Luke Fernandez turned heads in just 15 seconds, and he might have gotten a UFC contract.
The undefeated light heavyweight prospect started Week 9 of Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS) with one of the fastest knockouts in the show’s history. He knocked out Brazil’s Rafael Pergentino with one right hand and then more punches before the referee could step in. Dana White, who was cageside for the Contender Series’ penultimate week, reacted right away to the fight, which was shown live from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Fernandez, who was 30 years old, had a professional record of 5-0 and an amateur record of 6-0. He was already known in regional MMA circles for finishing fights in the first round. The former Cage Fury FC light heavyweight champion has also beaten UFC veterans Eryk Anders and Phil Hawes in grappling. His experience showed how calm he looked during the short exchange.
Fernandez’s rise is also getting the attention of betting experts and fans who keep track of fighter progress data outside of the cage. Online sportsbooks and other platforms keep an eye on up-and-coming MMA fighters and the odds trends of their early careers. Before his fight in the Contender Series, most sportsbooks had Fernandez as a heavy favorite, with odds of about −1100 to −1200 on major sites. That line showed that he had never lost a fight and that people thought he would finish quickly. In other words, sportsbooks keep an eye on prospects like Fernandez all the time, looking at early-career trends to guess how much money they could make in the future.
Pergentino stepped forward with a low guard as the fight started. Fernandez threw a sharp jab, then right after that, hit with an overhand right that hit perfectly. Fernandez rushed in and hit the Brazilian with a lot of ground-and-pound until the fight was stopped. The official time was 0:15 of Round 1, which is the second-fastest finish in DWCS history.
The knockout put Fernandez in a very small group of people. DWCS has been on the air since 2017. These events have produced several future UFC champions, such as Sean O’Malley, Jamahal Hill, and Jack Della Maddalena, who is the current welterweight champion. Fernandez’s finish could soon put him on the same path in his career.
It’s one of those things that every fighter dreams about when they start, you know, taking that journey and taking those walks to the cage,” Fernandez said at the press conference. “It’s like, to get that opportunity, to get a contract is everything.
White’s response made it seem like he agreed. The UFC CEO was seen nodding and smiling on camera just after the knockout. This is a common sign that a contract announcement could come soon after this week’s DWCS signings are made official.
Fernandez has five knockouts in six professional wins, and most of them happened before the two-minute mark. People have already compared his aggression and calmness under pressure to those of past Contender Series stars who quickly moved up to the UFC roster.
Fernandez’s 15-second knockout made him one of the best light heavyweights of 2025, whether or not he was officially offered a contract. And if Dana White’s face is any indication, fans won’t have to wait long to see him again, this time in the UFC Octagon.
