American middleweight Jon Kunneman put it all on the line to try and get a UFC contract on Tuesday night.The 27-year-old was one-half of the opening fight at Dana White‘s Contender Series (DWCS) event this week, which returned to the Meta Apex in Las Vegas for week one of its 10th season.Kunneman, right, opened the new season of DWCS against Joe Kropschot in Sin City on TuesdayGettyDWCS offers prospects the chance to fight their way to a contract with UFC CEO White, who decides on the night whether or not athletes are signed up.UFC legend Frank Mir’s daughter Bella Mir has the chance to win a deal on August 25 during week three, but before that, 10 fighters took centre stage in Sin City.And it was the first fight of the night that has the entire MMA world talking.Kunneman survives horrific armbar on DWCSKunneman took on LFA middleweight champion Joe Kropschot, with the pair trading heavy leather over three rounds.View Tweet: https://x.com/paramountplus?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwKropschot used his range well to pick apart Kunneman with a series of jabs and straight shots to the body.Kunneman struggled to get close to his opponent, relying on quick bursts in the hope of scoring a one-punch knockout.As time ticked on, Kropschot was clearly in the lead, which forced Kunneman to shoot for a last-minute takedown.However, it didn’t take long for Kropschot to reverse positions, as he quickly attempted a Kimura before locking in a brutal armbar.Kropschot’s armbar got tighter and tighter as UFC commentator Paul Feldman shouted: “He’s going to break it!”The submission attempt appeared to completely dislocate Kunneman’s arm, leaving those in attendance gasping in shock.Kropschot found himself in control on the canvas with just seconds left on the clockGettyAfter originally tempting a Kimura, he locked in an armbarGettyBut Kunneman refused to tap out despite fracturing his armGettyIncredibly, as Kropschot tried to force Kunneman to tap out, the latter hung on for dear life, keeping his right thumb in the air to tell referee Herb Dean he was alright.Both men received a standing ovation as the final bell sounded and Kropschot got the nod on the scorecards to claim a unanimous decision win.Although many thought Kunneman had broken his arm, the Colorado man took to Instagram after his loss to share an update on his injury.“The doctor said my arm has a small hairline fracture, depending on the extent of the ligament damage,” Kunneman, who is awaiting an MRI scan, said.“My arm is not broken, but there’s definitely a fracture.”Dana White reactsWhite, meanwhile, highlighted that ‘there is nothing wrong with tapping,’ but respected Kunneman for being so tough.Kropschot earned a UFC contract for his performance during the unanimous decision winGetty“How I got started in this sport was jiu-jitsu. That’s how I got started,” White explained at the event’s post-fight press conference.“And what happens to you if you don’t tap? Tapping is a part of the sport.“It’s not anything that’s shunned on. Like, ‘Oh my god, that guy’s a p***y, he f***ing tapped.’ That is not how this sport works.“The damage that can be done to your arm for the rest of your life? I’m cool with tapping.”He continued: “Listen, do I respect and think that he’s a really f***ing tough guy? Absolutely. “And I was looking at his face. He didn’t even look like he was in pain. And he had his other thumb up like this.”UFC ScheduleThere are still several blockbuster shows and exciting contests for fight fans to look forward to in 2026, and you can find the full list of all confirmed events and official bouts as part of talkSPORT.com’s UFC schedule.The UFC, on average, puts on 13 to 14 premium events in a calendar year, with up to 30 smaller ‘Fight Night’ cards allowing prospects and less experienced fighters to showcase their talents.On January 1, 2026, Dana White’s promotion signed a seven-year broadcast deal with CBS and Paramount+ for exclusive rights in the US, meaning the UFC has put on shows like never before this year.With the historic first event in the new Paramount era, UFC 324, delivering huge success, and a one-of-a-kind fight card at the White House in June opening up the UFC to a new audience, the promotion remains a premium global sports brand, and fans are eager to keep track of results and upcoming fights.“Dude, your arm is going the other f***ing way. Put your thumb down.“Yes, I respect that he is that f***ing tough, but there is nothing wrong with tapping in this sport.”Elsewhere on DWCS week one, former New York Jets linebacker Anthony Wint, flyweight Bilal Hasan and featherweight Tom Pagliarulo all punched their tickets to the UFC with wins.