Callum Connor watched the UFC as a child, telling those around him he would one day represent MMA’s premier organisation.Fast forward 16 years and the Englishman is the latest athlete to graduate from Dana White’s Contender (DWCS) to the big leagues.Despite losing his DWCS fight by unanimous decision, White praised Connor’s Fight of the Year contender and offered him a UFC contractGetty“Obviously, people say it’s been a lifelong dream, but it really has been a lifelong dream,” Connor told talkSPORT.com, recalling the ‘surreal’ experience of his Las Vegas fight.“I watched UFC for the first time at ten years old and was magnetised towards it.“As you’re growing up, you kind of say it because you feel it’s the right thing to say to people, ‘I’m going to be in the UFC.’ But I always foresaw MMA would be in my future.”Dana White lauds Connor’s Fight of the YearIn September, Connor punched his ticket to the UFC with a captivating performance during DWCS week seven, season 10.View Tweet: https://x.com/hashtag/DWCS?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwFlying to the US for the first time, the 26-year-old went to war with Peruvian talent Piero Guaylupo over three rounds under the Sin City lights at Meta Apex.Despite suffering his first professional defeat, Connor’s performance was so good that UFC CEO White felt he had no choice but to offer the lightweight a contract.In fact, if Connor’s fight was in the UFC, it would’ve broken the record set by the 359 produced during Max Holloway‘s five-round rematch with Dustin Poirier in 2019 for the most significant strikes ever in a lightweight bout.“Both of these guys are in the hospital as they should be, one of the greatest fights you will ever see,” White said when awarding Connor his UFC contract.“This fight could be up for Fight of the Year contender… it was incredible.”It was a transformative experience for Connor, but one he has envisioned from a very young age.Connor was bloody and bruised after his DWCS war – but has his spot in the big leaguesGettyConnor’s path to the UFC“I just loved watching MMA week in, week out. Or whenever there was a big card on, I used to get up in the night,” Connor said of his youth.“I had a real love for it, for martial arts, for combat, and I got to a point where I thought, ‘If I put the work in. Why can’t I do this?’ You see the blueprint. You see these guys are only human. I can be there.“I put a lot of work in and my hard work is finally coming to fruition now. It’s beautiful.”Connor started Muay Thai as a child and competed mostly in junior Thai boxing bouts before quickly progressing to those allowing headshots from age 15 and 16.By 19, Connor was stuck deciding his future, feeling he’d hit a glass ceiling in Thai boxing as it didn’t quite suit his style, so he chose between pursuing MMA or boxing.Having watched MMA and realised kicking was his ‘bread and butter,’ Connor soon found coach Carl Prince and SBG Manchester, the gym of British former MMA fighter Martin Stapleton.Connor balanced a barbering apprenticeship with his training and worked retail jobs to make ends meet before reaching the UFCGettyBalancing a barbering apprenticeship with his training, Connor described just how difficult it was to make ends meet at the time.“It’s hard as you’re coming up as a fighter, because you’re earning next to nothing,” he said.“Amateur MMA, you’re earning nothing. Early pro career, you’re earning peanuts.“I flicked around by doing little jobs. I worked in retail just for a little bit of pocket change immediately after finishing high school.“I did a sports science degree at college, but I always felt like my calling was this. In fact, it was this.“I feel like everything’s about timing and it all came to me at the right time.”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.Connor noted he was willing to go through his first few fights while earning nothing just to get to where he is today.“That sounds crazy to most people, but in essence, fighting is a gamble,” he added.“My coach says, if you’re 99 per cent in and 1 per cent out, you’re all out.“That is so true to fighting, and a lot of things, but particularly in this game.”Connor overcame ruptured ACL before DWCSAfter bursting onto the amateur scene in 2021, Connor made his pro debut a year later.Winning his first three fights by first-round stoppage, he joined British MMA promotion Full Contact Contender (FCC), where he won his next four to go 7-0.His last appearance under the FCC banner came in March 2025, and a month later, with murmurs of the UFC wanting him to appear on DWCS, Connor thought his MMA journey was over.“I was really gaining some momentum and going in the right direction, then boom, April of last year, I ruptured my ACL, my gluteal ligament in a bad way, like fully ruptured it,” Connor said.“In football terms, that’s known as a career-ending injury if you don’t manage it right. But I was so relentless in my recovery…“To have it snatched out of your hands, it just reinforced more than ever how much I really wanted it, and it definitely strengthened the mind.“I got back on the horse as soon as possible and the opportunity came knocking.“It’s one of those things that you can’t refuse. Truth be told, I probably should have and would have had another fight, just to keep building and find myself in the cage again.“Because the time out, whether it’s a mental thing or not, it definitely plays a factor.“So when I got the call, I knew it was my time. It’s an offer you can’t refuse.”Connor had a two-day Vegas trip planned to shoot promotional content for DWCS, but stayed for his training camp, as coach Prince was already there preparing teammate Ateba Gautier for his fight at UFC 332.Although he described it as ‘like I was in a simulation,’ Connor said being in Vegas eight weeks before his fight helped the unfamiliar environment become normal and to not get carried away by the things he used to dream of.It wasn’t long before the Oldham native, nicknamed ‘007’ due to his slicked-back hair as an amateur and with help of teammate and current UFC star Lerone Murphy, found himself centre stage as one half of an all-time epic fight.He joins fellow Englishman George Staines as one of the many to earn UFC contracts this summer and hopes to make his debut in the first quarter of 2027.