GB's Connor earns UFC contract despite defeat

Callum Connor, a 26-year-old fighter from Manchester, has been awarded a UFC contract despite suffering a loss in Dana White's Contender Series. In a surprising turn of events, Norbert Novenyi Jr., the winner of the fight, did not secure a spot on the UFC roster. Six fighters emerged from the five fights held on Tuesday, with four of them being the winners while two of them, including Connor, were among the losers.

Piero Guaylupo of Peru secured a unanimous decision over lightweight rival Connor, marking Connor's first professional defeat. UFC president Dana White expressed excitement about the fight, stating that it could be a contender of the year due to the high number of significant strikes exchanged. White emphasized that both fighters are currently in the hospital and should be, noting that it took two fighters to create a great fight.

Connor, who boasts an 8-1 pro record and a four-fight winning streak in the UK promotion Full Contact Contender, now has a UFC contract. Middleweight Novenyi, born in Hungary but fighting out of London, improved his pro record to 11-1 after earning a unanimous decision over American Theo Haig. However, the 26-year-old was the only fighter to win on Tuesday that did not receive a contract, with White informing him that "tonight's not your night, my friend."

Despite the disappointment, White acknowledged Novenyi's impressive record and performance, expressing a willingness to take another look at the fighter in the future.