Smilla Sundell earns UFC contract after decision win

Smilla Sundell defeated Aline Pereira by decision at the October 13 finale of Dana White’s Contender Series and received a UFC contract, according to a post-event account. The result brought a UFC opportunity for the 21-year-old former Muay Thai champion after her first season competing in mixed martial arts. The women’s bantamweight bout took place at Meta Apex in Las Vegas during the final episode of the show’s tenth season. The post-event account reported that Sundell won all three judges’ scorecards, each by 29-28, in a close decision over Pereira. It also said UFC president Dana White awarded Sundell a contract after the fight. Sundell previously held a Muay Thai title in ONE Championship. She began competing in mixed martial arts in 2026, according to the post-event profile, and had recorded two TKO wins under the Tuff-N-Uff banner before appearing on Contender Series. The profile also said she had won 36 of 41 professional Muay Thai bouts. Pereira, a Brazilian fighter and the sister of UFC star Alex Pereira, entered the bout after a split-decision victory in May, the post-event account said. Sundell’s win halted Pereira’s bid to earn a UFC contract.