Contender Series Fighter Gets UFC Deal After Illegal Knee Finish

Peru's Ian Escuza scored the fastest finish of the night at Tuesday's Contender Series Season 10, Week 8, stopping Luca Borando in just 32 seconds at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas. But the victory came with a big asterisk.

During the finishing sequence, Escuza landed an illegal knee on the grounded Borando. Referee Herb Dean did not intervene to call the foul, allowing the fight to continue to its conclusion as a TKO.

Dana White acknowledged the controversy in his post-show remarks, stating he believed the result should have been ruled a no contest, per Sherdog. Despite that assessment, White awarded Escuza a UFC contract, noting that matchmaker Sean Shelby advocated for the undefeated Peruvian prospect. Escuza improved to 8-0 with the win.

The incident adds to a growing list of officiating questions involving Dean, one of the sport's longest-tenured referees. Critics have increasingly questioned his ability to keep pace with the modern game, and Tuesday's missed call will only intensify that conversation.

Escuza was one of four contract recipients on the night, joining George Staines, Aieza Ramos Bertolso, and Adama Diop. A fifth fight between Ilias Bulaid and Erick Visconde was postponed to Week 10 after Bulaid fell ill.