Callum Connor awarded UFC contract despite loss on Dana White's Contender Series

Callum Connor was offered a UFC contract despite losing by unanimous decision to Peru's Piero Guaylupo on Tuesday at Dana White's Contender Series, while Norbert Novenyi Jr. was not given a deal despite winning his fight.

Six fighters from Tuesday's five contests earned UFC contracts — four of the winners plus two fighters who lost, one of whom was 26-year-old Connor. Guaylupo, who is 21 years old, took a unanimous decision over Connor, handing the Manchester fighter the first professional loss of his career; Connor's pro record moved to 8-1 after the bout and he had entered the fight on a four-fight win streak with UK promotion Full Contact Contender. Callum Connor made his professional debut in December 2022.

UFC president Dana White described the Guaylupo–Connor bout as potentially among the year's best and said it featured more significant strikes than any UFC lightweight three-round fight. "Both of these guys are in the hospital right now, as they should be," White said. "One of the greatest fights you'll ever see on Tuesdays or Saturdays or any other day. "For Piero to be 21 years old and fight the way he did, the fight was incredible. But it takes two guys to make a great fight. I'm taking them both."

Middleweight Norbert Novenyi, who was born in Hungary but fights out of London, earned a unanimous decision over American Theo Haig to improve his professional record to 11-1. Despite the victory, Novenyi was the only fighter who won on Tuesday not to be offered a contract; White told him, "tonight's not your night, my friend." "Norbert, both of you guys have great records," White said. "You came in, fought a good fight. "Unfortunately, I didn't see anything tonight that makes me say, 'I got to have this guy in the UFC'."

White left the door open for a future reassessment of Novenyi, telling him, "Whatever you decide to do here, we would like to take another look at you." The promoter's decision meant Connor received a deal despite his first pro defeat, while Novenyi exits the Contender Series having improved his record but without an immediate UFC contract.