Alik
Lorenz was eager to make the most of his second
Dana White's Contender Series opportunity.

Lorenz (7-2) was knocked out in 30 seconds by Abdul-Rakhman
Yakhyaev in his Contender Series debut last year. He bounced
back with a first-round knockout in the regional scene, earning
another shot at an
Ultimate Fighting Championship contract on DWCS 2026
Week 2.

Alik Lorenz rebounds from his 30-second DWCS loss by knocking
out Mahamed Aly

Lorenz took on Mahamed Aly
in a light heavyweight tilt in Week 2 of DWCS 2026. He floored his
opponent with a massive right hand in the first round and a couple
of follow-up hammer-fists were enough for the referee to step
in.

Lorenz says that he came out of his DWCS debut last year regretting
that he couldn't put his skills on display. The 29-year-old
returned this year, determined to leave it all inside the Octagon
and not go to the judges' scorecards.

“I feel amazing,†Lorenz said in his post-fight interview. “Last
year I didn't get to show anything off. So, I think that was the
biggest heartbreak. So, I made a promise to myself: I'm gonna go in
there and give everything I have. Definitely not leave it to the
judges. I just wanted to be proud of myself and the performance I
gave. And I am… We're working on everything at The MMA Lab. Nothing
in particular. Of course I need to move my feet, big guys get lazy.
We need to feint more and stuff. Just being consistent, not letting
that loss determine me.â€

DOWN GOES ALY 😳

Alik
Lorenz goes right hand into GNP for the R1 knockout!

[ #DWCS
| LIVE on @ParamountPlus
] pic.twitter.com/WLXUZmDBnY

— UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount)
August 18, 2026

Alik Lorenz
was also confused why Mahamed Aly
didn’t use the grappling 🤣

[ #DWCS
| LIVE on @ParamountPlus
] pic.twitter.com/0fVKpC8nb4

— UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount)
August 19, 2026

Week 2 of
Dana White's Contender Series 2026 kicked off with an absolute
banger.

Roman
Puga took on Taner
Trembley in a featherweight matchup in Week 2 of DWCS 2026.
While Puga scored an early knockdown, Trembley survived and rocked
him at the end of round 1. Both fighters threw the kitchen sink at
each other, visibly rocking and hurting one another multiple
times.

Roman Puga beats Taner Trembley in wild DWCS 2026 Week 2
fight

The fight somehow went the distance, with Puga earning a unanimous
decision win.
Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana
White was evidently impressed, as he stood up after each round
and went inside the Octagon to congratulate both fighters after the
fight ended.

Puga admits that while he was hunting for a finish, Taner earned
his respect with his grit. While the former came seeking an early
knockout, he was also ready for a 15-minute war if that didn't
materialize.

“I feel overwhelmed; grateful,†Puga said in his post-fight
interview. “I was hoping to put him out, but Taner is a dog. Great
fighter. Really earned my respect… Absolutely [I was surprised]. I
was hitting hard and I felt like it was doing some wear and tear on
him. But nonetheless, I told myself I can go for it in the first
round and knock him out. But if not, be ready for a war. And that's
what you guys saw tonight; I was ready for a war. I wanted that
knockout, but I showcased I'm that dog and I got it.â€

Both fighters ultimately won contracts.

DANA WHITE IS STANDING UP AFTER R2 IN THIS
FIGHT 🤩

[ #DWCS
| LIVE on @ParamountPlus
] pic.twitter.com/HcSnkYP8Q7

— UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount)
August 18, 2026

Jon Jones plans to ‘pray' for Daniel Cormier after the UFC legend's recent GOAT take on longtime teammate Khabib Nurmagomedov.

UFC legends Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier will likely never improve, despite being years removed from their two fights inside the Octagon. Their historic rivalry reignited after Jones and Cormier spent time coaching against each other on a Russian spinoff of The Ultimate Fighter, via ALF Global.

The two former rivals recently traded barbs after Jones claimed that Cormier told him that their feud was ‘worth too much money to end'. Cormier vehemently denied the allegations in a lengthy YouTube upload.

But it's Cormier's latest comments, crowning Khabib Nurmagomedov as the UFC's greatest fighter, that have refueled the fire behind the Jones-Cormier rivalry.

Jon Jones, Daniel Cormier trade barbs over Khabib Nurmagomedov GOAT take

In a recent interview on behalf of ALF Global, Cormier raised eyebrows when asked about putting Nurmagomedov over Jones as the UFC GOAT.

“Jon Jones, for as good as he is, has one loss. Why? Because he made a mistake,†Cormier said of Jones.

“Khabib dominated and never made a mistake. Never got himself disqualified…never made mistakes. I don't know why more people share this opinion.â€

In a recent Instagram comment, Jones responded to Cormier's recent interview.

“I started in the UFC so early that I didn't even know what the rules were. The night I fought Matt was the first night I had ever even heard the term “12-to-6.†Literally, my entire career has been in the main event, fighting for a world title,†Jones responded to Cormier.

“My brother, Daniel Cormier, your jealousy runs so deep through your blood. I honestly pray that the good Lord heals you from your envy and that, one day, you won't feel the need to do interviews like this. Until then, it's flattering to see the passion you have when it comes to me.â€

Nurmagomedov and Cormier entered the UFC Hall of Fame in 2022 in the same induction class. Meanwhile, Jones is expected to join them in the coming years, after retiring from Mixed Martial Arts in 2025.

Is Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier the greatest rivalry in UFC history? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM

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