened the battle from outside and strongly relied on legs. Vagabov remained patient, grabbed his spots and took all the openings that Henrique offered. His striking was clearly setting up future Takedown attempts, but he still looked sharp on the feet.

Henrique seemed hesitant, almost intimidated by the Russian, threw timid strikes and showed signs of uncertainty. Vagabov continued to chip with be jersey before mixing shots in the head.

The Brazilian finally found his moment when Vagabov closed the distance a little too much, so that an impressive flurry was unleashed that forced the Russian to withdraw and reset.

Just before the two -minute Mark, Vagabov pushed forward, assured the clinch and drove Henrique to the fence with a body lock. Henrique fought well against the journeys and remained upright.

In the subsequent Scramble endangered Vagabov with a standing guillotine and used it to drag Henrique to the mat, but time went before he could take advantage.

Round 2: Henrique came out more aggressively in the second round, stood his ground and forced Vagabov to circl on the outside. He looked at heavy shots, but without much setup – beating to use the Jab early and leave openings.

Instead, Henrique De Clinch initiated and pressed it against the fence on Vagabov, in an attempt to control positioning. The two fought for control along the cage, with Henrique hunting for a high-crotch Takedown that Vagabov easily defended. Vagabov eventually created space, pushed Henrique out and put the pressure back on the Brazilian and forced him again to fight on the outside.

Vagabov went on the feet again and landed clean shots while Henrique repeatedly tried to beat for his own Takedown attempts. Henrique was driven backwards and ate strikes in the process.

A sharp knee from Vagabov landed rinse and took off his showmanship. The Russian started talking in the cage and even shouted at one point, “Dana, that was for you!”

Round 3: Vagabov opened the round with a high staircase that was blocked before he shot to a Takedown. Henrique defended well, but Vagabov refused to release the body lock and to drive the action in the clinch against the fence.

From there, Vagabov quickly moved to Henrique’s back, so that the Brazilian would defend both choke attempts and land attacks. Henrique managed to return, but with Vagabov firmly attached as a backpack, the pressure never left.

Vagabov locked in a body triangle and began to turn over the chin, to mix in bumps to keep Henrique on the defense. Henrique tried to fight the handle, but every adjustment only brought more punishment – including a clean right hand.

Desperate to shake him off, Henrique jumped and tried to hit Vagabov to the mat, but the Russian held and maintained control.

The fight was closed with Vagabov who was still protected on Henrique’s back and stacked at strikes while the last horn sounded his dominance before the score cards were read.

Official result: Rashid Vagabov Def. Paulo Henrique via a unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Kurtis Campbell vs. DEMBA SECK

Round 1: Campbell set the tone early and landed a sharp chop on SECK who forced his opponent to load forward as retribution. Campbell felt the momentum and closed the distance, grabbed and insured the Takedown.

From a top position, Campbell looked at control, but SECK showed his athletics by climbing back. Campbell refused to leave him off the hook, kept holding on him, landing a knee on the head and then pounding on the floor and pound to finish the fight.

England, you have one in the UFC!

Official result: Kurtis Campbell Def. Demba Seck via R1 TKO, 1:20

Christopher Alvidrez vs. Eliezer Kubanza

Round 1: Alvidrez opened by taking the center while Kubanza trains from outside. Alvidrez continued to bounce and switching posture to give different looks before they landed a large right hand.

He followed with a leg kick that turned Kubanza and then tried to take advantage of a missing attack, looking for a Takedown. Kubanza managed to muscle and reset his way out.

Kubanza answered with a solid right hand and a leg kick – his best attack of the fight so far. But Alvidrez came back with a right on the left that he seemed to rock, only for Kubanza to fire with a heavy body shot that the Mexican clearly hurt.

Kubanza felt an opening and drove a branchedown and pressed Alvidrez against the fence and landed knees on the legs and body. Alvidrez shook him and returned with heavy punches.

A huge right hand wobbled Kubanza, and Alvidrez swung, dropped him and unleashed a ruthless flurry of top position. Kubanza tried to stand, but was forced back down and more damage.

Referee Herb Dean gave him every opportunity, but Alvidrez never left up and beched until the fight was finally thrown away and the American gave an emphatic first round finish.

Official result: Christopher Alvidrez Def. Eliezer Kubanza via R1 TKO, 4:44

Louis Jourdain vs. Magno Dias

Round 1: Jourdain Dias dropped directly from the gate with a calf kick – although it looked more like Dias stumbled in an attempt to avoid it. A rigid follow-up puncture from Jourdain broke Dias’ head backwards.

Jourdain worked behind his reach and fell Jabs and Steps to keep diamonds at a distance. Dias, however, came with strength, Jourdain Kraken with a large right hand and showed that he was willing to cause damage to land his own shots.

Dias pushed forward, cut the cage and forcing Jourdain to the fence, looking for opportunities to blitz or shoot. Jourdain replied with fast Jabs and times to punish those submissions, while repeatedly tagged the lead bone of Dias tagging his left calf visibly red.

A sharp left hook from Jourdain briefly dropped Dias and the Canadian immediately pressed the action. Dias reacted by beating, Jourdain to drive to the fence and eventually dragging him down before he took his back. He drove on a neck crank, but Jourdain fought him. Dias let go, landed a shot, but Jourdain turned, returned to the upper position and clambered back to his feet.

From there, Jourdain’s noticeable remained, accurate, heavy and ruthless. Nevertheless, Dias showed that he himself had a lot of strength, making every exhibition dangerous.

Round 2: Jourdain immediately went back to the veal kick that had given problems in the opening round, and again paid dividends that opened strikes above. A sharp JAB followed by a filthy uppercut waved momentum in favor of Jourdain while pressing ahead. Dias took the challenge, wanted to close the distance and land his own heavy shots.

Dias shot for a Takedown, insured a body lock and demolition in an elbow before they disconnect and return to hitting. Jourdain welcomed the exchange and broke his shot to keep control of the reach.

Another calf kick from Jourdain sent Dias to the Canvas briefly, and when he got up again, Jourdain jumped in with a flying knee. Dias was driven to the fence under pressure, but recovered quickly and tied Jourdain up in the conflict.

Still hunting Takedowns, Dias dragged Jourdain to a knee and temporarily took his back. Jourdain, smooth as always, turned in top position and dropped a few sharp elbows. He threatened briefly from the back himself but slid away and sent the fight back to the feet.

Once standing, Jourdain hammered the calf again and forced Dias to switch to Southpaw, an attitude in which he was clearly not comfortable. The opening, Jourdain, a natural southpaw, shot to the body and racked crispy combinations. With the left leg of Dias tucked away, Jourdain liked to focus on the right and continued to punish with calf kicks.

Round 3: Dias shot in desperate for a Takedown, but could not finish it, and eventually pulled Jourdain on him with a body slot. Jourdain fully benefited, playing and landing heavy shots. While Dias rolled on his stomach, Jourdain continued to punish him with strikes.

Jourdain felt the opening and concluded a followed choke on-no hooks needed and forced the fast tap of Dias.

Official result: Louis Jourdain Def. Magno Dias Via R3 Sub (RNC), 0:39

Round 1:

Costa opened with pressure, with the help of many sham movements and movement, but Pinas let him pay quickly with an annoying uppercut that stumbled up Costa backwards. Costa answered with a calf kick, but Pinas stayed close by and had clean shots landed in the bag.

Pinas’ Jab was perhaps slow, but it was effective and repeatedly found its target. The whimsical movement of Costa did little to disrupt the accuracy of Pinas, and even when Costa tried to slow things down in the clinch, Pinas easily pushed him back.

Then came the last blow, a huge right hand of Pinas that made Costa fall cold, which closed an emphatic first round knockout.

Official result: Damian Pinas Def. VEBOR COSTA VIA R1 TKO, 1:46

Dana White’s Contender Series Contract winners:

• Kurtis Campbell
• Christopher Alvidrez
• Louis Jourdain
• Damian Pinas

And for more the coverage of the Contender Series by Dana White, view all the work here on Cageside Press. We have interviews with the hunters and analysis of those who get a chance on Tuesday.