Updated

Updated · UFC · Aug 26

Alex Apodaca Upsets -6000 Favorite Bella Mir, Leads 5 UFC Contracts at DWCS Week 3

Updated

Updated · UFC · Aug 26

Alex Apodaca Upsets -6000 Favorite Bella Mir, Leads 5 UFC Contracts at DWCS Week 3

Q: Did Bella Mir's historic UFC NIL deal and Olympic pedigree translate into a contract-winning performance against the underdog Alex Apodaca?

It was too early to say from the available results alone. The reporting provided before and during the event confirmed Bella Mir’s enormous profile and expectations, but it did not include the outcome of her main event against Alex Apodaca or whether Dana White awarded her a UFC contract. What is clear is that Mir arrived with as much momentum as any prospect on the card. She was unbeaten at 4-0, had won an NCAA wrestling title at 145 pounds, became the first collegiate athlete to land a UFC NIL deal, and was widely described as one of the biggest women’s favorites in Contender Series history. Her Olympic ambitions also added to the intrigue, with Mir openly pursuing a 2028 Games bid while building an MMA career. That pedigree absolutely translated into attention and high expectations. Mir was the centerpiece of Week 3, and most preview coverage treated the bout as a showcase designed for her to prove she belongs on the UFC roster. Apodaca, however, was not being dismissed inside the sport. She entered on a three-fight winning streak, embraced the underdog role, and viewed the matchup as a life-changing opportunity. So the best answer is that Mir’s credentials translated into hype, betting support, and a prime contract audition, but the evidence provided here does not establish whether they translated into a contract-winning performance. To answer that definitively, the final fight result and Dana White’s contract decision are still needed.

Q: Could a full-time working underdog like Alex Apodaca derail the massive hype train of former UFC champion Frank Mir's undefeated daughter?

Yes, but the evidence said it was a long shot. Apodaca had a credible spoiler profile going into Dana White’s Contender Series: she was 3-1, riding a three-fight winning streak, coming off a July win, and openly leaning into the underdog role while balancing a full-time job with training. That kind of background can matter on this stage, where pressure and expectations often affect heavily hyped prospects more than records do. But nearly every measurable factor favored Bella Mir. Mir entered 4-0 with three submission finishes, fresh off an NCAA wrestling title, and already carried elite grappling credentials beyond MMA, including UFC BJJ experience. She was also widely viewed as one of the top female prospects on the card and became one of the biggest betting favorites in women’s Contender Series history, with odds reported as high as -1600 to -2000. Apodaca’s best chance was to turn the fight into a composed, extended stand-up battle and test whether Mir’s spotlight, inactivity in MMA, and split focus between wrestling and fighting would create openings. Her durability also offered some intrigue: unlike Mir, she had gone to decision in all four pro bouts and had not been finished in her wins. Still, the matchup strongly suggested Mir’s wrestling and top control would dictate terms. Apodaca had momentum and toughness, but derailing the hype train required a major upset rather than a likely outcome.

3 articles · Updated · UFC · Aug 26

Alex Apodaca capped Dana White's Contender Series Week 3 by beating Bella Mir 29-28 on all three cards, cashing as a +1200 underdog in what UFC called the series' biggest upset.
The bantamweight earned her contract by switching stances, stuffing Mir's takedowns and outworking the touted wrestler over 15 minutes, leaving Mir bloodied and defending a late submission attempt.
Five fighters in all won UFC deals at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas, with Nick Galanti scoring a 35-second knockout, Ronald Humphrey a first-round rear-naked choke, Sean Clancy Jr. a second-round TKO and Guilherme Uriel a 50-second guillotine.
The clean sweep made Week 3 a full-contract night for Season 10, with Apodaca's upset standing out as the headline result among a card dominated by finishes.