3 DWCS signees who didn't deliver in their UFC careers

A win on Dana White’s Contender Series is often seen as a golden portal into the UFC. The show has launched the careers of several fighters who have gone on to make a significant impact in the UFC, including the likes of Sean O'Malley, Jamahal Hill, Johnny Walker, and others. Though the show has produced several success stories, not every fighter who earns a contract on the show manages to translate their potential into success inside the Octagon.

Among the DWCS alumni, some have struggled to make a mark, despite the initial promise they showed. Whilst these three fighters had great showings on DWCS, their journey in the UFC left quite a bit to be desired. These are the three DWCS signees who did not deliver in their UFC careers.

Jamie Pickett

Jamie Pickett first appeared on DWCS on July 11, 2017, where he faced Charles Byrd in the inaugural season of the show. In what was a pivotal moment in his career, Pickett succumbed to a first-round submission, which resulted in him failing to earn a UFC contract. Undeterred by the loss, Pickett returned to the regional scene where he picked up several victories that earned him another shot at DWCS on June 18, 2019. However, he faced another setback, losing to Punahele Soriano by unanimous decision.

Despite these losses, Pickett’s persistence ultimately paid off. On August 25, 2020, Pickett made his third DWCS appearance, as he headlined the show against Jhonoven Pati. This time, Pickett delivered a stunning performance, securing a second-round TKO victory. The win finally earned him a UFC contract, a culmination of years of hard work and dedication. All that was left was for him to dominate the UFC Octagon.

Pickett would make his official UFC debut on December 19, 2020, at UFC Fight Night: Thompson vs. Neal, facing Tafon Nchukwi. Unfortunately for Pickett, the bout did not go his way, as he lost via unanimous decision after three rounds. Pickett's next bout was against Jordan Wright on May 15, 2021, and this took place at UFC 262. This fight proved even more difficult for Pickett, as Wright knocked him out in the first round.

Pickett secured his first UFC victory at UFC Fight Night: Costa vs. Vettori on October 23, 2021. The fight saw Pickett go up against Laureano Staropoli, and he won via unanimous decision. Building on the momentum, Pickett faced promotional newcomer Joseph Holmes on January 15, 2022, at UFC on ESPN 32. Pickett won via unanimous decision, and it appeared he had finally found his footing in the promotion.

However, Pickett's success was short-lived. On February 19, 2022, at UFC Fight Night 201, he stepped in on short notice to face Kyle Daukaus, replacing Julian Marquez. Daukaus quickly overwhelmed Pickett, submitting him via a D'Arce choke in the first round. Pickett then faced Denis Tiuliulin at UFC 279, and he ended up being knocked out in the second round.

Pickett then faced rising prospect Bo Nickal at UFC 285 on March 4, 2023. Pickett was submitted via an arm-triangle choke in the first round, thus dropping to a three-fight losing streak. Despite hopes of rebounding, Pickett's next bout on August 12, 2023, against Josh Fremd at UFC on ESPN: Luque vs. dos Anjos, ended in another disappointment. Fremd, who missed weight by four pounds, secured a unanimous decision victory, further deepening Pickett's losing streak.

Pickett's final UFC fight took place on March 2, 2024, at UFC Fight Night 238, against Eryk Anders. Before the fight, it was announced that this would be Pickett's last bout before retirement. Unfortunately, Pickett's farewell fight ended in another unanimous decision loss, marking his fifth consecutive defeat. After the fight, Pickett officially announced his retirement from mixed martial arts.

Vinicius Moreira

After building an 8-1 record on the regional Brazilian MMA circuit and in India’s Super Fight League, Vinicius Moreira earned an opportunity to showcase his skills on Dana White's Contender Series Brazil. On August 11, 2018, Moreira faced John Allan on episode three of the Brazil edition of Dana White's Contender Series. Moreira secured a second-round submission via triangle choke, earning himself a coveted UFC contract. With his grappling prowess on display, expectations were high for Moreira as he transitioned to the UFC's light heavyweight division.

Moreira made his UFC debut against Alonzo Menifield on January 19, 2019, at UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs. Dillashaw. Despite his promising background, Moreira’s debut ended in disappointment as Menifield defeated him via first-round technical knockout. On June 29, 2019, Moreira faced Eryk Anders at UFC on ESPN: Ngannou vs. dos Santos. Once again, he was unable to find his footing, losing by knockout in the first round.

The string of defeats continued when Moreira met Paul Craig on September 21, 2019, at UFC Fight Night: Rodríguez vs. Stephens. Craig, a submission specialist, secured a first-round rear-naked choke, handing Moreira his third consecutive loss. Moreira's next scheduled bout was against Modestas Bukauskas on July 15, 2020, at UFC Fight Night 172, but he was removed from the event after testing positive for COVID-19. Moreira then received a public warning from USADA on January 15, 2021, after testing positive for anastrozole in an out-of-competition test, although this was later attributed to a tainted supplement.

On January 20, 2021, Moreira faced Ike Villanueva at UFC on ESPN: Magny vs. Chiesa. Despite his efforts, Moreira was knocked out in the second round, marking his fourth consecutive loss. Shortly after, on February 4, 2021, it was announced that Moreira was released from his UFC contract. While his time in the UFC did not pan out as hoped, he remains an active competitor in MMA, continually pushing forward in search of redemption.

JP Buys

JP Buys came onto the UFC's radar with a reputation as a well-rounded and dangerous competitor. Buys was known for his wrestling and submission skills, and he competed on the fourth season of DWCS. Buys submitted Jacob Silva in the first round, earning his UFC contract.

Buys' UFC debut would take place at UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Holland on March 20, 2021. His opponent, Bruno Silva, delivered a second-round knockout, making Buys' debut unsuccessful. At UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Spann in September 18, 2021, Buys would fight Montel Jackson. After three rounds, Jackson picked up a unanimous decision victory over Buys.

Buys would face Cody Durden at UFC Fight Night: Tsarukyan vs. Gamrot on June 25, 2022. He would suffer a first-round technical knockout loss. Buys then faced Marcus McGhee at UFC Fight Night: Luque vs. Dos Anjos on August 12, 2023. A right hook in the first round meant Buys had four fight fights in the UFC, with zero wins.

Buys is yet to have another fight since then. Buys' zero wins and four losses record in the UFC underscores the brutal reality that success in DWCS does not guarantee success in the UFC.