Dana White's Contender Series Week 4 sees epic women’s flyweight knockout

Not only did Yuneisy Duben earn a UFC contract Tuesday night during Week 4 of Dana White’s Contender Series, the flyweight from Venezuela also ensured her name will get mentioned at the end of the year when fight fans rank the most memorable knockouts of 2024.

Duben improved to 5-0 and handed Canadian Shannon Clark her first pro mixed martial arts loss with a hellacious overhand right hand that ended the fight early in the opening round.

Knockouts of that ferocity are rare in the women’s 125-pound weight class and UFC president Dana White jumped out of his cage-side seat when the 28-year-old landed the punch that put Clark out cold.

“I don’t know if she can grapple, I don’t know if she can kick, I don’t know if she can defend a takedown, but let me tell you what, one of the most impressive knockouts I’ve ever seen,” an animated White said following the event.

Duben was the biggest betting underdog on the card and the win marked the biggest upset in DWCS history.

Featherweight Austin Bashi, 22, is considered one of the top young prospects in the entire sport and he showed why during his win over Dorian Ramos.

Bashi has won 13 in a row since making his pro debut less than four years ago and picked up his fifth career submission by locking in a rear-naked choke.

The finish was the only other on the night besides Duben’s but they were not the only fighters to impress the UFC boss.

The featured bout of the night saw Brazil’s Igor Cavalcanti go to a second round for the first time in his career, but the knockout artist ended up losing a decision to Seok Hyeon Ko, who became the first fighter from South Korea to earn a UFC contract through DWCS.

Djorden Santos swept the scorecards in an upset against fellow middleweight Will Currie and lightweights Gauge Young and Quillan Salkilld kicked off the action with Australia’s Salkilld improving to 7-1 after a competitive 15-minute tilt.

Salkilld landed seven of his 17 takedown attempts and 101 significant strikes at 62 per cent accuracy en route to a decision victory in a fight Dana White stood and applauded afterwards.

DWCS Season 8, Week 4 Official Results:

-- Seok Hyeon Ko def. Igor Cavalcanti via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

-- Djorden Santos def. Will Currie via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

-- Austin Bashi def. Dorian Ramos via submission (rear-naked choke) 3:15 Round 2

-- Yuneisy Duben def. Shannon Clark via knockout at 1:13 of Round 1 

-- Quillan Salkilld def. Gauge Young via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

UFC contract recipients: Yuneisy Duben, Quillan Salkilld, Austin Bashi, Djorden Santos, Seok Hyeon Ko