White Praises Darby After Contender Series Week 4

Dana White awarded all five winners UFC contracts at Contender Series Season 10, Week 4, per UFC.com, with Adam Darby's welterweight performance drawing the UFC president's highest praise.

Darby dismantled Patrick Rivera with a leg-kick assault that White compared to Carlos Condit's historic output against Nick Diaz. "I literally said to the matchmakers in the first round, Rivera jumped on him, he was on his back, and I said, 'Now this fight ends. This kid Darby's going to finish this fight with leg kicks,'" White told reporters at the Meta APEX post-fight presser. He called it "an absolute masterclass" and credited referee Kerry Hatley with a smart doctor stoppage.

🎟️ Get tickets: Buy tickets to Dana White's Contender Series, Season 10, Week 4 on Ticketmaster →

White Criticizes Referee Tognioni's Night

The UFC boss had far less kind words for referee Chris Tognioni, who worked two bouts on the card. White accused Tognioni of letting Charlie Cleveland absorb eight unnecessary punches after his mouthpiece fell out in Gabriel Lorenco's first-round heavyweight knockout, then swinging the other direction with a premature intervention in Modestino Rodrigues' win over Brandon Holmes. White confirmed Holmes, who suffered early stoppages in both his Contender Series appearances, will get a third shot. "We owe that guy," he said.

Silvestre Sanchez nearly talked himself out of a contract before landing a third-round left hook on Liam McCracken. White admitted he was debating whether the 24-year-old needed more seasoning when the finish came. "Don't let me not pick you," he said, describing the knockout. Lorenco's heavyweight finish also impressed White, who said the division needs more athletic finishers like the Brazilian.

🎟️ Get tickets: Buy tickets to Dana White's Contender Series, Season 10, Week 4 on Ticketmaster →

The Contender Series has trended on Paramount Plus every week this season, White said, with the network texting him during Tuesday's broadcast. The expanded Meta APEX now seats over 1,200 paying fans. Week 5 tapes next Tuesday.

Source: ufc.com