DWCS 85 is upon us. Through the first eight weeks of this ninth season on Dana White’s Contender Series, we’ve seen plenty of action inside the fabled Octagon at the UFC Apex.
Counting last week’s show, 34 prospects who’ve made the walk this year on a Tuesday night to the slimmed-down Apex Octagon have received UFC deals from CEO Dana White. This week, it’s the penultimate show on this season’s DWCS schedule.
CountingLive coverage of DWCS 85 begins Tuesday night at the customary time of 8 pm ET/ 5 pm PT. Inside the United States of America, this card will be seen on ESPN+, while UFC Fight Pass carries the card for international audiences.
UFC BJJ 1: Carlos Henrique vs Danilo Moreira LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – Dana White holds the belt of UFC BJJ 1 after the bout between Carlos Henrique and Danilo Moreira compete in the inaugural UFC BJJ 1 at the UFC APEX on June 25, 2025, in Las Vegas, Nevada.Photo by Alejandro Salazar/Pximages Las Vegas UFC APEX Nevada USA Copyright: xAlejandroxSalazarx
DWCS 85 Main Event: Lucas Caldas vs. Magomed Zaynukov
At the top of the bill this coming Tuesday night, the lightweights vie for a UFC deal when Lucas Caldas (6-1 MMA) collides with Magomed Zaynukov (7-0 MMA.) All fights on DWCS 85 will be an advertised three rounds at five minutes per round.
Lucas Caldas will be entering the UFC Apex for DWCS 85 on Tuesday with a record of 4-1 in his last five fights. Back on May 2 of this year, he rebounded from his first career loss by way of disqualification to Patrick Gomes (8-5 MMA) due to illegal stomps in the second round by defeating Jorge Luis (6-8 MMA) with a first-round knockout (punches.)
Caldas is most impressive when the cage door slams shut on a given fight night. He’s finished all of his wins by way of knockout, with five of his six wins being recorded before the bell tolls to end the first round of a fight. Will he score another first-round finish here?
Meanwhile, Magomed Zaynukov has yet to lose in his career. This past February, he bested Shakhmar Sadygov (7-1-1 MMA) by way of unanimous decision in UAE Warriors 58.
Zaynukov is a Dagestani fighter on a hot streak. Only time will tell if he’s able to secure a UFC contract.
DWCS 85 Co-Main Event: Juan Adrian Luna vs. Mark Vologdin
Immediately beforehand, bantamweight action serves as the focus of the DWCS 85 co-main event of the evening as Juan Adrian Luna (16-1 MMA) meets Mark Vologdin (12-3-1 MMA.) Luna comes in with a record of 5-0 in his last five fights as part of an ongoing 14-fight winning streak.
Last time out, he scored a first-round TKO after his opponent, Jesus Flores (0-1 MMA) couldn’t continue in the March 28 fight due to sustaining a shoulder injury. Luna already has 17 professional fights to his credit before DWCS 85 and is a former bantamweight champion in UWC.
His resume is impressive as it is, but will he bolster it with a highlight-reel performance this coming Tuesday? Luna’s opponent across the way isn’t a slouch when it comes to MMA.
Mark Vologdin has posted a 5-0 record and has won seven fights in succession. Much like Juan Adrian Luna, Vologdin has a championship pedigree of his own.
Entering DWCS 85, he’s the AFN Bantamweight Champion, having defended the strap twice over, including in June, when he submitted Cleiton Monteiro (7-5 MMA) with an arm-triangle choke inside the opening round.
This is a highly entertaining fight on paper. Two fighters who already have championship belts on their mantles at home lock horns inside the Octagon. Who emerges victorious?
DWCS 85: Imanol Rodriguez vs. Roque Conceicao
Also on DWCS 85, the flyweights will be making the walk to the cage for a fight between Imanol Rodriguez (5-0 MMA) and Roque Conceicao (10-2 MMA.) Rodrigues is unbeaten up to now as a professional and appeared as part of the cast of the most recent season of The Ultimate Fighter television series.
As far as fights that have counted toward his record, Rodriguez finished Alberto Trujillo (9-6 MMA) inside the first round last September before being booked for TUF 33. He’s already familiar with fighting at the UFC Apex, having fought in a couple of exhibitions earlier on in 2025.
While he may have missed out on a UFC contract on TUF this past year, life has given him a second chance at a spot on the active roster of MMA’s No. 1 promotion. How will his Contender Series fight play out?
In the other corner, Roque Conceicao has posted a mark of 4-1 over the course of his five latest fight. Conceicao has won three fights in succession going into DWCS 85 this Tuesday.
Most recently, he finished Marceu Pasin (11-5 MMA) inside the second round with punches this past March. Conceicao has already secured three championships in three separate promotions, but can he thwart Rodriguez’ latest bid for a UFC deal?
Rest of the Card
Two other bouts round out the itinerary for DWCS 85 this Tuesday, a middleweight showcase between Luis Felipe Dias (15-5 MMA) and Donavon Hedrick (6-0 MMA) and a light heavyweight contest pairing Luke Fernandez (5-0 MMA) against Rafael Pergentino (5-0 MMA.) Which fight or fights are you looking forward to this week?
Let us know in the comments.