Cristian Perez will likely call himself “UFC fighter” come Wednesday.
At Dana White’s Contender Series 88 on Tuesday, Perez (15-2) finished a game opponent in Logan Paxton (10-2) with punches at 1:06 of Round 2. The lightweight bout took place at Meta APEX in Las Vegas.
The first round was competitive, with Paxton showcasing some aggression and power. Perez remained level-headed, focused on the assignment. In Round 2, Perez put Paxton down with a big left hook and finished the fight with a pair of hammerfists.
ALL OVER IN ROUND 2 😤
Cristian Perez lets the hands go to find the TKO!
[ #DWCS | LIVE on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/fmQj6xGjXe— UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount) August 19, 2026
Perez, 27, redeems himself after a failed DWCS attempt vs. Manoel Sousa in 2025. The fight was a back-and-forth banger, but Perez was finished midway through Round 3. The loss was the only one in his most recent eight appearances.
Paxton, 31, has an eight-fight winning streak snapped.
Up-to-the-minute DWCS 88 results include:
- Cristian Perez def. Logan Paxton via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 1:06
- Alik Lorenz def. Mahamed Aly via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 2:23
- Roman Puga def. Taner Trembley via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: DWCS video: Cristian Perez redeems himself with big TKO of Logan Paxton
