A 22-year-old knockout artist was rewarded with UFC promotion after wowing Dana White on the Contender Series

Dana White’s Contender Series. Photo by Getty Images Dana White rewarded five Contender Series athletes with UFC contracts Tuesday. The UFC boss seemed particularly impressed with 22-year-old fighter Yusaku Kinoshita.

He’s “what we’ve been missing in the UFC,” White said after. The sixth season of Dana White’s Contender Series is now beyond the halfway point, as the sixth episode of the summer returned Tuesday for a five-fight card at the Apex in Las Vegas. Dana White’s Contender Series.

Photo by Getty ImagesThere have been some stand-out performances so far this season. Bo Nickal, potential MMA star. Photo by Getty ImagesSpeaking to Insider and other reporters after the fifth episode wrapped last week, the UFC boss Dana White singled out two performers who had blown his mind so far.

There was Joe Pyfer, who was the only athlete to earn a UFC deal on the opening night, and Cameron Saaiman, because he already looks the goods at 21 years old. White even said Saaiman should be called “The Future” going forward. Elsewhere, Bo Nickal — one of the best prospects in all MMA — stole the show earlier this month but, for White, had not done enough to earn a contract there and then.

The American will instead have to compete in another Contender Series fight later this season. Ten athletes competed in five fights in different weight classes with the hope that they’d do enough to secure a UFC contract. Full bout sheet for Contender Series.

Photo by Alan Dawson / InsiderHere’s who fought Tuesday:Blake Bilder vs. Alexander Morgan — featherweightMaria Silva vs. Viktoriia Dudakova — strawweightRodrigo Lidio vs.

Mateusz Rebecki — lightweightSedriques Dumas vs. Matej Penaz — middleweightYusaku Kinoshita vs. Jose Henrique — welterweightBlake Bilder scored an impressive first-round submission win over Alexander Morgan in the opening fight of the night.

Blake Bilder at Contender Series. Photo by Getty ImagesBilder submitted Morgan after three minutes and 15 seconds thanks to a rear-naked choke, which you can watch right here. Blake Bilder won his Contender Series match.

Photo by Getty Images—UFC (@ufc) August 31, 2022In the second fight of the night, Viktoriia Dudakova defeated Maria Silva by unanimous decision with scores of 29-28 (x 3). Viktoriia Dudakova won her Contender Series match Tuesday. Photo by Getty ImagesNext up were lightweight fighters Mateusz Rebecki and Rodrigo Lidio.

Mateusz Rebecki and Rodrigo Lidio. Photo by Getty ImagesRebecki, who White later nicknamed ‘Re-beast-i’, made a statement with a first-round rear-naked choke. Mateusz Rebecki won his Contender Series match.

Photo by Getty ImagesWatch the finish that caught White’s eye right here:—UFC (@ufc) August 31, 2022Sedriques Dumas kept the submission theme of the night alive in the fourth fight, when he finished Matej Penaz with a standing guillotine choke. Sedriques Dumas finishes Matej Penaz at Dana White’s Contender Series. Photo by Getty ImagesVictory advanced the American’s pro MMA record to seven wins (four knockouts, two submissions, and one decision), and remains undefeated.

Sedriques Dumas finishes Matej Penaz at Dana White’s Contender Series. Photo by Getty ImagesWatch his finish — the third-fastest in Contender Series history — right here:—UFC (@ufc) August 31, 2022The final fight of the night contained the most brutal of finishes as Yusaku Kinoshita poleaxed Jose Souza with a punishing punch. Yusaku Kinoshita wins Dana White’s Contender Series.

Photo by Getty ImagesThe thumping finish was a potential star-making performance for Kinoshita. Yusaku Kinoshita on Dana White’s Contender Series. Photo by Getty Images”The one thing we’ve been missing in the UFC is a Japanese star,” White told reporters after the event.

“Now we have one. “Watch Kinoshita’s knockout win right here:—UFC (@ufc) August 31, 2022″Anybody who’s been a fan of the sport knows it’s been huge in Japan,” said White. “And it’s been a long time since there’s been a star from Japan.

“The 22-year-old Kinoshita “could be it,” according to White. Dana White was in a near-giddy state when he announced a clean sweep of UFC contracts for Contender Series winners. Yusaku Kinoshita and UFC boss Dana White.

Photo by Getty ImagesWhite confirmed all five Contender Series winners would receive UFC deals. Here they are:Yusaku KinoshitaSedriques DumasMateusz RebeckiVictoria DudakovaBlake Bilder—UFC (@ufc) August 31, 2022Dana White’s Contender Series returns Tuesday, September 6 for the seventh episode of the sixth season. It will air on ESPN+ from the Apex in Las Vegas.

UFC boss Dana White. Photo by Getty ImagesThe Contender Series concludes on September 27 after its 10th episode. Read the original article on Insider.