DWCS 96: Final Week of Season Capped with Rebooked Main Event

DWCS 96 fight week is here. For the past nine weeks, Dana White's Contender Series has provided an opportunity for MMA prospects to secure a UFC contract. Through nine episodes, 42 fighters have won their way into the UFC by way of DWCS, including all five fighters who emerged victorious a week ago.

This figure puts the 10th anniversary season of the show on pace to potentially tie the 46 contracts won in last season's 10-episode run and it's already tied with the 42 contracts awarded during the 2024 season. Live coverage of the final DWCS event of 2026 begins at 7 pm ET/ 4 pm PT.

Inside the United States of America, DWCS 96, as has been the case all season long, will be streamed on Paramount Plus.  As usual, five fights will be held inside Meta Apex in Enterprise, NV.

DWCS 96 Main Event: Ilias Bulaid vs. Erick Visconde: Bulaid Back After 11th-Hour Postponement Sept. 29

At the top of the bill for DWCS 96, a rebooked contest in the featherweight ranks takes place. Originally slated for the Sept. 29 DWCS 94, Ilias Bulaid (9-0, 1 NC MMA) will face off against Erick Visconde (17-3 MMA.) All fights mentioned herein are an advertised three rounds at five minutes per round. 

Although Bulaid weighed-in on Sept. 28, just hours before DWCS 94 took place the next evening, the bout was announced as postponed amid an illness requiring hospitalization. Bulaid has yet to lose in his professional MMA career.

Last time out, he scored a first-round knockout due to a liver shot against Wellyton Junior (12-11-1 MMA) in Levels Fight League 22 to take the LFL Interim Featherweight Championship . With a clean bill of health now afforded to him, how does he fare here?

Erick Visconde Eager to Parlay LFA Title into UFC Deal

Meanwhile, Erick Visconde is 4-1 in his last five fights and has won four bouts in a row. In May, he secured a split decision victory over Gustavo Pintos at LFA 232. 

By virtue of that win, he became the LFA Featherweight Champion. When a fighter is on a hot streak, as Erick Visconde is right now, he can be next to unbeatable on a given fight night. 

Will Visconde hand Bulaid the first loss of his career? Tune in Tuesday and find out.

DWCS 96 Co-Main Event: Aline Pereira vs. Smilia Sundell: Pereira Looks to Go from MVP to UFC

Immediately beforehand, the co-main event of DWCS 96 happens in the women's bantamweight ranks. Aline Pereira (3-2 MMA,) a veteran of Karate Combat, fights Smilia Sundell (2-0 MMA,) formerly of ONE Championship. Pereira enters with a record of 3-2 in her first five MMA fights, but counting contests in Karate Combat, she's won four bouts in a row across all competitions.

Under MMA rules, she's won two fights in a row. On May 16, Pereira fought in her highest-profile MMA appearance yet, besting Jade Masson-Wong (3-3 MMA) in MVP MMA 1 in Inglewood, CA. 

She's already had a taste of the major spotlight ahead of DWCS 96 and got her hand raised in victory in front of Jake Paul. With Dana White in attendance, the stakes are high for the sister of Alex Pereira here.

Smilia Sundell Eager to Go 3-for-3 in MMA

Across the way, Smilia Sundell enters DWCS 96 having won each of her first two MMA fights. A former Muay Thai stalwart in ONE Championship, she turned to MMA at the beginning of 2026 by competing in Tuff-N-Uff. 

On June 5, she stopped Maya Stewart (5-4 MMA) with strikes in one minute and 28 seconds. With Sundell having already scored two knockouts in succession under MMA rules, she's already in good shape.

One question remains, however: Can Sundell finish her third straight opponent in MMA? Only time will tell.

DWCS 96: Will Rentz vs. Luis Franciscscheinelli: Cage Fury Alumnus Seeks Fifth Straight First-Round Knockout

Also on DWCS 96 on Tuesday night, the welterweights take to the cage when Will Rentz (8-2 MMA) battles Luis Franciscschenelli (6-1 MMA,) a graduate of the LFA. Rentz, an alum of Cage Fury, has gone 5-0 in his last five fights.

All five of his wins in this current streak have been recorded by way of knockout, with four knockouts coming inside the first round of action. Back on the night of June 20 during Combat Night Tampa, Rentz needed only 25 seconds to finish off Nick McCarty (7-3-1 MMA.)

One final word about Will Rentz: Get your popcorn ready before his fight starts on Tuesday. You may not have the time to pop it once the bout begins.

Luis Francischenelli Wants to Build off Knockout Win

In the other corner, Luis Francischenelli will enter this week's card sporting a 4-1 record in his last five trips to the cage. On May 16, he stopped Travis Arrellano (3-1 MMA) with a second-round knockout in LFA 232.

Prior to booking a spot on DWCS 96 this Tuesday, Francischenelli was slated to return during LFA 239 vs. Jonathan Hanes. In Francischenelli's stead, Hanes fought Daniel Frunza, with the latter winning by second-round knockout.

Both fighters are in search of a knockout here, but will either man finish his opponent?

Rest of the Card

Two other fights round out the final DWCS card of the year, a middleweight fight between Douglas da Lapa (6-0 MMA) and Davi Cabral (7-0 MMA) and a lightweight showcase matching Jason Asher (5-0 MMA) with Greg Foster (8-1 MMA.)