It’s almost unheard of for fighters who lose on Dana White’s Contender Series to be awarded a UFC contract. In fact, prior to last Tuesday’s event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, it had only happened once in the series’ history.
Last week, however, UFC CEO Dana White awarded two defeated fighters UFC deals. One of those deals went to featherweight Angel Pacheco, who lost an all-time battle against Danny Silva.
The decision to award him a contract was triggered by an emotional backstage conversation between White and a heartbroken Pacheco.
“When I went back there, his ear is hanging off. He’s crying,” White told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a post-fight news conference. “He looks at me … I told him, ‘I’m going to pay your your win money.’ He (couldn’t) give a f*ck that I’m going to give him his win money. He’s crying and he said, ‘I wanted to win this fight so bad. I want to be in the UFC so bad. If there’s ever a late minute pullout or anything, please think of me.’
“I said, ‘Oh yeah.’ I said, ‘Dude, you are right up my alley. We’re going to pay you your win money.’ I went back and told the boys, ‘We’re signing this kid.’ If you want to be in the UFC that bad, if you want to win this fight that bad, how bad do you think he wants to win his first UFC fight?'”
On Monday, Pacheco’s manager and coach, Tyson Chartier, posted a video of the backstage interaction that persuaded White to go double-contract for the same DWCS bout. Check out the video below:
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