Silvestre Sanchez may have punched his way to a UFC deal.
At Dana White's Contender Series 90 on Tuesday, Mexico's Silvestre (10-1) proved the oddsmakers wrong as he finished England's Liam McCracken (8-2) with a big left hook to close their lightweight bout at Meta APEX in Las Vegas. The stoppage came at 2:44 of Round 3.
The fight was competitive with both men having their moments. Silvestre seemed a step ahead, and bloodied McCracken in Round 2. A looping punch floored McCracken midway through the final round, and a glancing hammerfist finished off the job.
A LEFT HAND FOR THE AGES 😳
— UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount) September 2, 2026
Silvestre Sanchez with the clean hook to earn the knockout!
[ #DWCS | LIVE on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/f32rDWI3FQ
The finish got a big reaction out of UFC
CEO Dana White and CBO Hunter Campbell.
Impressing the bosses with that knockout 😎
— UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount) September 2, 2026
[ #DWCS | LIVE on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/4S96p3SiPp
Sanchez, 24, carved out his reputation on the Mexican regional scene with standout performances for Lux Fight League. Tuesday's win was the fourth knockout of his pro career. He has five career submissions as well.
McCracken, 25, goes back to the drawing board, losing for the first time since a serious bus accident put his career on pause. McCracken was hit and dragged 60 feet while out for a jog, resulting in numerous broken bones, cuts, and surgeries. After relearning how to walk, McCracken won three-straight bouts en route to his DWCS shot.
Up-to-the-minute DWCS 90 results include:
- Silvestre Sanchez def. Liam McCracken via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 2:44
- Gabriel Lorenco def. Charlie Cleveland via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 2:02
- Adam Livingston def. Hunter Smith via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: DWCS video: Silvestre Sanchez cracks Liam McCracken with fight-ending left hand
